Pinterest Predicts is live!
See what's in store for 2024 in our Trend Forecast report.

What's on your Verified Merchant Program Wishlist?

bodymindmood
Pinterest Pioneer
Pinterest Pioneer

Please Comment With Your Wishlist Ideas + Thoughts

A topic that has always been front and center here on the PBC is the VMP or Verified Merchant Program. While posts, comments, and threads have not always been the kindest they certainly have been consistent and in some cases educational and intriguing? for everyone who reads them.

A lot has changed since 2015  including the number of people buying and selling online.  I should know I participated in the Shopify + Pinterest Program with a business I started in 2014 and I did for a short time sell my products on Pinterest unfortunately I was a little early when it came to owning | operating | selling online and Pinterest was not at that time the right platform for my business so I moved my products to a different platform which was more appropriate and my business is still growing today.

The Verified Merchant Program has become something that everyone wants to participate in but overtime the VMP Guidelines and requirements have become harder for businesses to meet making it harder to become Verified on Pinterest. As a PBC Member who responds to posts about the Verified Merchant Program I have considered things that could be changed or added to make the VMP Guidelines + Verification Process easier for businesses who are looking to get verified.

What's on your Verified Merchant Program Wishlist? 

I would love to hear your what you would add to your VMP Wishlist 🛍

Please Comment Below See What I Have Added 👇

12 Kudos
29 Replies
bodymindmood
Pinterest Pioneer
Pinterest Pioneer

@huntercreekcrafts 

I just answered another post you wrote - sorry, I didn't see your response.

I wish there was more I could do to help you - this is a new guideline that they have implemented (no explanation as to why)

I do know a lot of merchants have been affected.

Have you considered Facebook | IG?

Lisa

0 Kudos
huntercreekcrafts
Just visiting

I am already on FB and IG and have those going pretty well. I find it funny that Pinterest pesters you to advertise on their platform and then goes and does something like this. If it wasn't such a big audience for my niche I would leave it.

1 Kudo
DomesticPlatypus
Just visiting

Hi Lisa... thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I've found Pinterest 'Support' to be far less interested and motivated to assist.

I do understand that many can miss small details in how to get their catalog linked and approved, meet requirements for VM status, etc. However, the documentation is also minimal and vague. No one should expect that Pinterest hold peoples' hands and manually walks everyone through the process. However, when issues occur or clarification is legitimately needed, that is where Support is supposed to come into play. 

In my case, I've been trying to get clarification & address an ongoing issue (AI issue or targeted harassment) for over a year. I've been trying to sort out a VM status suspension for over a month. In the process, dozens of emails... the original issue and the stated reason for the VM revocation have never been addressed.

Instead (once I finally received what feel like less automated responses) I've been presented with new & seemingly nonsensical Merchant Guidelines which appear nowhere in the documentation and don't seem to apply to our site at all. When I've sought clarification & asked how they relate to our site, the same has been restated & I've been referred to guidelines (where they do not appear)... only to have them magically resolved several exchanges later. 

We were also suddenly, supposedly 'Reinstated' after the random new issues were resolved... except we weren't. The catalog approved & ingested... except all that was shown in our shop tab is just about a dozen pairs of socks randomly pulled from our catalog. Reassured and told to wait 48h, which we did... and when nothing change and we followed up, we were transferred..

Then told we could not be reinstated but "don't worry, it won't effect your pins, catalog or business", still not given a reason, assured the catalog feed was working fine, etc. It's still not & all analytics have dropped ~90% in 30 days. 

Eventually they transferred again to two separate departments... neither of which have reached out. Opened another ticket regarding the catalog issues & secondary Shopify app issue where it's ingesting things excluded from Shopify (and other sales channels)... no response. Follow up ticket opened... no response. 

A full month, countless communications, ZERO actual answers to any question, a whole lot of false information and being outright lied to & nothing fixed.  

So it's not all user error & misunderstanding... clearly there are major issues with support, for new and existing business users which really need to be addressed.  

1 Kudo
starphase_streetwear
Just visiting

Please do not include the recently implemented 13-month domain age requirement for pre-approved merchant accounts, as this would negatively impact all website statistics and the domain authority score. The website's overall health will suffer as a result. Thanks

1 Kudo
ArtisticRomantic
Just visiting

I have been rejected twice because my products are out of stock.  I'm an artist selling original paintings. There is only one product and the sold out products show in my shop as inspiration for the custom commissions that I accept.  How on earth is an artist that creates one of a kind pieces ever supposed to become verified.  Pinterest is excluding artists who create original art, go figure. 
I have begun working with a partner manager to try and fix my situation and become verified.  I basically gave up before and just wrote pinterest off as a waste of time for my business.  We shall see if they are truely going to help this time.

1 Kudo
insofficial2020
Just visiting

I can`t agree more

1 Kudo
BestFunGifts
Pinterest Pioneer
Pinterest Pioneer

Such great suggestions, I have nothing to add other than "thanks for posting"! xx

1 Kudo
maggiekarshner
New member

I want to be a Verified Merchant but I provide only services and no products. If I understand correctly that means I don't qualify. I'd love for the trust-building of the blue check mark! 

1 Kudo
DetJetMediaLLC
Just visiting

I appreciate your thoroughness in this detailed article, you really rock

1 Kudo
bodymindmood
Pinterest Pioneer
Pinterest Pioneer

@DetJetMediaLLC thank you I appreciate your comment - I know it can be a difficult topic for VMs and those looking to become VMs.

Lisa

0 Kudos