You're in the process of creating a Google Merchant Center account and realize you don't have a refund policy. Your company does not allow refunds. What should you do next?
Refund policy is not a landing page requirement. Whether a business offers refunds or not, it's not required to have the policy on the website as long as there's a disclaimer.
Refund policy is a landing page requirement. It's acceptable that you don't allow returns or refunds, but this must be clearly stated. Consider adding the return and refund policy to the footer of the website so it's readily available.
Refund policy is a landing page requirement. In order to run on Shopping ads, you'll need to offer refunds and clearly state on the policy to the footer of the website so it's readily available.
Refund policy is an optional landing page requirement. The policy is required for businesses that offer a refund; otherwise, it's not a violation to exclude it from the footer of the website so it's readily available.
Explanation
Analysis of Correct Answer(s)
This option is correct because it accurately reflects Google Merchant Center's policy on returns and refunds.
- Mandatory Requirement: A return and refund policy is a mandatory requirement for all merchants using Shopping ads. It is not optional.
- Clarity and Transparency: Google's primary concern is transparency for the user. A business is not required to offer refunds, but its policy—even if it's a "no refunds" or "all sales are final" policy—must be clearly and conspicuously stated.
- Accessibility: To meet the requirement, the policy must be easy for users to find before they make a purchase. Placing a link in the website's footer is a standard best practice to ensure it's readily available on every page.
Analysis of Incorrect Options
- The first option is incorrect because it falsely states that you must offer refunds. Google requires you to have a policy, but it does not dictate the terms of that policy.
- The second option is incorrect because it claims a refund policy is not a landing page requirement. This is false; it is a fundamental requirement for maintaining an active Merchant Center account.
- The third option is incorrect because it describes the policy as optional. The policy is mandatory for all merchants, regardless of whether they accept returns or not. If a merchant doesn't offer refunds, they must explicitly state that as their policy.