MerchantReturnPolicy structured data

Definition: MerchantReturnPolicy is a Schema.org type for describing a merchant's product return policy in structured data, a standardized format for expressing page information. It can specify a return policy URL or terms such as the return window, accepted methods and fees.

Key facts

• As of 17 October 2026, Google's merchant return policy documentation says Search can display these policies alongside products and in knowledge panels.
• The Schema.org definition associates MerchantReturnPolicy with an Organization, Product or Offer through hasMerchantReturnPolicy.
• Google's merchant listing documentation gives product-level return policy markup precedence over organization-level markup.

Where does the policy belong?

Google's technical guidelines for return policies recommend placing the business-wide policy on a single page describing returns. The policy sits under Organization through hasMerchantReturnPolicy; Google also shows an OnlineStore example. Repeating the business-wide markup on every page is unnecessary.

A product with different terms attaches MerchantReturnPolicy to its commercial offer using Offer. Google supports fewer return properties at this level. The merchant listing documentation lists the supported fields for these exceptions.

Which return terms can the markup express?

Google's required property options provide two approaches for an organization-level policy. One supplies applicableCountry and returnPolicyCategory; a finite return window also requires merchantReturnDays. The other supplies merchantReturnLink, a URL describing the customer-facing policy, which may belong to a service handling returns.

MerchantReturnFiniteReturnWindow means the return period has a limit. MerchantReturnUnlimitedWindow allows an unlimited period, while MerchantReturnNotPermitted indicates that returns are unavailable. merchantReturnDays counts from delivery.

The following reduced structured data example retains values from Google's sample. It describes a 60-day policy for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with returns sent by mail to Ireland. These are documentation example terms.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "OnlineStore",
  "hasMerchantReturnPolicy": {
    "@type": "MerchantReturnPolicy",
    "applicableCountry": ["DE", "AT", "CH"],
    "returnPolicyCountry": "IE",
    "returnPolicyCategory": "https://schema.org/MerchantReturnFiniteReturnWindow",
    "merchantReturnDays": 60,
    "itemCondition": "https://schema.org/NewCondition",
    "returnMethod": "https://schema.org/ReturnByMail",
    "returnFees": "https://schema.org/FreeReturn",
    "refundType": "https://schema.org/FullRefund"
  }
}

The same documentation supports returnPolicySeasonalOverride for holiday or other special-event terms. Organization-level policies also support restockingFee: a number expresses a percentage of the price paid, while MonetaryAmount expresses a fixed charge.

How is the implementation checked?

Google's implementation instructions recommend the Rich Results Test to identify critical markup errors. After deployment, the URL Inspection tool checks how Google sees the page. The policy page must remain accessible to Google, including through its robots.txt and indexing settings.

Settings outside the website can explain why a markup change has no effect on the policy Google uses. The same documentation places Merchant Center or Search Console return settings above website markup. Among website policies, product-level markup takes precedence over organization-level markup.

Related terms

• Organization structured data
• Product structured data
• Offer structured data
• Where should shipping and return terms be supplied to Google?

FAQ

Which country does applicableCountry describe?

Google's country field documentation defines it as the country where the product is sold and returned from. Use a two-letter country code. returnPolicyCountry identifies the destination country for returns, which can differ.

How do I represent return shipping fees?

Google's merchant listing return fields use FreeReturn for free returns and ReturnFeesCustomerResponsibility when you require customers to arrange and pay for shipping themselves. When you charge a shipping fee, use ReturnShippingFees with a non-zero returnShippingFeesAmount; omit that amount for the other fee categories.

How do I record accepted item conditions?

Schema.org's itemCondition description covers the condition of products accepted for returns. Google's example above uses NewCondition for new items.

Sources

1. Google Search Central, "Merchant return policy (MerchantReturnPolicy) structured data", updated 8 September 2026
2. Schema.org, "MerchantReturnPolicy", undated
3. Google Search Central, "Merchant listing (Product, Offer) structured data", updated 8 September 2026

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