How to Become a Verified Merchant on Pinterest

Getting your products in front of the millions of people using Pinterest to shop is a game-changer for any e-commerce brand. The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program is your ticket to doing just that, adding a layer of trust and unlocking powerful shopping features that help turn Pinners into customers. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the initial requirements to the final application steps, so you can earn that coveted blue checkmark for your profile.

What is the Pinterest Verified Merchant Program?

The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program (VMP) is an initiative designed to help users discover and buy from trusted brands. When a business becomes a Verified Merchant, they receive a blue checkmark badge on their profile and Pins, instantly signaling to shoppers that they’ve been vetted by Pinterest. It’s a stamp of approval that communicates high-quality products, good customer service, and a positive website experience.

Why Joining the VMP Is Worth the Effort

That little blue checkmark does more than just look nice, it comes with some serious business benefits that can directly impact your sales and brand presence on the platform.

• Increased Trust and Credibility: The blue badge is a visual shortcut for trust. Shoppers are more likely to click on and buy from a brand they know is legitimate, and the VMP checkmark provides that immediate reassurance.
• Better Product Pin Distribution: Pinterest gives preference to content from trusted sources. As a Verified Merchant, your Product Pins may be shown more frequently in shopping experiences like related Pins and search results.
• Exclusive Shopping Features: Verification unlocks access to special features. One of the most significant is the "Shop" tab on your profile, which turns your Pinterest page into a browsable, storefront-like catalog for users. You also get access to merchant details, which lets you highlight brand values like "sustainably sourced" or "women-owned business" directly on your Pins.
• Conversion Insights: Gaining access to detailed analytics helps you understand exactly how your Pins translate into on-site actions, allowing you to fine-tune your strategy for better results.

The Four Pillars of VMP Eligibility

Before you can apply, you need to make sure your account, website, and products meet Pinterest’s criteria. If you approach this like a checklist, you can systematically address each requirement. Pinterest’s Merchant Guidelines are the official source, but we can break them down into four main pillars.

1. Your Pinterest Account and Profile Setup

Your Pinterest presence needs to be professional and ready for business. This means starting with the basics and moving to the more technical integrations.

• A Pinterest Business Account: If you're still using a personal account, you’ll need to convert it to a business account or create a new one. It's free and gives you access to advertising, analytics, and other business tools.
• Claim Your Website: You must claim the domain where you sell your products. This proves you are the owner and links your site directly to your Pinterest profile.
• An Active, Accurate Profile: Your profile should be complete with a high-quality logo, a clear bio describing your business, and contact information that matches what’s on your website.

2. A Connected and Healthy Product Catalog

The catalog is the backbone of your Pinterest shopping experience. It's a data feed that contains all your product information - prices, descriptions, availability, and images. Without a consistently updated catalog, Pinterest can’t create shoppable Product Pins.

• Your product catalog (or data source) must be uploaded and successfully processed by Pinterest.
• It needs to be formatted a specific way (usually a CSV, TSV, or XML file). If you use a platform like Shopify, the official Pinterest Shopify app automates this for you, which is a massive time-saver.
• Your feed should update regularly (at least every 24 hours) to reflect accurate pricing and stock levels. A catalog full of out-of-stock items is a red flag.

3. A Properly Installed Pinterest Tag

The Pinterest Tag is a piece of code that you install on your website. It tracks the actions users take after seeing or clicking one of your Pins, such as adding an item to their cart or making a purchase. A correctly firing tag is non-negotiable for VMP approval.

• Base Code: The initial setup is the base code, which should be present on every page of your site.
• Event Tracking: You need to track specific user actions, called events. For the VMP, the most important one is the checkout event, which signals a purchase. Pinterest needs to see purchase data coming through from your tag to confirm you are an active, transactional business. Other valuable events to track include addtocart and viewcategory.

4. A High-Quality, Shopper-Friendly Website

Pinterest manually reviews your website to make sure it offers a good user experience. They're looking for signs of a legitimate, customer-focused business.

• Clear Policies: Your website must have clearly written and easy-to-find policies for shipping, returns, and exchanges. A footer link on every page is standard practice.
• Accurate Product Pages: Each product listing should have high-quality images, an accurate price, and a comprehensive description. Any information on the product page needs to match the information in your catalog feed.
• Contact Information: Vague contact details are another red flag. You must provide at least two contact methods, such as an email address, phone number, contact form, or physical address.
• Professional Design: The website should look professional and be fully functional. Broken links, placeholder images, or a confusing layout will likely lead to a rejection.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for the VMP

Ready to get verified? Follow these steps in order to ensure your application process is as smooth as possible.

Step 1: Set Up Your Technical Foundations

Knock out the non-negotiable technical requirements first. This is where most applications get held up.

• Set up a Business Account & Claim Your Website: Navigate to your account settings to handle both of these tasks if you haven't already.
• Connect Your Product Catalog: In your Pinterest account, go to Adverts >, Catalogues. From here, you can connect your data source. If you’re on Shopify, install the Pinterest app and let it sync your products automatically. For other platforms, you may need to generate a feed URL and add it manually. Wait for Pinterest to ingest and process your feed, it can take up to 24 hours. Check for any errors in the 'Data sources' dashboard.
• Install and Test the Pinterest Tag: Place the tag on your website. Again, the Shopify integration makes this simple. If you're doing it manually, you'll add the base code to your site's header. Then, add event codes to specific pages (e.g., the checkout code goes on the purchase confirmation page). Use the free Pinterest Tag Helper Chrome Extension to test your site. Browse a few pages, add a product to your cart, and complete a test purchase to make sure every event fires correctly.

Step 2: Perform a Website & Policy Audit

Once the technical setup is done, look at your website through Pinterest's eyes. Pretend you’re a first-time shopper. Is everything clear? Professional?

• Click through your policies. Are the shipping and return pages easy to find and understand? Read through them to make sure there are no typos or confusing language.
• Check your contact and about pages. Is your mission clear? Is there an obvious way to get in touch with you for support?
• Review your product pages. Do all your product pages have high-quality images and clear, helpful descriptions? Fix any that look sparse or unprofessional.

Step 3: Meet the Merchant Guidelines & Apply

Once you’ve met all the prerequisites, Pinterest will automatically check your eligibility in the background. If you meet the criteria, you should see an option to apply for the Verified Merchant Program.

1. Navigate to your Pinterest Business Hub by clicking the three dots in the top-right corner of your desktop view.
2. If eligible, you'll see a VMP section or a notification prompting you to apply.
3. Click to apply. The verification check is usually based on the data you’ve already provided (tag data, catalog health, website legitimacy). There’s not a lengthy form to fill out, because you’ve already done the hard work!

What to Do if Your Application Is Rejected

It's common for applications to be rejected on the first try, so don’t get discouraged. Pinterest usually provides a general reason for the rejection, which gives you a starting point for troubleshooting.

• "Issues with Your Pinterest Tag": This is the most common reason. Use the Tag Helper extension mentioned earlier to find the problem. Is the checkout event firing? Does it include a value and order_quantity? Does it match the purchase details? A missing or malfunctioning tag is an automatic rejection.
• "Issues with your Data Source": Go back to your 'Catalogues' dashboard and check for errors. Are product images missing? Are prices formatted incorrectly? Did the feed fail to update? Fix any issues listed.
• "Your Website Does Not Meet Our Guidelines": This points to an issue on your site itself. Perform that website audit again, but this time be ruthless. Is your return policy hidden? Is your contact info just a generic form? Flesh out these sections to make them clearer and more comprehensive before reapplying.

After you've fixed the potential issues, you can submit your application again. The process is centered around making Pinterest a better place for shoppers, so aligning with that goal will get you across the finish line.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a Verified Merchant on Pinterest is about more than just a little blue checkmark - it’s about signaling trust, unlocking powerful selling tools, and setting your brand up for long-term success on a platform built for discovery and shopping. By systematically working through the account setup, catalog connection, tag installation, and website review, you'll be on the right track for a speedy approval.

Once you’re verified, your Pinterest strategy kicks into a higher gear, and managing a consistent flow of fresh Pins becomes really important for growth. We built Postbase to make that part easier. Our visual content calendar helps you plan a beautiful feed and spot content gaps, while our reliable, video-first scheduler means your Pins - especially video Pins - go live exactly when you want them to. Since everything, including your analytics and DMs, is in one place, you can spend less time juggling tabs and more time creating content that connects with shoppers.