--- title: "Fix a rejected product image in Merchant Center" description: "Trace a rejected product image to its submitted file. Check overlays, placeholders, product identity, and crawler access before approving a replacement." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/retail-merchant-center-product-image-disapproval" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Services - Services - [AI systems](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-systems) - [Site build](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#site-build) - [Whole website fix](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#whole-website-fix) - [Content library with SEO](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#content-library) - [Working session](https://scalewithsearch.com/audit) - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Example scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#review-the-example-scope) - [Prices and terms](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prices-and-terms) - Industries - Real estate - [Real estate agents and teams](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - [Platforms, ownership, and IDX](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-platforms-ownership-idx) - [Search, content, and AI](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-search-content-ai) - [Inquiries, campaigns, and handoffs](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-inquiries-campaigns-handoffs) - [Buyer, seller, and local pages](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-buyer-seller-local-resources) - [Rules, privacy, and trust](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-rules-privacy-trust) - Browse by business - [Trades and home services](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-trades) - [Health, wellness, and animal care](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-practices) - [Law, finance, and IT](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-professional) - [Marketing and SEO agencies](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-agencies) - [Shops and manufacturers](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-manufacturing) - [Restaurants, shops, studios, and nonprofits](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-local-services) - Chiropractic practices - [Chiropractic and wellness practices](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-wellness-practices) - [Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-physical-therapy-clinics) - [All industries](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/) - Resources - Free tools - [AI readiness check](https://scalewithsearch.com/check) - [Free tools](https://scalewithsearch.com/tools/) - [Free Starter Kit](https://scalewithsearch.com/kit/business-memory-starter-kit.zip) - Guides - [AI-native library](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-native) - [Industry intelligence](https://scalewithsearch.com/intelligence) - [Office job guides](https://scalewithsearch.com/guides/) - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles - [All articles](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/) - [What changed](https://scalewithsearch.com/changes/) - About - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Scale With Search - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) - [How it works](https://scalewithsearch.com/how-it-works) # Fix a rejected product image in Merchant Center Find the exact image submitted for the affected product. Compare that file with the account's issue wording and Google's current image requirements. A new photograph in the website gallery is not enough evidence that the submitted image changed. Google uses `image_link` for the primary product image. Its specification directs merchants to use `additional_image_link` for other angles or detail shots. [Google image-link specification](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324350?hl=en), checked 2026.10.23. Use the checks below to prepare a repair request. Keep the product record, image file, and account status identifiable throughout the investigation. ## Capture the submitted file and issue Ask the account manager for the affected item identifier, exact image address, and complete issue text. Open that address separately from the product page. Record what the image shows and whether it loads without a store login. Compare the submitted file with the intended product. Check the size, color, packaging, and included items against the approved catalog. Mark an uncertain match for the catalog owner. Do not assume the first photograph visible on the website supplies the feed. Ask the maintainer to identify the field or integration that generates `image_link`. ## Separate promotional graphics from the product photograph Google's main-image rules prohibit added promotional elements such as calls to action, price or shipping text, and superimposed retailer logos. They also prohibit placeholder images that fail to show the product. [Main-image restrictions](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324350?hl=en), checked 2026.10.23. Use a proposed asset sheet to brief the replacement: | Question | What to supply | | --- | --- | | Which item? | Confirmed product and variant | | Which file failed? | Exact submitted address and issue wording | | Which replacement? | Approved image depicting that item | | Which graphic caused concern? | Marked overlay or placeholder for review | | Who can publish it? | Asset owner and feed maintainer | Have the owner confirm permission to publish the replacement. Keep promotional banners as a separate design decision rather than copying them into the primary product-image field. ## Check file access with the maintainer Google requires image access for Googlebot and Googlebot-image. Its documentation also advises stable image addresses instead of addresses that change with every submission. [Image access and URL guidance](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324350?hl=en), checked 2026.10.23. Request a direct file-response check and an inspection of the relevant access rules. If a security or image-delivery service is involved, ask its maintainer to identify the observed denial. Avoid disabling site protections without establishing which request failed. Ask the maintainer to check the actual file type and current size requirements. Use the current specification during implementation. Keep the requirements check dated rather than copying an old image-size checklist into the store's permanent instructions. ## Trace the replacement into submitted product data Approve one replacement first. Require the maintainer to show the new file and the product record that references it. Compare the website image where it is intended to use the same asset. Keep the old and new addresses in the repair note. If the integration still submits the old file, identify its controlling field before repeating the upload. For a template problem, inspect another affected item after the repair. Verify that the second product receives its own correct photograph. Avoid using a single generic replacement across unrelated products. ## Record technical repair and account outcome separately Accept the file repair when the agreed image, submitted address, product identity, and access checks pass. Save the account's later result as a separate observation. A corrected image does not establish that every other product requirement is satisfied. Review [retail and ecommerce websites](/for/retail-and-ecommerce). Send Scale With Search the failed file, account issue, and approved asset requirements through [the website scope form](/work). Continue the website review: [AI-native retail and ecommerce: the first functions to build](/articles/ai-native-retail-first-functions); [Brick-and-mortar business: plan the website around visits](/articles/brick-and-mortar-store-website-plan); [Dealer SEO: make vehicle inventory pages useful](/articles/dealer-seo-inventory-page-checklist); [Google Business Profile products: check the right editor](/articles/google-business-profile-products-or-services); [Fix a Merchant Center price mismatch on your store site](/articles/merchant-center-price-mismatch-store-website); [Retail and ecommerce AI rules: data, approvals, and spend](/articles/retail-ai-rules-data-approvals-spend); [Retail gift bundles in Merchant Center: what to submit](/articles/retail-gift-bundles-merchant-center); [Store guest checkout: check Google's requirements](/articles/retail-guest-checkout-google-requirements); [Fix a Merchant Center availability mismatch](/articles/retail-merchant-center-availability-mismatch); [Missing GTIN in Merchant Center: check before you guess](/articles/retail-merchant-center-missing-gtin); [Fix a Merchant Center shipping cost mismatch](/articles/retail-merchant-center-shipping-cost-mismatch); [Merchant Center website verification and claim problems](/articles/retail-merchant-center-website-verification-claim); [Product variants not grouped in Merchant Center](/articles/retail-product-variants-merchant-center-grouping); [Make store pickup instructions match your Google listing](/articles/retail-store-pickup-website-google-check); [Fix a store return policy that appears wrong on Google](/articles/store-return-policy-wrong-google). [retail stores and ecommerce sellers](/for/retail-and-ecommerce): website and search resources. ## Related: retail stores and ecommerce sellers - [Fix a Merchant Center shipping cost mismatch](/articles/retail-merchant-center-shipping-cost-mismatch) - [Merchant Center website verification and claim problems](/articles/retail-merchant-center-website-verification-claim) - [Product variants not grouped in Merchant Center](/articles/retail-product-variants-merchant-center-grouping) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. Scale With Search 2026 [scalewithsearch.com](https://scalewithsearch.com) ```