Starting on 18th May 2021 all ebook listings will be disapproved. Source: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/10524536
Remove all ebooks from your data feed listing to prepare Google’s Policy changes.
This policy applies to all Google Merchant Center channels except for Free Listings. This means you can continue to receive free clicks for eBooks, just not for Shopping Ads, Display, Buy On Google, Local Ads.
Reason
Google has for a while not been great with selling digital content on Google Shopping Ads. There have been issues with verifying the content sold is genuine.
That in combination that Google could not offer a great user experience. They simply decided not to allow these products all to gather.
Suspended for eBooks But I Sell Hard Cover Prints
If you are selling hard cover prints, but are flagged for eBooks, then make sure that you have done the following.
- Have your categories with the value:
- Text: Media > Books > Print Books
- Category ID: 543543
- Double-check your ISBN (bar code number) are for hardcover prints and not eBooks
- That you do not mention eBooks in your titles or descriptions for both the website and data feed
How Can I Advertise eBooks?
Start selling hard cover prints or sell your ebooks on a different marketplace.
Such as:
- Amazon
- Payhip
- Blurp
- Lulu
- Feiyr
- Book Baby
- E-Junkie
- Seiz
- Google Play
- Fiverr
Is there a way to sell both print and digital versions of books on a website while only selling print versions on merchant center without getting flagged?
Good question. In theory, yes, nothing is preventing you from selling eBooks on your website. I recommend you maybe have a drop-down menu that can change to allow for eBooks to be selected.
However, make sure the default selection is the hardcover version.