Google Merchant Center
What You Can’t List in Google Shopping: Services, Tickets, Vehicles, Financial Products and Ad Targeting Limits
Merchant Center is for tangible products people can buy. Some categories aren’t supported at all, and some can’t be targeted with personalized ads.
Google’s Unsupported Shopping content policy lists categories that can’t be listed because Shopping isn’t built for them. Google issues a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension for violations.
Separately, Google’s personalized advertising policy restricts how ads in sensitive categories can be targeted, which affects Shopping remarketing and audiences.
Short answer: Google Shopping doesn’t support services (labor, time, expertise or actions that don’t result in owning a tangible product, including services bundled with goods), ticket sales, most motor vehicles (outside vehicle ads), financial products, currency, open-loop gift cards, immovable property, certain recurring billing and billing processed by product software, and eBooks in Shopping ads. Service businesses should use Business Profile, Local Services Ads or Search ads instead. Ads in sensitive interest categories face restricted personalized targeting.
Key Takeaways
- Services can’t be listed as Shopping products.
- Tickets, vehicles, financial products and property are unsupported.
- Violations get a warning at least 7 days before suspension.
- Service businesses have better Google options.
- Sensitive categories limit personalized ad targeting.
Unsupported categories
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Services | Repairs, installations, consultations, memberships with no tangible product, services bundled with goods |
| Ticket sales | Event and travel tickets |
| Vehicles | Cars, boats, motorcycles (vehicle ads are a separate format) |
| Financial products | Stocks, insurance policies, credit cards |
| Currency and open-loop gift cards | Cash, prepaid cards usable anywhere |
| Immovable property | Real estate |
| Recurring billing / software-processed billing | Certain subscription structures |
| eBooks and digital books | Not in Shopping ads (audiobooks excluded from this rule) |
Options for service businesses
- Google Business Profile for local visibility (GBP checklist).
- Local Services Ads or Search campaigns for paid leads (Local Services Ads).
- Service pages built to rank and convert (service page checklist).
- If you also sell physical products, list only those products in Merchant Center.
Personalized advertising limits
Google restricts personalized targeting for sensitive interest categories, which include health, gambling, alcohol, negative financial status, marginalized groups and others, and applies “access to opportunities” restrictions in the US and Canada for some categories. If you sell in these areas, expect remarketing and audience options in Shopping campaigns to be limited (Shopping eligibility).
Frequently asked questions
Can a plumber list services in Google Shopping?
No. Services aren’t supported in Shopping; use Business Profile and lead ads instead.
Can I list a product that includes installation?
Services bundled with physical goods aren’t allowed; list the product and explain installation on your site.
Will I be suspended immediately?
Google says violations of this policy get a warning at least 7 days before any suspension.
Need help with Merchant Center?
We fix disapprovals, policy issues and feed problems so your products can show in Google Shopping and free listings.
Sources
- Merchant Center Help: Unsupported Shopping content
- Merchant Center Help: Restricted targeting in personalized advertising
- Merchant Center Help: Shopping ads and listings policies
Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
Table of Contents
Merchant Center Problems?
Disapprovals, suspensions and feed errors, fixed within Google’s policies.
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