Over the past decade, Google has attempted to enter the eCommerce industry several times. However, with fierce competitors like Wayfair, Amazon, and Walmart, Google has had its trials and tribulations. In the past 10 years, Google has attempted to enter the market in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Yet it was in 2020 when the wheels started turning, and the company was back on its feet.
Primarily, in 2013, Google attempted to pursue grocery deliveries via its website. This platform was called “Google Shopping Express.” But with an annual fee of $95 a month for the membership, the site did not perform well and ended up shutting down.
The journey continued in 2017 when Google sought its first online mall. The name, simple and explanatory, was named “The Google Online Mall.” They even were able to conglomerate with Target and Walmart. Yet, their plans fell through again due to low margins.
After multiple attempts, Google made a comeback in 2020. They did so by introducing the “Buy Online” button on their search engine page. Google created this concept by utilizing the fact that they are primarily trusted by consumers for their search queries, and they were right; their audience became their consumers.
They also sported a comeback by enacting a plan to ensure large influxes of traffic by their consumers and sellers by ensuring that retailers did not have to pay fees for listing their products on Google. Retailers were over the moon.
What was the catch of Google’s Free Product Listing?
As opposed to fees, Google capitalized on retailers that were buying ads before listing their products.
Thus, the spokesperson for Google sought this as a way to make eCommerce less expensive for retailers. The goal of this strategy also served as a way to gain consumers’ trust. However, competition heightened when Amazon also looked to enter the advertising industry.
However, to checkmate their competitors, in 2020, Google offered a 0% commission on all sales. Thus, showing intensive support for retailers. Google also gave retailers options as to how they could import their inventory. In addition to offering them options for third-party services like Paypal and Shopify to simplify transactions.
You can also read The Psychology Behind The Effectiveness Of Video Advertising.
The Question Remains: Is Google’s, Plan Working?
Our answer is yes. Statisticians indicated a “43% increased search revenue in 2021” due to Google’s eCommerce ads. The company also claimed to have 1 billion consumers “price shopping” on their site daily.
Thus, if Google can maintain this type of progress, it will be able to remain a competitor in the advertising market. However, until this is confirmed, here are a few steps that will help YOU gain a significant market share using Google’s platform.
- You can upload products on their feed for free of cost on Google Merchant Center.
- You can take advantage of the Free Product Listing on Google.com
Once you upload your product feed to the Google Merchant Center, you will be able to display your free listings as a retailer. After you are listed in Google’s shopping tab, your listings will appear in their site’s search results.
Google has worked tirelessly to create a user and business-friendly strategies in order to remain a part of the competition. We hope that in the future that Google will continue to develop platforms that benefit both retailers and customers.
For example, Google is looking to benefit retailers by creating a more customizable shopping experience that will lead consumers to impulsive buying. On the other hand, using increased personalization benefits consumers as they can engage in a one-stop shopping experience. Their site is also going to feature personalized collections, in addition to a purchasing tool that can be used to buy external brands without leaving their site.
If you need help growing your business and averaging 400% or more ROI from your digital efforts, give us a call today or schedule a free strategy session with one of our experts in digital marketing. You will have an opportunity to discuss your business and your marketing goals, and we will provide recommendations on what you should be doing based on our BOOST Method. This is a sales-pitch-free no-obligation meeting, just real advice.
