By Aimee Chanthadavong
There’s no doubt that Australians are turning to online shopping and taking advantage of this trend is Google who have launched Google Shopping in Australia.
Operating similar to existing sites like Getprice and Shopping.com, Google Shopping is a product search engine that helps consumers find product information online, compare prices and find a retailer that is stocking the item.
In a blog post on the Google website, Amy Gepfert, Google Shopping program manager, said the search can be entered as usual on Google.com.au but can be narrowed down to relevance by clicking on the ‘shopping’ tab.
“I’d like to find a camera for under $250, so I select the price range from the filters on the left hand side so that I only see results that meet these criteria. Results are ranked according to relevance,” she wrote.
“To help me make a decision, Google also shows product reviews so I can see what other people thought of each camera before clicking through to a store to buy my chosen model.”
According to Google, retailers – both large and small – will be able to gain from this new tool. It will allow retailers to have their products be discovered, which will ultimately bring traffic and sales to their websites.
Retailers can sign up to Google Shopping for free by submitting a catalogue of their products to the new Google Merchant Center.
Speaking to RetailBiz, GetPrice marketing director David Whiteman said that they welcome Google Shopping to the market.
“I think the launch of Google Shopping is great for the industry. It highlights the importance of eCommerce in Australia and also the important role comparison shopping plays in the shopping process. Google has also been doing a lot of work to educate and grow the industry and stress the importance of good data which can only benefit a business like ours,” he said.
“Online shopping is a rapidly growing sector so there is room for many businesses and different types of business models. We see Google Shopping as an extension of Google Search, as product search engine, rather than a direct competitor.
“Getprice is a shopping destination and our user experience is quite different, especially on our new site which will be launching imminently. So, we don't see Google as a threat as we believe we have a differentiated offering for shoppers and advertisers. The key to success in this space is innovation which is what drives our business. So, those that try to do business as usual will likely suffer in the long term as the market becomes more crowded.”