This FAQ provides answers to common questions about the Trader Verification process on the Chrome Web Store.
What is all of this?
The EU Digital Services Act requires that online marketplaces like the Chrome Web Store inform consumers in the EU about the identity of "traders" on their platforms. On the Chrome Web Store, that would be the publisher of the extension. You can read more about it here.
Who needs to complete this?
All developers on the Chrome Web Store are required to declare if they are a Trader or Non-Trader.
Am I a Trader or Non-Trader?
Each publisher must make their own determination. We can't provide direct answers for your specific case. The European Commission defines traders and Non-Traders as follows:
Trader
Any natural person or any legal person, who is acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession in relation to contracts on this marketplace.
Non-Trader
Any natural person or any legal person, who is acting for purposes which are outside of his trade, business, craft or profession in relation to contracts on this marketplace.
Who is the publisher of my extension?
Every developer account on the Chrome Web Store is considered a publisher account. However, there can only be one publisher for an extension. If you are a trader and you publish your extension directly on your account, then your account is the publisher and your account is what needs to be verified. If multiple people publish your extension under a shared group publisher account, then the group publisher account is considered the publisher.
What information do I need to provide?
If you are a trader, then you will be asked to provide information including a legal name, a contact phone number and address. This would commonly be the same information that is used on documents of incorporation, tax documents, or other similar documents relating to your trade or business.
What is done with the verification information provided?
This information that traders provide will be posted publicly at the bottom of your extension listing. Ensure that you are using both a correct address, and one you are comfortable having shared publicly.
What phone number should I use?
The DSA requires that each listing include a phone number for consumers to contact traders. We verify the provided phone numbers with SMS verification. **This number will be displayed on the item listing of your extension. **
What do I do if I do not have an SMS capable phone number?
For individual traders, this is a requirement. There are a number of ways to obtain an SMS-capable phone number, including from telecom providers and VOIP providers, including Google Voice.
For corporations, the ability to use a DUNS associated phone number will be added in the future. But for now, a SMS capable phone is required.
If you still need support about your phone number, please contact One Stop Support.
I started registering as an individual by accident - how can I change to a corporation?
You can restart the verification process at any time by changing from a Trader, to a Non-Trader, and then back to a Trader.
If I publish an extension as a member of a group publisher, am I a trader?
Trader classification is a legal question. Each publisher must make their own determination.
Any information provided as a trader is posted on an item your account is the publisher for. If you only publish extensions under the shared group publisher, and publish nothing on your own account, then the verification information you share is not publicly shown. If in the future you do publish something on your account, then the information will be posted publicly.
How can I update the information on my listing?
If you need to change an email, or address (without changing the country the address is in) then you can edit the information in the verification settings in your Google Payments settings.
If you want to change the phone number, name or DUNS number for your publisher account, then you must restart verification. You can accomplish this by momentarily changing your trader status to a Non-Trader and then back to a Trader. After that, you can go through the verification process and enter new information.
What is does the error OR_AMR_06?
This error indicates the verification was initiated but not completed by someone else in your group publisher. Once verification has begun, only that individual account can complete it. Once verification has completed, only that individual account can modify the information. This error occurs when a different account attempts to complete the verification. The original account used to initiate verification will need to complete the verification. If that is not possible, any other group member has the ability to change from a Trader, to a Non-Trader, and then back to a Trader to re-initiate the verification process with their account.
What is does the error OR_AMR_01?
This error indicates the current account does not have the ability to create a Google Payment profile. While verification does not cost money, accounts are required to have a Payment profile to complete verification. Contact the administrator for your domain to enable Payments for your account. If that is not possible, please contact One Stop Support to unlock the verification for other users.