Google Merchant Center: Promotional overlay on image [image link] · Watermark on image · Image with promotional overlay
Your main image has text, a logo or a watermark on it
What Google's message means
Google detected promotional text ("SALE", "Free shipping"), a watermark, a logo or a border on the main product image.
Why it matters
Main images must show only the product. Overlays get the product disapproved or demoted.
Common causes on Shopify
- Badges like 'SALE', '-20%' or 'Free shipping' were added to the main image.
- Supplier photos carry the supplier's watermark or logo.
- A badge app stamps promotions onto product images.
How to fix it
- 1Use a clean photo of the product with no added text, badges, logos or borders as the first image.
- 2Keep lifestyle or promo graphics as additional images, not the first one.
- 3If you use an app that stamps badges on images, exclude the image sent to Google.
In Shopify: The first image in the product's Media is what the Google channel uses as the main image.
How to stop it coming back
- Keep a clean product photo as the first image and put graphics in later positions.
- Ask suppliers for watermark-free originals.
Common questions
- Is my brand logo on the product allowed?
- Google's spec allows logos that are a physical part of the product itself. Logos or shop names added on top of the photo afterwards are not allowed.
Official help pages
Want to catch this before Google does?
FlagClear watches your Merchant Center every day, explains each issue in plain English and suggests Shopify fixes you approve first and can undo. We're opening store connections in stages: join free and your first scan runs as soon as your store can connect.
Join freeGoogle's wording and requirements change from time to time; always check the help link shown next to the issue in Merchant Center. FlagClear isn't affiliated with Google and can't guarantee review outcomes or reinstatement.