Google is looking to make it easier to part you from your cash, confirming it will add a ‘buy button’ to select search results.
A feature rumoured in recent weeks, Google has now officially confirmed plans for the retailer-bypassing service which it says will launch “imminently”.
Speaking during the Code Conference in California yesterday, May 27, Google’s Chief Business Officer, Omid Kordestani, suggested that the ‘buy button’ will help reduce the “friction” which currently accompanied some online buying experiences.
The feature will allow users searching for products to buy items from advertised search results, directly from the search page, thus cutting out the middleman – the retailer.
The Google Buy feature will only service mobile search listings, improving users’ on-the-go shopping experiences.
“With Google Buy set to only be available on mobile devices and the search giant recently changing its algorithm to favour mobile optimised sites, it’s clear Google believes that smartphones and tablets are the way forward for e-commerce,” said Kevin Dallas from Worldpay ecommerce (via BBC).
He added: “This move from the world’s biggest search engine might alarm some merchants but companies should see Google Buy as a positive, spurring retailers to acknowledge the benefits for consumers when they invest in making their site mobile optimised.
“Customers expect to be able to transact swiftly and safely from mobile devices and any company that hasn’t done so will be swiftly outmanoeuvred by more nimble competitors.”
Related: Google I/O 2015: What to expect
Kordestani’s announcement came just 24 hours before this evening’s Google I/O keynote kicks off.
Tonight’s keynote is expected to see a number of new Google and third-party technologies unveiled, including Android M, the latest iteration of Google Glass and the eagerly awaited Moto 360 2.
What do you make of search result-based buying options? Let us know below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
