Google Shopping has started its business in 2002, but in 2017 it was fined for 2.4 billion euros from the European Union. The Verge reported that it was for abusing its dominant position to gain favor for their Shopping links in search results over competing for price matching services.
Due to COVID-19, the restrictions, transactions have taken a significant setback. To boost the online shopping and deals, Google, on Tuesday, declared that the advertising plans would be free for merchants to sell their products on Google.
Bill Ready, Google’s President of Commerce, wrote in his blog post “Beginning next week, search results on the Google Shopping tab will consist primarily of free product listings, helping merchants better connect with consumers, regardless of whether they advertise on Google,”
This will help retailers, shoppers, and advertisers. Retailers will get more exposure to people who use Google shopping tab to find products and stores near them. For advertisers, paid campaigns are now augmented with free listings. Shoppers can now discover more stores and products through the shopping tab. And for retailers, this change means free exposure to millions of people who come to Google every day for their shopping needs.
This change will be made in the US before April end; Google has also planned to expand this globally at the end of the year.
“If you’re an existing user of Merchant Center and Shopping Ads, you don’t have to do anything to take advantage of the free listings, and for new users of Merchant Center, we’ll continue working to streamline the onboarding process over the coming weeks and months,” Ready wrote.
Google and PayPal has made a partnership, and this partnership will benefit retailers and merchants to link their bank accounts and speed up the ongoing change.
“Solutions during this crisis will not be fast or easy, but we hope to provide a measure of relief for businesses and lay the groundwork for a healthier retail ecosystem in the future,” he added to the blog.
During this Coronavirus pandemic, this initiative of Google will help both the retail sector and shoppers.
