Good news for Ecommerce Merchants, as Google have announced that the process to become a Google Certified Shop (or Trusted Store in the US) has become a lot simpler.
What is “Google Certified Shops” all about?
Essentially, the Google Certified Shop initiative is an endorsement from Google, that shows you are an ecommerce merchant which Google “identifies and stands behind stores that provide a consistently great shopping experience”.
In the US, the initiative was started as “Google Trusted Stores”, and was localised to “Google Certified Shops” in the UK.
What’s the big deal about becoming a Google Certified Shop?
Choosing to become a Google Certified Shop brings many advantages to ecommerce merchants, including:
- Certified Shop badge shown on Shopping adverts
- Review stars shown within text and Shopping ads
- Sets you apart in a shopping environment based around comparisons
- Credibility and Trustworthy appearance
- Increased sales
Shopping with a Google Certfied Shop also boasts many advantages for customers, who may be more inclined to choose businesses with the badge:
- Proof of top customer service
- Promised on-time delivery
- Free Purchase Protection on orders up to £1,000
- More confidence when purchasing online
What does this announcement mean for Ecommerce Merchants?
Before this announcement, merchants needed to provide their shipment and cancellation feeds in order to join the scheme. This of course, came along with a number of privacy concerns from merchants.
This announcement means merchants do not have to submit this information, making it a lot easier to join. Google also now allows you to place the Certified Shop badge wherever you like (whereas it previously only displayed in the bottom right).
So now, Google have announced that the minimum requirements to join the initiative are as follows:
- Average monthly order volume over 200 orders per store
- No restricted products/services
- Customer support respond within one business day
- You can provide accurate estimate ship dates for non-backordered items
- Your store cart pages are not hosted on a separate domain
- Your checkout page is encrypted, such as only accessed via HTTPS.
What do I need to do to become a Google Certified Shop?
If you meet the above criteria, you are eligible to become a Google Certified Shop. The website to begin the process in becoming a Google Certified Shop can be found here.
The next steps are as follows:
- Provide business information during account set-up and sign agreements
- Technical integration – place two snippets of code on the site
- Extended time period monitoring – Google will assess your eligibility
If all is well, you will be approved!
The Future of Certified Shops: Google’s own Online Marketplace?
Could Google be readying itself to launch it’s own marketplace? Quite possibly. Having more Trusted Stores and Certified Shops would generate a larger base in order to broaden their marketplace, so more shoppers will make use of it.
With this initiative, it shows that Google are dedicated to having more consumers shop directly with Google, and a “Buy Now” button can’t be far away.
Google have made a habit of not wanting users to leave the search engine results page, so this would be another step in order to keep shoppers on the Google page. They would not have to click-through in order to make their purchase. It would also synchronise up with Google Wallet, which they have been ramping up as the new way to pay online.
Whatever Google has planned, it’s certainly an exciting time for ecommerce merchants, and there’s never been a better time to get discovered online.
If you’re looking to grow your business and increase your online sales, get in touch with the team here at Xanthos, who specialised in ecommerce web design and digital marketing.
