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Amazon and eBay are expecting some serious competition from Google, as the giant search company enters the e-commerce industry. Google has already announced it will soon launch a new “Buy” button next to top search results.
The feature received confirmation from Google’s chief business Officer Omid Kordestani, who added that we should expect it to be implemented sometime in the near future.
Kordestani participated in the Re/code Code Conference on Wednesday where Kara Swisher asked him a few questions. According to his answers, the Buy button is designed to boost the interest of customers in the online commerce.
Amazon, eBay and Alibaba are in the top of the massive e-commerce empire, but even with their impressive number of transactions, only 10 percent of all commercial purchases happen in the online.
However, Kordestani did not unveil any more details about the exact time when users should expect to first see the Buy now button appear in their Google searches.
It was two weeks ago when the media started talking about the rumors of a Buy button appearing on Google’s search results. Concerned voices started joining in a disgruntled choir, fearing that Google might use its great influence to completely monopolize the e-commerce industry.
According to inside sources, the button will initially be available only on mobile devices, as mobile has taken over the number of searches made on Google. And even there, the button is restricted to appear only next to paid advertisements – the first few links that usually appear on top of the search results.
These websites are chosen by Google’s search algorithm, which includes them under the large umbrella of “Shop on Google.” If a user decides it wants to buy the advertised product, clicking on the Buy button will take him to a Google Shopping website.
On that page, the user can find more details about the product, such as available sizes and colors, and then the transaction continues exactly as it does on a regular e-commerce website.
It is noteworthy that Google in itself will not be a direct seller. The feature includes various partnerships with major retailers, which will continue to be responsible with fulfilling the orders and shipping them.
Google acts only as an intermediary and the only one with access to payment information – data which is off-limits for retails. Macy’s is rumored to be one of the first to sign the deal with Google.
However, this arrangement has already been received with some skepticism, as retailers argue they would be deprived of vital information about their customers, such as email addresses and mailing addresses. Google is willing to offers limited information with the consent of the customers.
Image Source: Retail Wire
