If Merchant Center shows "Missing return and refund policy on your online store", Google could not find a clear returns policy on your website, and the account is disapproved or pending disapproval. A separate step, adding your return policy inside Merchant Center, controls what Google can show shoppers. This guide covers both.
What the issue means
The issue is about your website, not your product data. The fix is to make the policy easy to find, complete and consistent.
- Issue: Missing return and refund policy on your online store
- Scope: The whole account, not one product
- If you take no returns: Google says to state that clearly on the site
Common causes
Shopify's help for the Google & YouTube channel says you need a Refund Policy and Terms of Service on your online store, available in your footer menu.
- Not in the footer: The policy page exists but nothing links to it
- Vague terms: No return window, method or refund timing
- Conflicting versions: The footer, returns page and banners say different things
- Behind a login: Google says the policy must be reachable without logging in or entering personal details
Fix the policy on your site
Write or update the policy in Shopify, then link it from the footer menu on every page. Google asks that the policy spell out requirements and timelines, such as the reason for return and the return window. See how to write a Shopify return policy for wording.
- Return window: How many days
- Condition: New and unused only, or slightly used accepted
- Method: By mail, drop-off or in store
- Costs: Who pays return shipping and any restocking fee
- Refund timing: How long refunds take
Google then reviews the site, which can take some time.
Add the policy in Merchant Center
Google treats this part as optional, but it lets Google show your return terms on ads and listings. Its help page for Shopify users says to set the policy up in Shopify and in Merchant Center. Go to Shipping and returns, open the Return policies tab and select Add return policy.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Return policy URL | The policy page on your store |
| Countries | Where the policy applies |
| Return window | Number of days, or lifetime |
| Restocking fee | None, fixed or a percentage. Shopify users can choose No cost for free returns |
| Refund time | How long refunds take to process |
After saving, the status shows as Verified, Pending or Rejected. A rejected policy needs updating to meet Google's requirements.
Keep the two in step
Google says the policy in Merchant Center must match your website. If some products have different terms, create an exception policy with a label, then send that label in the return_policy_label attribute. Products without a label use the default policy.
- ✅ The same window and costs on the site and in Merchant Center
- ✅ Update both when you change your policy, including holiday extensions
- ❌ A longer window in Merchant Center than on your site
Doing this at scale
FeedFix checks every product against Google Merchant Center and Meta Catalog rules and scores each one from 0 to 100 per channel, so you can see which products have data problems. It drafts compliant title and description rewrites you review as before/after diffs, apply in bulk, and every change is audit-logged. See FeedFix.