Google Ads Under Review for a Long Time: Counterfeit Goods Advertising Policies

Google wants to encourage a great user experience, and that includes their Google Ads. Also, a company that large can be exposed to legal issues if they aren’t careful. That’s why they have to take great pains to maintain compliance with the law. They do this in a variety of ways, but one of the ways that is most relevant to online advertisers is the approach they take to counterfeit goods.

If your ad goes against a policy, it might be disapproved. If you have too many violations (such as counterfeit), you could have your account suspended.

To help you avoid getting your account locked and losing out on potential revenue, we’ll talk about Google’s Counterfeit Goods and Misrepresentation policies. Specifically, we’ll explain how to avoid triggering them, and also how to deal with your account suspension to try to save your account.

What is the Counterfeit Goods Policy for Google Ads?

According to Google’s policies, you cannot sell or even promote counterfeit goods. Something is a counterfeit good if it has a logo or trademark identical to another brand. Furthermore, they mimic the brand in other ways, such as features and likeness. This is in an attempt to fool people into believing they are the authentic brand.

Therefore, any time that you submit a change to your ads, they will undergo a review process. This helps ensure that your ads adhere to Google’s policies. The policy does not only apply to your Google Ad itself. It also applies to your website to which you’re sending people.

If a brand files a valid counterfeit complaint against you, Google will remove your ads and terminate your account that advertised the counterfeit product.

What Counterfeit Policy Violations Will Get Your Account Suspended?

Google is serious about counterfeit policy violations.  If you have Google Ads under review for a long time, it’s possible that you triggered one of them. As we mentioned, Google takes a comprehensive view of your online footprint to ensure you aren’t misrepresenting your brand. There are a variety of things that could trigger an account suspension:

• Described as Knockoffs – If your claim to offer an imitation, knockoff, clone, faux, fake, or similar variation of a brand name, this is considered counterfeit. Google assumes that you are passing off the product as the real deal.
• Non-Genuine – If you have a non-genuine product that somehow mimics another trademark or brand, this will result in a violation. Logos and labels are a common example of this.
• No Online Purchases – If you don’t allow your items to be purchased online, it’s going to set Google’s counterfeit alarms off right away.
• Price Variation – You need to have consistent pricing throughout your funnel. The ad, landing page, and product data should all match up throughout the buying journey. Otherwise, this is considered a violation.
• URL Issues – The URL you send people to needs to be claimed by you (the advertiser). If it isn’t, it opens the gate to malicious intent, such as viruses and identity theft.
• Wrong Language or Currency – If you’re showing ads to the U.S., your landing page needs to be in English and use the U.S. dollar for the most part. Make sure your content matches up with the region you’re targeting.

Google Ads Counterfeit Vs. Trademark Policy

While both the trademark policy and counterfeit policy have similar goals, the way they are implemented is slightly different. Google’s counterfeit policy looks at the products or apps being promoted. The trademark policy revolves around the usage of text or keywords that have the trademark in them.

For example, if a fraudulent advertiser was selling fake Nike shoes, the shoes themselves would be a counterfeit issue. Using the word “Nike” in their ads or website content would be a trademark issue.

What Can You Do if Your Account is Suspended for a Counterfeit Policy Violation?

If Google suspends your account for violating its counterfeit policies, all is not lost. While it is frustrating and potentially very costly to have your account suspended, there are things you can do to try to remedy the situation.

You can appeal the suspension. In this case, a specialist from Google will look at your case individually. Typically you will get a response somewhere between 3 and 5 business days.

Here is how to appeal your suspension:

Go to the https://support.google.com/google-ads/troubleshooter/7217496?hl=en as shown below. Then select the “Counterfeit goods” option.

Next, provide the required information as pictured below. Then click submit.

How Do You Prevent Counterfeit Policy Violations Now or in the Future?

Mistakes can happen. When you have your Google ads under review for a long time, it’s a matter of remedying it. If you are a well-meaning advertiser and have been suspended, it doesn’t mean you are a fraudster. Still, you need to take a careful look at your advertising and other online assets to see where the problem might be. Some common areas that cause issues are your brand, barcode, and other product information.

Brand

Your brand name should be visible on your product or packaging. Avoid photoshopping or otherwise artificially adding your logo to the product image after the fact. This is a common tactic by counterfeit criminals.

When to use it?

If the product has a clear association with a manufacturer or brand, you need to have your brand clearly visible. Posters, movies, and similar items are excluded. Furthermore, you don’t need this for custom made products like handmade crafts or art.

Format

Minimum Requirements

• Use the brand name that most people would recognize and associate with your product.
• Do not put anything else as a value in the brand field. If you don’t have a brand, simply leave it blank.
• You’ll want to submit other unique product identifiers. This could include the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) or the Manufacturer Part Number (MPN). This gives Google a better idea of what you’re selling and can improve the chances that they connect users with your ads.

Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)

A GTIN is a unique and specific number used to make your ad easier to find. If your product has a GTIN, you’re leaving money on the table by not including it. Savvy shoppers that already know the exact product they want are the ones most likely to input the GTIN. Furthermore, without the GTIN, you might not be eligible for certain Google Shopping features.

When to use it?

If your product has a GTIN, you are required to include it. Sometimes, there may be another ID number assigned by the manufacturer that will act as the GTIN.

You should input a value for the GTIN attribute, using any of the following numbers:

• UPC (in North America / GTIN-12): 12-digit number (convert 8-digit UPC-E codes to 12-digit codes).
• EAN (in Europe / GTIN-13): 13-digit number.
• JAN (in Japan / GTIN-13): 8 or 13-digit number.
• ISBN (for books): 13-digit number (convert ISBN-10 to ISBN-13). If you have both include only the 13-digit number.
• ITF-14 (for multipacks / GTIN-14): 14-digit number.

Format

Minimum Requirements

• Use the GS1 Check digit calculator to ensure it is correct.
• Make sure the GTIN is not in the restricted range. This includes a prefix of 2, 02, or 04.
• Avoid the coupon GTIN ranges from 98-99.
• Do not submit a GTIN for a generic product.
• Remember that you don’t need to have a GTIN. If your product does not have one, simply leave it blank.
• Use the exact GTIN for every product. This includes product variants. For instance, the different colors of a product will have its own unique GTIN. Do not use the same GTIN for all these variations.

Manufacturer Part Number

MPNs are a type of number that identifies specific product types among all the products made by a manufacturer. Some shoppers may have more knowledge of exactly what they are looking for. That way, your Google ads under review for a long time will reduce in number.

As an example, a car enthusiast might look for specific auto parts using their MPNs. If you neglect to include this number in your Google Ads, you could be missing out on a large portion of your market as smarter competitors will be filling out their MPN information.

When to use it?

If your product is not custom-made (such as novelty products, handmade products, t-shirts, art, etc.), then it must have either a GTIN or MPN. Therefore, if your product has no GTIN, you need to list an MPN for it if you want your item to be approved for advertising purposes.

Format

Minimum Requirements

• Only use the MPN assigned by the manufacturer. Do not input one that you created or simply make one up. This number is used to verify the authenticity of the product.
• Distinguish between variants. Each variant will have a unique identifier. This applies to products of that category that might have different sizes, colors, or features. The only difference is with apparel. Apparel products all have the same MPN, regardless of size (small, medium, and large t-shirts, for example).

Product Identifier

While you must have either a GTIN or MPN, there is an exception. You can instead indicate that the identifier_exists attribute does not exist.

When to use it?

Use this method if you simply don’t have an MPN, GTIN, or brand. This is most commonly the case for brands or products that are new. Make sure the “identifier_exists” attribute is set to “false” or “no” so that Google knows you are using this exception, and it doesn’t reject your product.

Use the following set of rules to provide the correct identifiers for each of your products.

Several products might not have a unique identifier. These include t-shirts, art, one-of-a-kind items, or handmade goods. In addition, vintage items, antiques, older books (published before 1970), and other old products likely won’t have a GTIN.

Format

You cannot simply claim that your product doesn’t have a GTIN or MPN. Only use the exception above if you have no other way to provide information about the origin of your products.

The more high-quality data you provide Google, the more you will comply with their counterfeit policies. If you try to get around their policies, your ads will most likely be disapproved and your account in jeopardy. Plus, searchers will be more likely to find your advertisements and purchase your products. It’s best to play by the rules.

Wrap Up

Google has a lot on the line regarding counterfeit policies and other applicable laws. If you notice Google ads under review for a long time, then you need to educate yourself. That’s why it requires all advertisers to meet certain criteria. If your ads violate Google’s policies, you could have your ad suspended at best, and your account suspended at worst.

This is particularly challenging for resellers and some of the other popular ecommerce niches. So be sure to review the information above. Refer to it whenever you have questions or concerns about violating Google’s advertising policies. That way, your ads can continue to run without issue and bring you revenue growth.