Google Adds E-Commerce Tools & Shopify Partnership

The pandemic has quickly taught businesses that creating a user-friendly e-commerce experience was no longer optional, but essential. Consumers spent a combined $861.12 billion online with U.S. merchants in 2020 — that’s a 44% increase from the year prior and the largest e-commerce growth the U.S. has seen in the past two decades.

Changing the Way You Shop

In direct response to this shopping increase and the ever-growing need for online resources amidst the ongoing pandemic, Google’s taken recent steps to simplify the process to not only sell but also purchase through the Google Shopping tab that populates when you conduct a search. Retailers who have utilized Google’s Merchant Center have the option to appear in free or paid search.

More For Merchants

Google has already introduced the elimination of commission fees and made it free for retailers to list products on Google Shopping and Search in the U.S. They’ve continued to encourage the use of Google Shopping for merchants by opening their platform to third parties, giving retailers the ability to use their preferred services such as PayPal and Shopify for things like inventory, order management and payment processing.

Merchants will also have the ability to import their inventory from other sources in a matter of a few clicks. By simplifying the usability of their platform, Google hopes to attract more retailers to provide more options for shoppers in the future.

A Seamless Online Shopping Experience

Google is introducing new features that will help take your e-commerce shopping experience to the next level. Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. Google Lens will allow the ability to view search results for items featured in a screenshot.

2. Google Chrome will work locally on your device to highlight any shopping carts you left open in a tab so you can visit them later.

3. Google’s AI-enhanced Google Shopping Graph collects real-time information from websites, reviews, inventory and product data from merchants to help put products in front of the appropriate audiences as they browse Google. This feature in particular has caught the eye of many advertisers who are preparing for the effects of Google eliminating the use of third-party cookies by 2022.

4. Coming Soon: You can link loyalty programs from known merchants like Sephora directly to your Google account, helping you find the best purchase options while you browse.

Working Hand-in-Hand

Google announced at their annual I/O conference that they’ve partnered with the e-commerce giant Shopify, granting the platform’s 1.7 million merchants the ability to reach consumers through Google Search and their additional services.

What Does This Mean for Your E-Commerce Business?

Merchants that already use Shopify’s services will soon be able to extend their reach across Google’s search engine and amplify the number of eyeballs on their products. Even if you don’t use Shopify for your e-commerce store, Google is still offering several new features through their Merchant Center that will also aid in the growth of your business.

Say you aren’t interested in using Google Shopping features, or your company’s services are a little more abstract — you can still find success by strategically ranking with your own efforts. Consistent SEO optimization on your website is key, and strategic PPC or Display campaigns through Google Ads can further your ongoing marketing efforts.

A Digital Demand

You’ve had a little over a year to work on your e-commerce experience. Is it churning out desirable results? Is it mobile-friendly? With Google’s switch to mobile-first indexing, this can’t be an afterthought. Your website may be some of the only contact your audience will have with you, so you have to make sure it’s a seamless experience for them. Schedule a quick chat with us and we would love to see what you’re working with!