Google's Shift to Shopping Actions

Google recently announced that Shopping Actions will play an increasingly important role in its retail ads strategy. From image SERPs to YouTube videos, Shopping Actions will be the exclusive format to deliver shoppable experiences.

Let's take a closer look at what makes this new program such a powerful tool. But first, we recommend you submit a request for whitelisting immediately. Whitelisting will clear you to start building your Shopping Actions store in Merchant Center.

Shopping Actions is Changing the Shopping Experience

‍Google has added a transactional layer to its powerful Ads platform so that transactions can now be completed in Google. Google processes transaction and sends order information to merchant for fulfillment.

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New Surfaces are Being Added to Shopping Actions

‍As announced in the Google Marketing Live event, there are new experiences being rolled out that work exclusively through Shopping Actions.

• New Google Shopping homepage that is personalized and customizable
• YouTube to offer shoppable links for products in videos
• Google Images with shopping cart icon
  

Individual search results will be designated as shoppable by the use of a shopping cart icon. These will appear in Google search results, Google Shopping ads, image searches and YouTube videos. The shopping cart icon tells shoppers that products can be purchased using the Google checkout.

Voice shopping is trending upward as shoppers find they can complete purchases using Google Home, phones and mobile devices with Google Assistant.

A closer look at Shopping Actions’ Merchant benefits:

Shopping Actions is a retailer-first platform

• Prominent merchant branding
• Google has no intention to become a direct retailer (no competition from channel)
• Google wants to provide merchants with an additional tool to close the purchasing loop seamlessly

A focus on loyalty and personalization

• Easy re-ordering and basket building
• (Again) Prominent merchant branding means shoppers know whom they’re buying from

Google does the heavy lifting

• Google handles first line of customer support and returns
• More uniform experience
• Shopping Actions team works with merchant behind the scenes to ensure shopper satisfaction
• Shopping Actions team works with a set of merchant pre-approved guardrails to be more efficient when dealing with shopper complaints and be able to provide customer support

Pay per sale commission model

• Only pay when sale happens
• No membership fees

Actionable insights

• Sales performance
• Competitiveness
• Assortment

Get Started Here

If you're ready to get started with Shopping Actions, request whitelisting here: Google Shopping Actions Form

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