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    Field: availability

    Mismatched Availability in Google Shopping Feed

    The availability status in your feed doesn't match what's shown on your product landing page. Google requires these to be consistent.

    Use our free Feed Validator to check for this and other errors automatically.

    What This Error Means

    Google compares the availability value in your feed against what customers see on your product page. When a product is marked as "in_stock" in your feed but shows "Out of Stock" on your website (or vice versa), you'll receive this error.

    This error commonly occurs because:

    • Inventory levels change between feed submissions
    • Stock status is cached and not updated in real-time
    • Different inventory systems aren't properly synced
    • Products sell out faster than expected during promotions

    Availability mismatches frustrate customers who click ads expecting to buy a product, only to find it's unavailable. This wastes ad spend and damages user trust. Understanding the data flow between systems can help you identify where the sync is failing.

    How to Fix It

    1. Increase feed update frequency — Submit your feed more often, especially for fast-moving inventory. Consider hourly updates for high-volume products.
    2. Integrate inventory management — Connect your feed directly to your inventory system so stock changes are immediately reflected.
    3. Use the Content API — For real-time updates, use Google's Content API to push availability changes as they happen.
    4. Set up low-stock thresholds — Automatically set products to "out_of_stock" when inventory drops below a safe threshold.
    5. Audit your website — Ensure your product pages display availability clearly and consistently with your backend data.

    Examples

    Incorrect
    <!-- Feed shows: -->
<g:availability>in_stock</g:availability>

<!-- But landing page shows: -->
<!-- "Out of Stock" or "Unavailable" -->

<!-- OR -->

<!-- Feed shows: -->
<g:availability>out_of_stock</g:availability>

<!-- But landing page has "Add to Cart" enabled -->
    Correct
    <!-- Feed matches landing page: -->
<g:availability>in_stock</g:availability>
<!-- Landing page: "In Stock - Ships Today" -->

<!-- OR for limited stock: -->
<g:availability>in_stock</g:availability>
<!-- Landing page: "Only 3 left!" -->

<!-- OR when out of stock: -->
<g:availability>out_of_stock</g:availability>
<!-- Landing page: "Out of Stock - Notify Me" -->

    Additional Tips

    • Review your individual items regularly to identify synchronization gaps
    • Use preorder for products available for pre-order with a known ship date
    • Use backorder for products that can be ordered but will ship later
    • Consider excluding low-stock items from advertising to reduce mismatches
    • Test your landing pages to ensure stock status is visible to Google's crawler
    • Don't hide stock status behind login walls or JavaScript that may not load

    Related Issues

    Mismatched PriceInvalid Availability ValueMissing AvailabilityLanding Page Not Accessible

    Validate Your Feed Now

    Use our free Google Shopping Feed Validator to check for this and other common errors before uploading to Merchant Center.

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