Google Shopping Actions – Everything You Need to Know

Imagine you are an online retailer and you want your customers to be able to browse for their perfect pair of running shoes while they’re out jogging in the morning or order groceries with a simple voice command while whipping up dinner. Now that would be convenient, right? 

The way people buy and sell products online is constantly evolving, thanks to the rise of mobile browsing and voice assistants. But with so many options and platforms, wouldn’t it be nice to have a seamless shopping experience that fits the busy lifestyle of your customers? 

Enter Google Shopping Actions (commonly known as Buy on Google across the US), a game-changer for both online shoppers and retailers. This innovative program streamlines the buying process, making it easier to find the products your customers are looking for and complete purchases directly through Google. 

Wondering what exactly is Google Shopping Actions, how it works, and how you can utilize this to maximize your online outreach? 

Buckle up, because we’re about to explore the arena of Google Shopping Actions (GSA) and how it can revolutionize the online shopping experience for your customer, ultimately driving your business growth. 

So, What is Google Shopping Action?

Also known as “Buy on Google” or “Google Express” across the US, Google shopping action program is defined by Google as “a program that allows retailers to surface their products across different Google platforms.” Essentially, Shopping Actions is what enables retailers to sell on Google Shopping via mobile, desktop, and voice assistant.

It enables retailers to display their products on multiple Google platforms. The platforms include Google Search, the Google Shopping mobile app, the Google Assistant for mobile, and Google Home devices. 

Google also claimed that Shopping Actions is a commission-based service. You only pay when a sale is made. Google takes care of sales, customer support, and returns and merchants handle fulfillment.

Here’s a video explaining how Google Express AKA Google Shopping Action works. 

That’s all good and done, but how does it differ from the traditional methods? Let’s explore: 

Google Shopping Action vs. Traditional Google Shopping: What’s The Difference?

Hold on! Before you jump in with both feet and choose Google Shopping Actions (AKA Google Express AKA Buy on Google), let’s unpack the key differences between it and the traditional way we shop online via Google. 

Don’t worry, it’s not a battle; it’s more like picking the perfect outfit for the occasion. Here, we’ll uncover how each approach caters to different shopping styles, ultimately helping you decide which one (or maybe even both!) works best for your needs.

Below are the key differences between a traditional shopping experience and GSA: 

So, not much of a change. Just a smoother shopping experience for your customers while you pay Google for each successful purchase.  Also, with Google Express, you’ll have the option to integrate with other Google services, maximizing your product outreach. 

Benefits of Google Shopping Actions

Now that we’ve explored the key differences between Google Shopping Actions and traditional shopping, let’s get down to brass tacks! Here’s why GSA could be a game-changer for your E-Commerce business. 

Become More Visible

Imagine your products appearing front and center whenever someone searches for them on Google. That’s the magic of Google Shopping Actions. This program goes beyond traditional Google Shopping by propelling your products into the prime real estate of Google’s vast ecosystem. 

Aside from placing your products directly in the line of sight of potential customers who are actively searching for what you offer, GSA also helps online businesses reach across multiple Google platforms, including Search, Assistant, and the Shopping mobile app.

Convenient Check-Out

With the convenience of purchasing directly on Google’s platform, businesses can attract customers who prefer seamless and frictionless shopping experiences. “Buy on Google” eliminates the need for users to navigate to external websites, reducing barriers to conversion and increasing the likelihood of making a purchase.

GSA empowers customers to complete their purchases directly within Google platforms and to leverage their pre-saved payment information. This approach significantly reduces friction and encourages faster purchases through a one-click checkout option.

Increase Conversion Rate and Basket Size

The seamless checkout experience offered by Google Shopping Action isn’t just about convenience – it’s a powerful tool for boosting your E-Commerce business’s conversion rates and basket sizes. 

With Buy on Google, customers can add products from various retailers to a single cart across Google platforms, eliminating the need to navigate to different websites and manage separate carts. This significantly improves the conversion rate and reduces their chance of abandoning their cart midway. 

Google will also suggest similar products to your customers, provoking them to add more products to their cart. With strategically placed upselling campaigns, you’ll be able to secure unprecedented growth in your conversion rate, basket size, and sales! 

Leverage Voice Search

With the proliferation of voice-enabled devices such as smartphones, smart speakers, and virtual assistants, voice search has become a prevalent method for consumers to search for products and make purchases. Also, Voice search is not limited by geographical boundaries, and is increasingly being adopted across the globe.

GSA integrates seamlessly with Google Assistant, allowing customers to discover and purchase products with simple voice commands. This taps into the growing voice commerce trend, offering a convenient way for customers to add items to their carts, potentially leading to increased impulse buys and ultimately, larger basket sizes.

That’s not all, voice search queries tend to be more conversational and long-tail compared to traditional text-based searches. GSA leverages Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities to understand and interpret these queries accurately, ensuring that businesses’ products are surfaced in relevant voice search results. 

Google’s Support

Google Shopping Actions unlocks a valuable treasure chest of data and insights from Google that can be used to optimize your listings and campaigns for even greater success. 

For example, With GSA, you can track metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and abandoned carts. This data allows you to identify areas for improvement and optimize your listings accordingly.

That’s not all, you can check what products are frequently added to carts together, which demographics are most interested in your offerings, and what time of day customers are most likely to make purchases. 

This valuable customer behavior data allows you to tailor your marketing campaigns and product offerings to better resonate with your target audience.

Setbacks of Google Shopping Action

Buy on Google might seem like a win-win for both businesses and consumers, but it’s important to approach any marketing strategy with a clear-eyed perspective. Here, let’s explore the potential drawbacks of using Buy on Google. 

Compliance and Administrative Burden

Maintaining a Buy on Google presence requires adherence to strict terms and conditions set by Google. This includes regulations on product origin (meeting Trade Agreements Act compliance), pricing practices (avoiding offering lower prices elsewhere), and maintaining minimum sales targets. Keeping up with these requirements can be time-consuming and require additional resources.

Limited Control Over Branding

When customers purchase through Buy on Google, the checkout process takes place within Google platforms. This means you have less control over the overall branding experience compared to directing them to your own website.

Potential for Lower Profit Margins

Buy on Google commission fees can vary depending on your product category. These fees, combined with the potential need to match competitor pricing within the platform, might lead to lower profit margins compared to selling directly through your own website.

No Guarantee of Sales

Just like any marketing platform, there’s no guarantee of sales success with Buy on Google. The initial investment of setting up your listings and potentially running optimization campaigns might not translate to immediate or significant sales growth.

So, Who Should Use Google Shopping Actions?

Now that we’ve explored the incredible benefits Buy on Google offers, you might be wondering – is it the right fit for your business? Well, GSA is a perfect fit for your online business if — 

• Your E-Commerce business already has an established online presence. 
• You have well-maintained product descriptions, high-resolution images, and competitive pricing. 
• Your online brand is looking to expand reach and conversions.
• You want to provide a smooth and convenient shopping experience.
• Your online commerce intends to chip in on the rising “Voice Search” trend.
• You want to create a community of loyal customers.

But, Who Killed Google Shopping Action and Why

Yes, you heard me right! Google terminated The GSA project last year. 

But why? 

Let’s explore: 

For a while, Google had a tiny Amazon inside of it (GSA). Shoppers enjoyed the convenience of searching, adding products to a shopping cart, and seamlessly checking out—all while perusing Google. 

In a major push from 2018 to 2020, Google actively recruited sellers for its marketplace, attending conferences and even slashing commission fees to zero in July 2020. This aggressive strategy attracted nearly 8,000 sellers by the end of the year, with many coming from established platforms like Amazon and eBay.

However, Google has decided to phase out the Buy on Google checkout experience, aiming to create a new “streamlined buying journey for shoppers” across Google and YouTube. Google Shopping Action for Search and Shopping ended in the US on September 26, 2023. Buy on Google for YouTube ended on October 26, 2023.

According to Google’s spokesperson, “Our goal is to support an open ecosystem by connecting shoppers directly with merchants, and this is a big priority for us. We developed a new streamlined checkout process that allows shoppers to go directly from Google to the checkout flow on a merchant’s website when they’re ready to buy.

We’ve received great feedback from merchants and users. Buy on Google was a small feature that a very limited number of merchants used, so we’re investing in this new buying experience instead”

Over to You

In the ever-evolving world of E-Commerce, Google Shopping Actions stood out as a promising avenue for merchants to reach customers and drive sales. Throughout this journey, we’ve explored what Google Shopping Actions was, its advantages and disadvantages, and the recent decision to discontinue its Buy on Google checkout experience.

While the sunsetting of Buy on Google may come as a surprise to some, it underscores Google’s commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional shopping experiences. As we say goodbye to this amazing feature, we eagerly anticipate the next evolution in Google’s E-Commerce endeavors—a future where seamless shopping experiences await both merchants and customers alike.

Ready to take your E-Commerce game to the next level? 

Explore our rich blog section to discover more insights and tips on maximizing your online presence with our comprehensive guides and resources.

Join us on this exciting journey as we continue to uncover everything you need to know about thriving in the world of E-Commerce. Let’s embark on this adventure together!

That’s it for today! Thank you for reading this far. Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below. I hope to see you guys on another blog post. Till then, happy selling to you!