Policy
MEDIUMMerchantReturnPolicy merchantReturnLink URL is reachable
Every `merchantReturnLink` URL on a MerchantReturnPolicy node returns a 2xx response. A broken return-link makes Option B policies invisible — agents can't render or follow the link.
What this check looks for
We collect every unique `merchantReturnLink` URL across all policy nodes in the PDP sample and probe each one with politeFetch. A URL that returns 2xx counts as reachable; any other status (or fetch error) counts as broken. Coverage ≥ 85% pass, ≥ 50% partial.
Which AI surfaces it affects
- Google AI Mode (UCP)90
- Microsoft Copilot60
- Meta AI50
- ChatGPT (ACP)40
- Perplexity30
Weighted against the live specs — ACP 2026-04-17, UCP 2026-04-08.
How to fix it
Repair every merchantReturnLink URL
Shopify
A few minutes- Make sure `merchantReturnLink` points at `/policies/refund-policy` (Shopify's canonical returns URL).
- Don't link to a `/pages/refund-policy` clone if the canonical exists — the duplicate may return 404 after a theme change.
BigCommerce
A few minutes- Confirm the slug in your returns-page Web Page settings matches the `merchantReturnLink` value emitted by the theme.
WooCommerce
A few minutes- Confirm your Yoast/AIOSEO MerchantReturnPolicy add-on is pointing at the current returns-page URL (not a draft or trashed page).
Custom / headless
Developer- Source the link from a single canonical settings value so theme updates don't drift it.
"hasMerchantReturnPolicy": {
"@type": "MerchantReturnPolicy",
"merchantReturnLink": "https://example.com/returns"
}The spec it's pinned to
Google return-policy SD — merchantReturnLink reachability
Google's return-policy spec accepts `merchantReturnLink` as Option B, but a broken URL leaves agents with no way to surface or quote the policy.
Does your store pass this check?
Run the full audit — 82 checks across five AI shopping surfaces. Most tools only check whether you get mentioned; we check whether an agent can buy from you.