Google unveiled a new feature called “Purchases on Google”, its own buy button, which allows shoppers to buy products from the mobile ads itself instead of the website.
They said at a press event in New York that it is testing out the feature with about a dozen retailers and expects to unveil it to consumers within a month.
The Purchases on Google helps smartphone shoppers buy with ease from their favorite retailers . When a shopper searches on mobile for a product, they may see a shopping ad with ‘Buy on Google’ text. After clicking the ad, they are taken to a retailer-branded product page hosted by Google.
There are lots of great shopping apps out there, and Google want to encourage shoppers to use them. Google is starting to work with a select group of global retailers including eBay, Flipkart and Zalando to add deep links to their apps right in their shopping ads, driving people straight to their mobile app instead of their website. This is a tremendous new opportunity for retailers and app developers to drive engagement with their shopping apps.
Purchases on Google provide improved mobile conversions for retailers. The retailers only pay for clicks on the shopping ads to the product page but all clicks and interactions on the product page are free. While Google hosts the product page and provides purchase protection for customers, retailers own the customer communication and can offer customers the option to receive marketing and promotional messages.
“Customers increasingly want to shop on their own terms. Purchases on Google facilitates that flexibility while maintaining the merchant’s ability to own the customer relationship.” says, Peter Cobb, eBags Marketing EVP and Shop.org Chairman.
“Purchases on Google will simplify our customers’ ability to search for items on Google and then buy with Staples.” said Faisal Masud, Executive Vice President of Global E-Commerce, Staples, Inc. “Working with Google on this offering will make the discovery and purchase process even easier for the customers we serve, with the power of both of our companies behind it.”
Jason LaRose, Chief Revenue Officer, Digital at Under Armour echoes a similar sentiment: “As the consumer continues to rapidly adopt mobile as their primary device, we have to move at a similar pace in how we reduce purchase friction and enhance the user experience with our brand. Google’s technology solutions help us innovate, so our collaborative efforts are rich and ongoing.”
Pinterest has also rolled out “buyable pins” for its iPhone and iPad apps on June. This feature allows shoppers to purchase products directly from Pinterest by tapping a blue “Buy It” button and using Apple Pay or a credit card.
Today, Facebook adds “buy” buttons that allow the entire shopping experience to occur within Facebook. The company is building out shops within Facebook Pages, essentially mini e-commerce sites that give businesses a chance to set up second homes within its walls.
