Why is my apparel product missing a size, color, or gender?
Direct answerApparel & Accessories needs an age group, a gender, and a color on free listings. Shopping ads need them in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Size is narrower: clothing and shoes, not every accessory. The values come from Google’s age group, gender, color, and size pages, reviewed October 28, 2026.
Which products need which field
| Attribute | Free listings | Shopping ads |
|---|---|---|
| Age group | Apparel & Accessories (166) | The same category, in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States |
| Gender | Apparel & Accessories (166) | The same six countries |
| Color | Apparel & Accessories (166) | The same six countries. This page does not list accessory exceptions. |
| Size | Clothing (1604) and Shoes (187) only | Those two categories, in the same six countries |
Age group and gender are optional for a shared list of accessories: pinback buttons (4179), tie clips (180), wristbands (1893), shoe covers (5385), shoelaces (1856), spurs (2427), watch bands (5123), keychains (175), wallet chains (5841), lanyards (6277), checkbook covers (6460), badge and pass holders (6170), watch winders (6870), watch stickers and decals (7471), handkerchiefs (5207), and decorative fans (5114). The age group page also includes cufflinks (193). The gender page’s list does not. A wrong category that pulls a product into 166 is the category override.
The values Google accepts
- Newborn: 0–3 months. Infant: 3–12 months. Toddler: 1–5 years. Kids: 5–13 years. Adult: typically 13 or older, made to fit a teen or an adult.
- If the product is not only for children, Google’s best practice is to submit adult. That does not limit search results.
- Gender must be the English words male, female, or unisex. The title and description can still say “Gender-affirming” or “Non-binary fit.” The gender page says there are no minimum requirements beyond the format, so a value that is not one of those three words cannot be used. It does not print a separate disapproval sentence for a blank gender.
- Color has to match the landing page. If the page says “Toasted Walnut,” do not submit “Brown.” Up to three colors, primary first, separated by slashes. One color attribute per variant. Extra color attributes are dropped, with a warning. Do not submit a number, a single letter (except one character in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean), “#fff000,” “see image,” “variety,” “mens,” “womens,” or “N/A.” The whole value is 1 to 100 characters, and each color is 1 to 40.
- Size has to be a standard size for the target country, 1 to 100 characters. Submit one size attribute. Extra ones are dropped, with a warning, and only the first is used. Do not submit “n/a,” “none,” or “multisize.” Do not comma-separate sizes. Use a slash, including 16/34 for a neck and sleeve. Color, material, and pattern do not go in the size field. The color and size pages say a product that misses their minimum requirements is disapproved.
Variants that differ by age, gender, color, or size are separate products with one shared item group ID. That grouping is the variant page. Google also recommends sending the same fact in the variant option attribute. That recommendation is a best practice.
None of these attribute pages print a 7-day suspension warning.
Sources
- Google Merchant Center: Age group
- Google Merchant Center: Gender
- Google Merchant Center: Color
- Google Merchant Center: Size
Reviewed October 28, 2026. Policies change. This is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does “adult” mean the product is sexual?
No. Google says adult means the item was made to fit a teen or older, typically 13 and up. It does not limit which searches the product can appear for, and it does not mean the product is sexually suggestive. If the product is sexually suggestive, Google says to use the adult attribute. This page does not copy that attribute’s rules.
The shirt is red, green, and black. Can I comma-separate the colors?
No. Submit one primary color and up to two more, separated by slashes, such as Red/Green/Black. A comma means only one color is applied. Do not run the words together, do not use a hex code, and do not write “see image,” “N/A,” or “mens.”
Is size required for a watch band?
Size is required for Apparel & Accessories > Clothing (1604) and Shoes (187). It is not required for every product in Apparel & Accessories (166). Age group and gender are optional for a named list of accessories, including watch bands. The color page does not give color that same exception.
Check the color and size against the product page
LaunchGuarding can scan the landing page for a color or size the feed is about to rename.