Google to enhance Google Shopping; to take on Amazon

Google intends to enhance its Google Shopping service to compete more directly with Amazon according to reports.

According to The Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the matter, Google was considering several options to enhance its shopping experience and lure back users for all their shopping needs.

Three years ago 24 per cent of consumers started their product search on a search engine, such as Google, while 18 per cent started on Amazon, but the figure today had flipped with 39 per cent starting their product searches on Amazon and 11 per cent starting on search engines.

One way to resolve the matter was to reintroduce Google Shopping as an online retail source, not just a search engine.

Google had approached retailers with the idea of a "buy" button on Google Shopping, not different from Amazon's "one-click ordering" tool.

While Google would not sell the product directly, products could be bought directly from search results instead of merchant sites to which users are directed.

Another enhancement under consideration was launch of a marketing programme that would allow partner merchants to promote 2-day shipping from Google Shopping, similar to Amazon's 1-day shipping with Prime membership.