Short answer. Merchant Center shows “Incorrect value [identifier_exists]” when a product is submitted with identifier_exists set to false but Google knows the product has a GTIN, or the product carries a GTIN, brand or MPN anyway. Set identifier_exists to false only on products with genuinely no manufacturer identifiers (handmade, custom, vintage, own-brand without barcodes), and supply the real GTIN and brand on everything else.
| Shown in Merchant Center as | Incorrect value [identifier_exists] |
|---|---|
| Attribute | identifier_exists |
| Effect | Warning |
| Where to find it | Products → Needs attention, then filter by this issue |
| Free check | Reported by the free feed check |
What Merchant Center means by “Incorrect value [identifier_exists]”
identifier_exists is the attribute that tells Google a product has no GTIN, MPN or brand from its manufacturer, so Google should stop asking for them. Its specification restricts it to products that genuinely lack identifiers: custom goods, handmade items, vintage and antiques, own-label products without registered barcodes. When a feed sets it to false on a product Google can tell is a branded, barcoded item, or sets it to false while also sending a GTIN or brand, Google reports “Incorrect value [identifier_exists]”. The Content API lists the issue as identifier_exists_false_misuse in its product issues reference.
The declaration is being rejected, so the product goes back to being treated as one that owes identifiers, warnings and all. Google’s overview of unique product identifiers explains which products need which.
Why it happens
- A blanket setting. A feed tool option “mark all products as having no identifiers” switched on to silence GTIN warnings across a catalogue of branded goods.
- Contradictory values in one row.
identifier_exists = falsenext to a filledgtin,mpnorbrand. - Products Google recognises. A well-known product declared as identifier-less because the merchant did not have the barcode to hand.
- Misunderstanding the default. Leaving the attribute out means
true; some merchants setfalsethinking it means “I have not filled the GTIN yet”.
How to fix it
In Shopify
Shopify has no native identifier_exists field; the flag comes from your feed app or from Shopify’s channel settings for products marked as custom. Turn off any catalogue-wide “no identifiers” option. For resold goods, fill Barcode and Vendor. For made-to-order or handmade products, leave Barcode empty and let the feed declare identifier_exists false for those alone.
In WooCommerce
Fill the GTIN, UPC, EAN or ISBN field and the brand on every product that has them. Our free connector writes identifier_exists as false only on rows that have no GTIN, and never alongside one, so a filled GTIN field is the whole fix for a branded product.
In a CSV or XML feed
Set identifier_exists to false only on rows where gtin, mpn and (for goods you do not make) brand are all empty because the product has none. Everywhere else, remove the attribute or set it to true, and supply the identifiers. A quick audit: any row with false and a non-empty GTIN is wrong by definition.
How long until Merchant Center clears it
The next fetch with a consistent row clears the issue within 24–72 hours. If the product still has no GTIN or brand after the correction, the limited-performance warnings for missing identifiers return, which is the accurate state and does not disapprove the product.
What FeedRobin does about it
The free check reads identifier_exists and respects it: a product that declares it has no identifiers is not counted as missing a barcode, and the report lists those products in an informational row, never penalised, so you can see how many carry the declaration and whether that number looks right for your catalogue. In the feeds we serve, the flag is derived per product: a GTIN is sent when there is one, brand and MPN when there is no GTIN but both of those, and identifier_exists is set to no only when neither is available, so the declaration and the identifiers can never contradict each other.
Questions merchants ask
Can I set identifier_exists to false for the whole catalogue to clear the GTIN warnings?
You can, and this is the error you get. Google recognises branded products by image and title, and a blanket false declaration on products that plainly have barcodes is reported as incorrect, product by product.
I make the products myself. Do they have identifiers?
Only if you registered GTINs with GS1 for them. If you did not, identifier_exists = false is the correct declaration, and you should also leave gtin and mpn empty. The brand can still be your own.
What is the default when the attribute is not in the feed?
True. Google assumes every product has identifiers unless told otherwise, which is why products without a GTIN and without the declaration get the missing-identifier warnings.
Sources
- Identifier exists [identifier_exists] — Google Merchant Center Help
- About unique product identifiers — Google Merchant Center Help
- Product issues (Content API for Shopping): the issue codes and the titles Merchant Center shows — Google Merchant Center Help