The retail sector has been facing so many threats over the years and it has only intensified during this coronavirus pandemic. Physicals stores have been shuttered, and digital commerce has become the lifeline for retail sellers. With social distancing mandate, everything now has to be done online. As consumers continue to shop online, they’re searching not just for essentials but other things like food, apparels, and home goods. This, as you might know has created opportunities for struggling businesses to reconnect with their consumers, make profit etc.
As a result of these challenges, Google has advanced its plans to make it free for merchants to sell. Beginning next week, search results on the Google Shopping tab will consist primarily of free listings, helping merchants better connect with consumers, regardless of whether they advertise on Google or not.
For small business owners and retailers, this new development means free exposure to millions of people who come to Google every day for their shopping needs. For shoppers, it means more products from these business stores, discoverable through the Google Shopping tab. For you the advertisers, this means paid campaigns can now have free listings. If you’re an existing user of Merchant Center and Shopping ads, you shouldn’t have to do anything to take advantage of these free listings, and for new users, there’ll be a streamline on the onboarding process over the coming weeks and months.
These changes will take effect in the U.S. before the end of April, as they aim to expand this globally before the end of the year. Their help centres have more details on how you can participate in these free product listings and Shopping ads.
“We’re also kicking off a new partnership with PayPal to allow merchants to link their accounts. This will speed up our onboarding process and ensure we’re surfacing the highest quality results for our users. And we’re continuing to work closely with many of our existing partners that help merchants manage their products and inventory, to make digital commerce more accessible for businesses of all sizes”. – Bill Ready. President, Commerce Google
Solutions during this crisis will not be fast or easy, but with companies like Google providing a measure of relief for businesses and laying the groundwork for a healthier retail ecosystem in the future, the world will improve and recover after this pandemic.