What you need to know
- Google is launching new tools to help merchants stand out among online shoppers.
- The company is preparing to launch a "Trusted Store" badge for select merchants.
- Google is also providing ways to help merchants view important metrics.
Google Search is already a handy way to find the products you might be looking for and can connect users to various merchants and retailers. Now, Google is working to improve its shopping tap for consumers and merchants with new features arriving on the platform.
The most consumer-facing feature Google announced on Monday is the new "Trusted Store" badge. Merchants will receive this badge based on several factors, such as shipping speed, return window, and both shipping and return costs. Consumers will be able to see this badge when browsing for items in Google Shopping online and on the best Android phones. Google says that early testing has shown that this results in more clicks for merchants with the badge, and it can also help consumers discover smaller merchants who could benefit from this feature.
With the program, merchants will be given a rating of "Excellent," "Comparable," or "Opportunity," and merchants can receive prominent placements in the Shopping tab. The new Shopping Experience Scorecard program will launch "in the coming months."
Google is also launching a host of new tools for merchants to take better advantage of their listings. These new insight tools include conversion reporting, which allows merchants to track how their free listings are performing, something they couldn't do before. Google is also making it easy for merchants to compare pricing and get helpful tips on when to lower or raise prices:
"Using machine learning, the tool offers merchants a suggested price for each product they sell, along with predicted impressions, clicks, conversions and gross profit. This means a merchant can see how their pricing stacks up in comparison to the same product sold by other retailers, as well as potential revenue if they were to change the price."
Lastly, Google is providing product insights for local businesses managing a Business Profile in the U.S. and Canada, which will help smaller brick-and-mortar stores view how their items are performing.
Google highlights how merchants are able to list their items on its service for free and hopes that these features will help these merchants make the most out of their listings to attract new customers.
