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Invalid GTIN: failed checksum

Time to clear: 1 to 3 days after re-crawlPublished

The GTIN's check digit does not match the rest of the barcode, so Google rejects it as invalid.

What this error means

A GTIN has a built-in check digit, the last number in the barcode, that is calculated from the other digits. When that check digit does not match, the GTIN is mathematically invalid and Google rejects it. This is a specific form of an invalid GTIN.

Why it happens

The checksum fails when a digit is mistyped or two digits are swapped, since either changes the calculation. It also happens when the wrong number of digits is submitted, when a leading zero is dropped, or when a made-up or placeholder number is used that was never a real barcode. In short, the value looks like a GTIN but the maths does not add up.

How to fix it

  1. Use the full GTIN exactly as assigned by the brand or manufacturer, checked against the packaging digit for digit. It must be a real, issued code, not just any number of the right length.
  2. Confirm the length is 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits and keep any leading zero that the source barcode genuinely has.
  3. Do not invent or guess a GTIN. An invalid one is worse than none.
  4. If the product genuinely has no GTIN, remove it and set identifier_exists to no instead.
  5. Update the feed and wait for re-crawl.

Fixing it in your store

A failed checksum is almost always a data-entry problem in the product's barcode field, such as a transposed digit or a value pasted with a missing character. Correct the value at the product level, and if you bulk-imported barcodes, spot-check a sample, since a mapping or export step can strip or shift digits. Map the corrected field to the gtin attribute and regenerate the feed.

How long until it clears

Once a valid GTIN is in the feed and re-crawled, expect the product to qualify within 1 to 3 days.

Reference: Google's documentation

Related errors

DisapprovalProduct data

Invalid value [gtin]

The GTIN you submitted is not a valid barcode, so Google cannot match your product to its catalog and disapproves it.

DisapprovalProduct data

Missing value [gtin]

Google is missing the GTIN (barcode) for products from brands that have one.

DisapprovalProduct data

Insufficient unique product identifiers

Google does not have enough unique identifiers (GTIN, MPN, brand) to understand your product, so it limits or disapproves it.

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