If you’ve ever uploaded a product feed to Google Merchant Center and been greeted with the warning “Invalid value: color,” you know how frustrating it can feel. The good news? This error is actually very fixable once you understand what Google is looking for – and what it won’t accept. Let’s break it down so you can clean up your feed, keep your products active, and make your ads more shopper-friendly.
When Google says “Invalid value: color,” it simply means the color you’ve submitted isn’t recognizable as a valid color name. For example, you might see a warning like: “The value you’ve submitted for the color [color] attribute isn’t a recognizable color name.” This isn’t Google being picky for no reason. Shoppers filter by color all the time, and Google wants to make sure your products show up correctly when someone searches for “lavender dress” or “navy sneakers.”
If you have an Invalid Value: Color issue in Google Merchant Center, here are the most common reasons:
- Numbers in the value, such as “Red2” or “Blue4,”
- Special characters, such as “#fff000” or “BLK-123”
- Values that are too short, like a single letter “R” (with exceptions for languages like Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, such as “红”)
- References instead of actual colors, such as “see image”
- Values that are too long – over 40 characters
- Combined colors without separators, like “RedPinkYellow” instead of “Red/Pink/Yellow”
- Terms that aren’t colors at all, such as “multicolor,” “various,” “mens,” “womens,” or “N/A.” Acceptable multi-color entries include things like “Blue/Grey,” “Red/White/Blue,” or “Rainbow.”
So how do you fix it? Start by using a recognizable color name like “Red,” “Blue,” “Lavender,” or “Sky Blue.” Make sure the value in your feed matches what appears on your landing page – if your site says “Charcoal,” don’t submit “Gray.” Keep formatting simple: avoid numbers, codes, and symbols. If your product has more than one color, separate them with slashes, like “Black/White,” not “BlackWhite.” Keep the value short, under 40 characters. Update your product data directly in your feed so it reflects your site, and if possible, consider turning on automatic item updates so Google can help keep your data synced.
Here’s a tip: think like a shopper. Would someone searching for “burgundy jacket” find your product if your feed just says “red”? Probably not. The more descriptive and accurate your color attribute is, the better your product matches buyer intent, and the more likely it is to convert.
The “Invalid value: color” warning is really just Google’s way of nudging you toward being clearer and more consistent. By using recognizable color names, avoiding formatting errors, and aligning your feed with your landing pages, you’ll not only resolve the warning – you’ll also give your products a better chance to shine in Shopping results. Sometimes something as simple as changing “BLK” to “Black” or “multi” to “Red/White/Blue” is all it takes to turn a disapproved listing into a sale.