Missing field “hasMerchantReturnPolicy” (in “offers”)

Are you missing “hasMerchantReturnPolicy”? Don’t be shy, tell Google your return policy! This simple info boost helps your product listings stand out, builds trust with shoppers, and reduces cart abandonment. Fix it quickly with plugins or code, and enjoy the SEO and customer experience perks!
Here we explain how to fix it quickly through code.

What is “hasMerchantReturnPolicy”

Within product listings, “hasMerchantReturnPolicy” is a structured data field that informs Google (and shoppers!) whether you have a return policy. It’s like a clear “returns accepted” or “no returns” sign for your products.

Impact on SEO?

There are some potential indirect ways in which they could affect your search ranking:

Reduced product visibility: If your products are removed from Google Shopping due to policy violations, they will no longer be displayed in search results. This can lead to a decrease in organic traffic and sales.

Loss of trust: If Google takes action against your Merchant Center account, it could be a sign that you are not a trustworthy seller. This could damage your brand reputation and lead to lower search rankings.

Increased scrutiny: If you have a history of policy violations, Google may be more likely to scrutinize your website and listings in the future. This could make it more difficult to rank well for relevant keywords.

Negative reviews: Customers who are unhappy with your products or services may leave negative reviews online. This can also damage your brand reputation and lead to lower search rankings.

Overall website health: Google considers various factors when determining website ranking, including the overall health of your website. If you have a history of policy violations, it could be a sign that your website needs to be better maintained and trustworthy. This could lead to lower search rankings.

Missing field “hasMerchantReturnPolicy” Issue

How to Fix the Missing Field “hasMerchantReturnPolicy” Issue?

• Update your return policy: 

Based on the identified violation, modify your return policy on your website and within your Merchant Center product feed. Ensure it complies with Google’s guidelines and accurately reflects your return process.

 If you face this issue, you must add this code in your product schema in the offer section for the Missing field “hasMerchantReturnPolicy”.

"hasMerchantReturnPolicy": {
          "@type": "MerchantReturnPolicy",
          "applicableCountry": "CH",
          "returnPolicyCategory": "https://schema.org/MerchantReturnFiniteReturnWindow",
          "merchantReturnDays": 60,
          "returnMethod": "https://schema.org/ReturnByMail",
          "returnFees": "https://schema.org/FreeReturn"
        }

Meaning of the provided structured data code:

hasMerchantReturnPolicy:

• This property indicates that the product or offer has a defined return policy associated with it.

@type": "MerchantReturnPolicy":

• Specifies that the structured data describes a merchant’s return policy.

applicableCountry": "CH":

• Declares that the return policy applies specifically to transactions in Switzerland (CH).

returnPolicyCategory": "https://schema.org/MerchantReturnFiniteReturnWindow":

• Defines the type of return policy as a finite return window, meaning there’s a specific timeframe within which returns are accepted.

merchantReturnDays": 60:

• Explicitly states that customers have 60 days from the purchase date to initiate returns.

returnMethod": "https://schema.org/ReturnByMail":

• Identifies that returns are to be made via mail (postal service).

returnFees": "https://schema.org/FreeReturn":

• Indicates that returns are free for the customer, meaning no additional fees will be charged for returning items.

Here is an Example from Google guidelines with the proper guide.
Here is an example of a product page with return details. The markup matches a return policy that requires products to be returned within 30 days, and shipped to the US, and there are no return fees.

This is the product schema with the “hasMerchantReturnPolicy” Section. You go and validate the schema for the return policy on the Rich Snippet Tool.

    <script type="application/ld+json">
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org/",
      "@type": "Product",
      "sku": "trinket-12345",
      "gtin14": "12345678901234",
      "image": [
        "https://example.com/photos/16x9/trinket.jpg",
        "https://example.com/photos/4x3/trinket.jpg",
        "https://example.com/photos/1x1/trinket.jpg"
      ],
      "name": "Nice trinket",
      "description": "Trinket with clean lines",
      "brand": {
        "@type": "Brand",
        "name": "MyBrand"
      },
      "offers": {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "url": "https://www.example.com/trinket_offer",
        "itemCondition": "https://schema.org/NewCondition",
        "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
        "priceSpecification": {
          "@type": "PriceSpecification",
          "price": 39.99,
          "priceCurrency": "CHF"
        },
        "hasMerchantReturnPolicy": {
          "@type": "MerchantReturnPolicy",
          "applicableCountry": "CH",
          "returnPolicyCategory": "https://schema.org/MerchantReturnFiniteReturnWindow",
          "merchantReturnDays": 30,
          "returnMethod": "https://schema.org/ReturnByMail",
          "returnFees": "https://schema.org/FreeReturn"
        }
      }
    }
    </script>