GMC insufficient information: the storefront checklist
By Terry Ecom · Last reviewed 2026-08-20 · Source: Google Merchant Center Help
“Insufficient information” is Google saying customers cannot find or understand how to reach you or what happens after they buy. The fix is specific pages and specific facts — not a contact form alone.
What Google says the site must contain
Merchant Center Help’s “fully functional store” guidance says a website must contain contact info and policy pages, including a clear About page, return policy, shipping info, and business info.
Editorial requirements call out incomplete or hard-to-understand business information — contact, shipping, or FAQs that a customer cannot act on — as a problem. Placeholder and templated copy (“Lorem ipsum”, “add reviews here”) is also listed.
Contact that can be used, not just a form
Google asks for legal business name, physical address, phone number and email, clearly listed and consistent with Merchant Center. A form-only contact page with no direct email, phone or address leaves the reviewer nothing to verify against the account.
Policies that state the actual terms
A shipping or returns URL that exists but defers every number to checkout is still incomplete. GMC Scout reads those pages for the operational facts Google’s audit implies: shipping cost and timeframe, countries, return window, who pays return shipping, refund processing time, restocking fee.
FAQ
Is a contact form enough?
Google’s published list asks for legal name, physical address, phone and email that match Merchant Center. A form can sit beside those — it does not replace them.
Do Shopify’s auto-generated policies pass?
Only if you customise them with your business name and real terms. Generic template language is exactly what the editorial requirements flag.
How does GMC Scout help?
A free scan counts and categorises missing contact and policy facts on the storefront. Unlocking the report reveals the titles, evidence and URLs.
Sources
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