Business and contact information for Google Merchant Center: what to show and where
Updated November 2026 · Based on Google's public Merchant Center help pages
Google needs to be confident that a shopper can find out who they're buying from and reach you if something goes wrong. Missing, hidden or inconsistent contact details are among the most common reasons stores get flagged for misrepresentation.
What Google asks for
Google's website requirements include accurate contact information, and its Misrepresentation policy prohibits hiding or misstating information about your business. In practice that means a shopper should easily find:
- your business name (the same name you use in Merchant Center)
- a way to reach you: an email address and, ideally, a phone number
- a business address
Make it match everywhere
The most avoidable problem is details that differ between places. Check these against each other, character for character:
- your website footer and contact page
- Merchant Center: Settings → Business info
- your store platform's settings (on Shopify: Settings → Store details)
- your policy pages, which often contain an old address or the theme's sample one
Small differences add up: a trading name on the site and a legal name in Merchant Center, an old phone number, or a missing suite number.
Where to put it
- Footer: business name, email and address on every page.
- Contact page: the same details, plus a phone number, a contact form if you like, and when you reply.
- Policy pages: include contact details in your return and shipping policies, so a shopper doesn't have to hunt.
- About page: who runs the store and what you sell. A real About page makes the business easier to verify.
Common mistakes
- Only a contact form, with no email, phone or address anywhere.
- Contact details shown as an image, or only inside a chat widget.
- The theme's sample address or "123 Main Street" still in the footer.
- A different business name on the site, the receipt emails and Merchant Center.
Identity verification
Google may ask you to verify your identity or business inside Merchant Center. If you see that prompt, complete it, and make sure the documents match the business details on your site.
Not sure which of these applies to your store?
Send us your store URL and we'll check your public pages against Google's Merchant Center policies. The free check is emailed within 24 hours and doesn't need a login.
Get a free storefront check