Frequently asked questions about PW Merchant
PW Merchant is a WooCommerce Google Merchant API plugin developed to help store owners review product data, identify catalogue issues and manage supported Merchant operations through a more structured workflow.
This frequently asked questions page explains the most common subjects related to installation, licensing, Google Merchant Center connection, product reviews, API-based management, updates, support and daily use.
The answers are written for WooCommerce store owners, e-commerce managers, agencies and users who may not have advanced technical knowledge.
What is PW Merchant?
PW Merchant is a WordPress plugin developed for WooCommerce stores that want to manage product information for Google Merchant Center through an API-based workflow.
The plugin helps store owners review their catalogue, identify missing or inconsistent product information, separate suitable, problematic and critical products, and manage supported Merchant operations from the WordPress administration area.
PW Merchant is not only a product transfer tool. It is designed as a product review and Merchant management system.
Does PW Merchant work with WooCommerce?
Yes. PW Merchant is developed specifically for WooCommerce environments.
WooCommerce remains the main source of product information. Store owners continue to manage product titles, descriptions, prices, stock information, images, variations and other product details through the standard WooCommerce interface.
PW Merchant uses the relevant WooCommerce data during product reviews and supported Merchant operations.
Does PW Merchant replace WooCommerce?
No. PW Merchant does not replace WooCommerce.
WooCommerce remains responsible for the e-commerce catalogue, product pages, basket, checkout, orders, stock and customer-facing store functions.
PW Merchant adds a Merchant-oriented product review and management layer to the existing WooCommerce structure.
Does PW Merchant replace Google Merchant Center?
No. Google Merchant Center remains a separate Google service.
PW Merchant helps WooCommerce users prepare product information, connect the correct account and manage supported operations through a clearer WordPress workflow.
Business information, account settings, shipping, returns and external Merchant decisions remain within the Google Merchant Center environment.
Is PW Merchant an XML feed plugin?
No. PW Merchant is developed around an API-based management approach rather than only generating a traditional XML product file.
An XML feed generally creates a structured catalogue file that is retrieved or uploaded according to a schedule.
PW Merchant uses supported API communication to create a more controlled product-management workflow.
This can provide greater product-level visibility, issue tracking, scheduling and operation monitoring.
Is an API always better than an XML feed?
No single method is always better for every store.
An XML feed may remain suitable for a small and stable catalogue with simple requirements.
An API-based workflow may be more useful when the store needs product reviews, issue classifications, product-group control, scheduling and clearer operation results.
The correct choice depends on catalogue size, update frequency and management requirements.
Can I use PW Merchant if I already have an XML feed?
Yes, but the existing data-source structure should be reviewed carefully.
If the old XML feed and PW Merchant manage the same products without a clear plan, duplicate or conflicting product records may appear.
Before changing the current system:
- Review all active Merchant Center data sources.
- Identify which products are included in the XML feed.
- Check product identifiers.
- Test PW Merchant with a limited product group.
- Compare the results.
- Pause or remove the old source only after verification.
A safe transition begins by understanding the existing data sources, not by deleting them immediately.
Can the same product appear twice in Merchant Center?
Yes. Duplicate products may occur when the same catalogue is managed through multiple active sources.
This can happen when an old XML feed remains active after a new API connection is introduced.
Duplicate records may also occur when product identifiers differ between sources.
PW Merchant users should review existing sources and maintain a clear product-source strategy.
Does PW Merchant check products before processing?
Yes. Product review is one of the main parts of the PW Merchant workflow.
The plugin helps examine relevant WooCommerce product information and make possible data issues more visible.
The review can help users see how many products appear suitable, problematic or critical.
This allows store owners to correct important issues before starting a larger Merchant operation.
What does a suitable product mean?
A suitable product generally contains the essential information expected for the intended PW Merchant operation, based on the available product data and review conditions.
This status is an internal product-management indicator.
It does not guarantee that Google Merchant Center will approve the product.
Google may still evaluate the product according to its own policies, account conditions and review systems.
What does a problematic product mean?
A problematic product may contain incomplete, inconsistent or potentially unsuitable information.
The issue may not always prevent processing, but it should be reviewed by the store owner.
After correcting the relevant WooCommerce product information, the product can be reviewed again.
What does a critical product mean?
A critical product contains a more serious issue that may prevent meaningful processing or require immediate correction.
Examples may include missing essential information, invalid product access, unavailable pricing or another major data problem.
Critical products should normally be reviewed before other product groups.
Which product fields can require attention?
Depending on the product structure and available data, attention may be required in areas such as:
- Product title
- Product description
- Regular price
- Sale price
- Stock status
- Product image
- Product page URL
- Brand information
- GTIN, MPN or other identifiers
- Category information
- Variation price
- Variation stock
- Variation image
- Variation attributes
Does PW Merchant automatically correct product information?
PW Merchant helps identify possible issues, but accurate product information should normally be corrected in WooCommerce.
This keeps the product page, store database and Merchant-related information consistent.
The plugin should not create invented prices, brands or product identifiers where correct information does not exist.
Does PW Merchant guarantee product approval?
No. PW Merchant cannot guarantee that every product will be approved.
Google Merchant Center evaluates accounts and products according to its own policies, automated systems and review processes.
PW Merchant helps users improve product-data visibility and manage the workflow more effectively, but approval decisions remain under Google’s control.
Does PW Merchant guarantee more sales?
No. PW Merchant does not guarantee sales, traffic or advertising performance.
The plugin helps create a more organised technical and product-data foundation.
Sales results may also depend on pricing, market demand, advertising strategy, website quality, customer service, competition and many other factors.
Do I need a Google Merchant Center account?
Yes. A Google Merchant Center account is required for the supported Merchant workflow.
The account should represent the correct business and website.
Business details, website verification, shipping and return information should be prepared before the first large product operation.
Do I need a Google account?
Yes. The user needs an appropriate Google account with access to the intended Merchant Center account.
The account should ideally be controlled by the business owner or an authorised administrator.
A temporary employee or unrelated third party should not remain the only person controlling the account.
Does the website need to be verified?
The Merchant Center environment should be prepared according to the applicable website verification and ownership requirements.
The website connected to the Merchant account should be the same website where customers can view and purchase the relevant products.
The store should use HTTPS and maintain a consistent domain structure.
What website pages should be available?
A professional WooCommerce store should normally provide clear access to:
- Contact information
- Shipping or delivery policy
- Return and refund policy
- Privacy policy
- Terms and conditions where relevant
- Business information
- Accessible product pages
The information should reflect the real business conditions offered to customers.
Can PW Merchant work with variable products?
PW Merchant is developed with variable WooCommerce product structures in mind.
Variable products may contain different prices, stock levels, images, identifiers and attributes for each variation.
Store owners should ensure that every relevant variation contains accurate and current information.
Can PW Merchant manage large catalogues?
PW Merchant is designed with large catalogue requirements in mind.
Large operations may be divided into smaller and more manageable groups according to the supported processing workflow.
However, performance still depends on server resources, catalogue size, variation complexity, database health and external API response times.
No plugin can completely remove the limitations of an unsuitable hosting environment.
Can product operations be scheduled?
PW Merchant supports a planning-oriented approach for relevant operations.
Depending on the installed version and available feature, users may be able to begin a process immediately or schedule it for a more suitable time.
Scheduling can be useful for large catalogues and busy e-commerce websites.
Why should large operations run at night?
Night-time or other low-traffic periods can reduce overlap with visitor activity, backups, imports and other demanding tasks.
This may help the server use its available resources more effectively.
However, night-time scheduling is not a replacement for a healthy server or reliable scheduled-task system.
Does the browser need to remain open?
Long-running operations should not depend entirely on keeping one browser page open.
PW Merchant is designed to use controlled background or batch-oriented processing for suitable tasks.
The exact behaviour depends on the installed version and operation type.
What can cause a process to stop?
Possible causes include:
- Low server memory
- PHP execution limits
- Database performance problems
- Unreliable scheduled tasks
- External API delays
- Firewall restrictions
- Plugin conflicts
- Hosting limitations
- Temporary service interruptions
The available operation and error information should be reviewed before repeating the process.
Does PW Merchant work with every WordPress theme?
PW Merchant is intended to be theme-independent because it focuses mainly on WooCommerce data and WordPress administration functions.
The active theme should not normally control the core Merchant workflow.
However, custom code, unusual product templates or third-party plugins can still affect product information and compatibility.
Does PW Merchant work with every plugin?
No developer can guarantee compatibility with every WordPress plugin or custom modification.
Pricing, stock, security, caching, import and multilingual plugins may affect the WooCommerce environment.
When a conflict occurs, the installed versions, server logs and relevant plugin settings should be reviewed.
Is PW Merchant multilingual?
PW Merchant follows a multilingual development approach.
The plugin interface, guidance texts and status messages can be prepared for supported languages through the translation structure.
Multi-language support does not automatically translate WooCommerce product data. Store owners remain responsible for the quality of product translations.
What are the system requirements?
The exact supported requirements should be checked against the installed PW Merchant release.
A suitable environment generally includes:
- A supported WordPress version
- An active WooCommerce installation
- A supported PHP version
- HTTPS
- Working external HTTPS requests
- Reliable scheduled tasks
- Sufficient server memory and processing resources
- A healthy database
How is PW Merchant installed?
The authorised ZIP package can normally be uploaded through the WordPress plugin installation screen.
After installation, the plugin is activated, the licence is verified, the Google connection is prepared and the first product review is completed.
A full backup should be created before installation.
Can PW Merchant be installed through FTP?
Yes. When the WordPress upload method is not available, the authorised plugin folder can be uploaded to the WordPress plugins directory through FTP or the hosting file manager.
The official folder structure and name should remain unchanged.
Why is a licence required?
The licence supports authorised domain use, original package access, controlled updates and continued support.
It also helps reduce the risks associated with modified or unofficial packages.
The technical licence infrastructure works in the background, while the user receives a simpler authorised-use experience.
Can one licence be used on several websites?
Licence usage depends on the applicable PW Merchant licence plan.
A licence intended for one domain should not be used on unrelated installations.
Users should review the licence conditions before activating the plugin on a second website, staging environment or new domain.
Can I use the licence on a staging website?
Staging use depends on the licence plan and authorised installation conditions.
Before activating the plugin on a staging site, review whether the test domain must be registered separately.
A copied staging site should not unintentionally send product operations to the live Merchant account.
What happens when the licence expires?
The exact behaviour depends on the licence terms and installed version.
Licence expiry may affect update access, support eligibility, connected services or licence-dependent features.
The plugin should display the licence condition clearly and direct the user toward renewal information.
Where can I purchase or renew a licence?
PW Merchant licence information is available at:
https://www.pwfeed.com/licenses.html
How do plugin updates work?
Supported updates are distributed through the authorised PW Merchant update structure.
Updates may include compatibility changes, performance improvements, bug fixes, security-related adjustments and new features.
A full backup should be created before applying an important update.
Should I update PW Merchant immediately?
Store owners should review the version notes and confirm compatibility before applying an important update.
Do not update while a large background product operation is active.
For business-critical websites, testing significant changes in a staging environment may be appropriate.
Can I reinstall PW Merchant?
Yes. A controlled reinstallation may be performed when plugin files are damaged or an update is interrupted.
Before reinstalling:
- Create a backup.
- Record current settings.
- Stop active operations.
- Keep the licence information available.
- Use the original or latest supported package.
Do not manually delete database tables unless official support specifically instructs you to do so.
Does uninstalling PW Merchant remove products from Merchant Center?
Removing the WordPress plugin does not automatically mean that every product or data source will be removed from Google Merchant Center.
Before uninstalling, review the existing Merchant data-source strategy and stop scheduled operations.
The remaining Merchant account should be checked after removal.
What information is used during licence verification?
Licence verification may require information reasonably related to authorised software use, such as:
- Product identity
- Licence key
- Website domain
- Installed version
- Licence status
- Relevant technical environment details
The purpose is to verify the authorised installation, support updates and provide product assistance.
Does PW Merchant collect customer orders?
PW Merchant’s Merchant and licence functions should not be understood as permission to collect unrelated customer or order data.
The plugin is developed for product management, Merchant operations, licence verification and related technical functions.
Users should review the published privacy and data-handling information for the installed version.
Can a firewall block PW Merchant?
Yes. A server firewall, security plugin or hosting rule may block legitimate external requests.
This can affect licence verification, Google connection or API communication.
Do not disable the entire firewall permanently. Identify the specific blocked request and apply only the minimum verified adjustment required.
Why does licence verification fail?
Possible causes include:
- Incorrect licence key
- Extra spaces in the key
- Wrong product licence
- Domain mismatch
- Installation limit reached
- Blocked external HTTPS requests
- Firewall restrictions
- DNS problems
- Incorrect server time
- Temporary service interruption
The displayed error information should be reviewed before requesting support.
Why is the Google connection failing?
Possible causes include:
- The wrong Google account is selected.
- The user does not have access to the Merchant account.
- The connection process was interrupted.
- A firewall blocked the request.
- The website domain does not match the expected account.
- The Merchant account setup is incomplete.
- A temporary external service problem occurred.
Confirm the Google account, Merchant account and website information before repeating the connection.
Why are product prices different?
Price differences may be caused by outdated WooCommerce data, sale-price conditions, variation pricing, currency conversion, caching or another pricing plugin.
The visible product page and standard WooCommerce price fields should be reviewed.
PW Merchant cannot correct a pricing system that does not update WooCommerce accurately.
Why is stock information different?
Stock differences may be caused by delayed imports, variation settings, external inventory systems, caching or incomplete WooCommerce updates.
WooCommerce should remain the reliable source of product availability.
After correcting stock data, the affected products should be reviewed again.
Why are product images missing?
A product may have no main image, an inaccessible image URL, an image removed from the media library or incomplete variation images.
The relevant WooCommerce product and media files should be reviewed.
External systems may also require time to process newly changed images.
Why are products marked critical?
A critical status may indicate that essential information is missing or inaccessible.
The specific product and identified field should be reviewed inside WooCommerce.
After correction, run the product review again to confirm whether the condition has changed.
Can I process only selected products?
PW Merchant is developed around a controlled product-management approach.
Depending on the relevant feature, users may be able to work with selected products, specific groups, corrected products or categories rather than the entire catalogue.
This is useful for testing and large catalogue management.
Should I start with the entire catalogue?
No. The recommended approach is to begin with a limited and representative product group.
The test group can include a simple product, a variable product, a sale product and products with complete stock and identifier information.
Expand the workflow only after reviewing the results.
The first operation should confirm the process, not place the entire catalogue at risk.
How often should products be reviewed?
The correct frequency depends on how often the catalogue changes.
Stores that update prices, stock or products frequently should review affected products more regularly.
Catalogue review should be treated as a recurring management process rather than a one-time setup task.
Can agencies use PW Merchant for clients?
Yes, according to the applicable licence terms and access permissions.
However, ownership of the licence, Google account, Merchant account and WordPress access should remain clear.
The client should not lose access to business-critical systems when the agency relationship ends.
Where can I get support?
PW Merchant support information is available at:
https://www.pwfeed.com/support.html
When requesting support, prepare the WordPress, WooCommerce, PHP and PW Merchant version information, the exact error message and a clear explanation of the stage where the problem occurred.
Do not include complete licence keys, access tokens, customer information or security credentials in public screenshots.
What does PW Merchant support cover?
Support may help determine whether a problem is related to:
- PW Merchant
- WooCommerce product data
- WordPress configuration
- PHP compatibility
- Server resources
- Scheduled tasks
- Licence verification
- Google account selection
- Merchant Center configuration
- External service conditions
Support cannot guarantee product approval, advertising performance or the correction of unrelated third-party systems.
Is PW Merchant developed from real e-commerce experience?
Yes. PW Merchant is developed by a team that currently owns and operates three established e-commerce websites.
We work directly with products, prices, stock changes, payments, shipping, returns, customers, advertising and daily store operations.
This experience helps us understand that a useful Merchant solution must work under real business conditions.
PW Merchant is developed from the perspective of both software development and active e-commerce management.
What is the main purpose of PW Merchant?
The main purpose of PW Merchant is to help WooCommerce businesses create a clearer, more controlled and more sustainable Google Merchant Center workflow.
The plugin helps users:
- Review product data
- Identify possible issues
- Prioritise critical products
- Reduce random manual checking
- Manage product groups
- Schedule demanding operations
- Monitor progress
- Use authorised and supported software
PW Merchant does not replace responsible product, website or business management.
It provides the visibility and workflow tools needed to make those responsibilities easier to understand and manage.