Missing return and refund policy in Merchant Center: how to fix it

Updated 25 Sept 2026 · by Sergey Sachenok, Founder of Polyntor

Merchant Center showsMissing return and refund policy on your online store

In short

Google could not find a clear return and refund policy on your site, so the account is disapproved or about to be.
The page has to answer the questions a buyer asks before paying: can I return it, within how many days, in what condition, how, who pays, and when is my money back.
If you do not accept returns, you have to say so plainly. Silence or vague wording is what gets flagged.
Return settings in Merchant Center are a separate step, and they must say exactly what the page says.
Link the policy from the footer of every page and from product pages, and keep it readable without logging in.

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What this issue means

This issue is about your website, not your feed. Google checked your store and could not find a return and refund policy it considers clear. According to the help page for this issue, the result is an account that is either disapproved or pending disapproval, which means your products can stop showing in Shopping ads and free listings.

Typical causes: there is no returns page, the page exists but nothing links to it, or it is too vague to answer anything ("contact us about returns"). Promising more than you deliver is worse: refusing a return your own policy allows is an example in the misrepresentation policy.

What the returns page must say

Google asks that the policy explain how you handle returns and refunds, including every requirement and every time limit. In practice that means a buyer should be able to answer these questions from the page alone:

Do you accept returns? Yes, only for faulty items, or no. One clear sentence near the top.
How long? The return window as a number of days, and the day it starts counting from, for example the delivery date.
What can be returned? Condition (unused, original packaging, tags attached) and the items that are excluded, such as custom-made or hygiene products.
How do I start a return? Email, phone, a form or a returns portal, and what information to include, such as the order number.
How do I send it back? By mail, at a drop-off point or in store, and whether you provide the return label.
Who pays? Whether return shipping is free or paid by the buyer, and whether there is a restocking fee and how much it is.
What if something went wrong? An item that never arrived, arrived damaged or was not what was ordered.
How do I get my money back? Original payment method or store credit, how many days it takes, and whether an exchange is possible instead.

Google also wants the policy to cover ordinary cases, like a buyer who changed their mind, not only defective products. If you accept no returns at all, say so without hedging. And do not hide costs: the misrepresentation policy lists restocking fees not disclosed before checkout, and international return windows that start at purchase rather than delivery, as examples of what not to do.

Google's requirements are the minimum for Merchant Center, not for the law where your buyers live. In the EU, for example, buyers of goods online generally have a 14-day right to withdraw counted from delivery, with some exceptions such as perishable or made-to-order goods. A "no returns" policy can be fine for Google and still be illegal for your market, so check local consumer rules before you publish.

An example structure you can adapt

This is a layout, not a legal template. Replace every value with your real terms:

Returns at a glanceThree or four lines: "You can return most items within 30 days of delivery. Returns are free / cost X. Refunds go back to your original payment method within 10 days of us receiving the item."
What you can returnThe condition you accept, and a short list of excluded items with the reason for each.
How to start a returnYour returns email, phone number or form link, and what to include: order number, item, reason if you ask for one.
Sending the item backThe return method, the return address (and the country, if it is not where you are based), and who pays for the label.
Refunds and exchangesRefund method, how many days it takes, any fees deducted, and whether an exchange is possible instead.
Damaged, wrong or missing ordersHow to report it, by when, and what you do: replace, refund or reship.

Use the same email, phone and business name as on your contact page (more in Insufficient contact information), and write the page in the language of the country you sell to.

Fixing it: page, settings, links and review

Publish the page at a stable URLOne dedicated returns page. Google says it must be readable without logging in, signing up or entering personal details.
Link it from every pageGoogle's own example is a link in the footer of every page. Also link it from product pages and, if your platform allows, from checkout, so the buyer sees the terms before paying.
Add a return policy in Merchant CenterGo to Shipping and returns under Products & store, open Return policies and select Add return policy. You enter the policy URL, countries, whether you accept returns and exchanges, product condition, return window, return methods, restocking fee and refund processing time. Walkthrough: Set up your return policies.
Add exceptions for items with different rulesIf some products cannot be returned or have a shorter window, create an exception policy and assign it to those products with the return_policy_label attribute in your product data. Say the same thing on the page, in the excluded items list.
Compare the page and the settings line by lineDays, condition, methods, fees and refund time must match. Google wants the policy consistent in Merchant Center and everywhere on the site, including the footer and any banner: a "free returns" banner over a page that charges for return shipping is a conflict. Also check that your return policies cover the countries you ship to; see Missing shipping policy.
Check the status of your policyMerchant Center shows each return policy as Verified, Pending or Rejected. Rejected means Google did not accept it; compare it with the requirements above and edit it.
Wait for the review, or request oneGoogle says it reviews the site again after your changes, which can take some time. Where Merchant Center offers a review request, Google says it typically takes up to 3 to 7 business days. If the account is already suspended, read Requesting a review after a suspension first: failed reviews can start a cool-down period.

What Polyntor checks for this

Whether a returns or refund policy page can be found on your site
Whether it states the return window as a number of days, and when the window starts
Whether it lists at least two ways to start a return: email, phone, a form or a portal
Whether it says if you accept returns, which items and in what condition
Return shipping cost, restocking fee, refund method and how long the refund takes
Whether it covers orders that never arrived, arrived damaged or were the wrong item
A link to the returns policy in the site footer, and links to returns and shipping policies from product pages
If you enter your Merchant Center return and shipping policies in scan settings: a policy URL, a return method and a number of days on each, return terms for every country you ship to, and one currency across them

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Questions

I already set up return policies in Merchant Center. Why do I still see this issue?

Because this issue is about your website. Google treats the page on your site and the settings in Merchant Center as two separate things, and you need both. Check that the page exists, is linked from the footer and says the same as your settings.

Can I pass this issue with a no-returns policy?

The Google help page for this issue says that if you do not accept returns or refunds, you must state that clearly on the site, and your settings must say the same. But consumer law in many countries, including the EU, gives online buyers a right to return most goods, so a no-returns policy may not be legal where you sell.

My listings say the return policy applies "For most items". What is that?

Google has worked out your return policy from your website on its own. Once you add your return policy in Merchant Center and it is verified, Google uses that instead and the notation goes away.

Do I need a separate policy for each country?

Only if the terms differ. One policy can cover several countries. If you sell abroad but do not accept returns from there, Google suggests a separate policy for those countries. Either way, make sure every country you ship to is covered by one of your policies.