Google will allow retailers to sell items on its platform for free starting the week of April 27. The Google Shopping tab will consist primarily of free product listings, including those from companies that don’t normally advertise on Google.
“The retail sector has faced many threats over the years, which have only intensified during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Bill Ready, President of Commerce at Google in a statement. “With physical stores shuttered, digital commerce has become a lifeline for retailers. And as consumers increasingly shop online, they’re searching not just for essentials but also things like toys, apparel, and home goods. While this presents an opportunity for struggling businesses to re-connect with consumers, many cannot afford to do so at scale.”
Existing users of Google’s Merchant Center won’t need to make any changes to take advantage of the free listings, and the onboarding process will be streamlined over the coming weeks and months for new users. Additionally, Google has formed a partnership with PayPal that will let retailers link their accounts to further speed up the onboarding process, and it also is working with solution providers including Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce to make e-Commerce more accessible to all retailers.
The change will launch in the U.S. before expanding globally by the end of 2020.
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