Fashion and Apparel Store Suspended on Google Merchant Center: Fix It Right

1. Missing or Incorrect Variant Attributes

Apparel requires specific attributes that other categories treat as optional. If these are missing, your feed has data quality issues that can accumulate into a suspension trigger:

• size: Required for all clothing items. Use standard size conventions for your target market (S/M/L/XL for US, numeric sizes for EU).
• color: Required for apparel. Use descriptive, specific colors ("navy blue" rather than "blue").
• gender: Required. Must be one of: male, female, unisex.
• age_group: Required. Must be one of: newborn, infant, toddler, kids, adult.
• item_group_id: Required when selling variants. Links all sizes and colors of the same base product together.

Variants that are not linked by item_group_id show up as separate unrelated products in Google's system. This is a data quality issue and, at scale, flags your account for a review that can escalate to suspension.

2. Image Policy Violations

Fashion image requirements are strict and specific. The most common image violations for apparel:

• Promotional text or sale badges overlaid on the product image
• Watermarks from suppliers or stock image services
• Main image that shows only a model's lifestyle shot without the product being clearly visible
• Collage images (showing front and back in one combined image) as the main image
• Images with excessive props, accessories, or background elements that obscure the garment
• Low-resolution images below Google's minimum size requirements

For most apparel categories, Google prefers the main image to show the item on a clean white or light background, or on a model with the product as the clear focus. Additional lifestyle images can go in the additional_image_link fields.

If you dropship fashion and use supplier images, check every image for watermarks. Many wholesalers add their logo to images automatically, and those watermarked images will trigger a policy flag on your account.

3. Counterfeit and Unauthorized Brand Issues

Fashion is one of the top counterfeit categories globally, and Google knows it. Any listing that uses a brand name you are not authorized to use, copies a trademarked design, or implies association with a luxury label you do not represent is a policy risk.

Common violations that merchants do not always recognize as counterfeit issues:

• Using "Gucci-style," "Louis Vuitton-inspired," or similar brand-adjacent language in titles or descriptions
• Selling items with logo patterns that closely mimic trademarked prints (LV monogram, Burberry check, etc.) without being an authorized retailer
• Using brand names as search keywords in your product titles for items you do not actually carry from that brand
• Images that show branded hangtags or labels that the product you sell does not actually include

If you are an authorized retailer, your feed should include the brand attribute with the correct brand name and you should have authorization documentation ready if Google requests it.

4. Material Description Inaccuracies

Fabric composition claims are a misrepresentation risk in fashion, similar to material claims in jewelry. If your product says "100% cotton" and it is a cotton-poly blend, that is a misrepresentation violation. Google's crawlers compare your feed data against your product pages and flag discrepancies.

The specific issues that come up most often:

• Supplier-provided descriptions that say "genuine leather" for PU or vegan leather items
• Generic "premium fabric" language that does not match the material field in your feed
• Fabric percentages that differ between the feed, the product page, and the product label
• "Sustainable" or "organic" claims without certification to support them

Audit your material descriptions against your actual product specifications. When in doubt, be more specific rather than less. "Polyester-cotton blend (60% polyester, 40% cotton)" is more accurate and policy-safe than "soft premium fabric."

5. Size Guide and Returns Policy Gaps

Fashion stores that do not provide a size guide or have a vague returns policy face an increased risk of misrepresentation flags. Google expects that customers can make an informed purchase decision from your product page, and for clothing, that means size information.

Your product pages should include:

• A size chart specific to the brand or product line, not a generic chart
• Actual measurements (chest, waist, length) alongside size labels (S, M, L)
• A clear returns policy that specifies whether clothing can be returned and under what conditions
• Model measurements and the size they are wearing, where relevant

These are not just user experience improvements. Missing size information contributes to the "insufficient business information" signals that feed into misrepresentation assessments.