Troubleshooting 'Google for WooCommerce' Phone Verification Errors

One of the most common hurdles users face when setting up the 'Google for WooCommerce' plugin is the phone verification step. This guide will walk you through the various error messages and provide the most effective solutions to get your store connected.

Common Phone Verification Error Messages

Based on community reports, users frequently encounter one of the following messages during Step 3 (Confirm store requirements):

• "Unable to initiate the verification code request. A maximum of five attempts to verify the same phone number every four hours. Please try again later."
• "Unable to request the phone verification code. Please try again later."
• "Unable to request the phone verification code. The provided phone number cannot receive text messages."
• "Unable to request the phone verification code. Unexpected token '<', " <h"… is not valid JSON"
• "Unable to update your contact information. Please try again later."

Why These Errors Happen

It's important to understand that the phone verification process is managed entirely by Google's systems, not by the 'Google for WooCommerce' plugin itself. The plugin acts as a bridge to initiate the process, but the actual sending of SMS messages or automated phone calls is handled by Google. Therefore, these errors typically originate from Google's side and can be triggered by several factors:

• Rate Limiting: Google imposes strict limits to prevent abuse, often blocking further verification attempts on a number after several failed tries.
• Carrier Issues: Some mobile network operators may block or delay automated SMS messages or calls from certain services.
• Account or Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Settings: The phone number used for verification may need to match or be compatible with the one associated with your Google account's 2FA.
• Regional Restrictions: Google's verification services may have limited support or different behaviors in certain countries.
• Temporary Google Glitches: The service can experience short-term outages or bugs.
• Plugin or Site Conflicts: In rare cases, a conflict on your WordPress site could corrupt the request sent to Google.

Top Troubleshooting Solutions

1. Wait and Use a Different Number (For Rate Limit Errors)

If you see an error mentioning a "maximum of five attempts," you have hit Google's rate limit. The only solution is to wait at least four hours before trying again with the same number. If you need to proceed faster, try using a completely different phone number that has not been used in any recent verification attempts.

2. Verify Directly with Google Merchant Center

This is often the most successful workaround. Instead of going through the plugin's setup flow, try creating and verifying your Merchant Center account directly first.

1. Go to Google Merchant Center and create or sign in to your account.
2. Complete the phone verification process there. Google's standalone process can sometimes be more reliable.
3. Once your Merchant Center account is fully set up and verified, return to the 'Google for WooCommerce' plugin in your WordPress admin.
4. During the setup steps, choose to connect your existing, verified Merchant Center account. You should bypass the phone verification prompt entirely.

3. Check for Plugin Conflicts

For errors involving JSON or other unexpected responses, a plugin conflict might be the cause.

1. Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
2. Temporarily deactivate all plugins except for WooCommerce and 'Google for WooCommerce'.
3. Attempt the phone verification process again.
4. If it works, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the one causing the conflict.

4. Contact Google Support

Since the verification process is owned by Google, their support team has the tools to investigate issues on their end. This is particularly important if you are confident your phone number should work and other solutions have failed.

• Visit the Google Merchant Center Help page to contact them directly.
• Clearly explain the error message you are receiving and the steps you have already taken.

5. Ensure Account Consistency

Make sure you are logged into the correct Google account within your browser and that the phone number you are trying to verify is not conflicting with your account's security settings. Using a number associated with your Google account's 2FA is recommended.

Conclusion

Phone verification errors can be frustrating, but they are usually solvable. The most effective strategy is often to bypass the plugin's verification by setting up your Merchant Center account directly on Google's website. If problems persist, reaching out to Google Support is the recommended next step, as they have direct access to the verification systems causing the errors.