With e-commerce season now upon us and Christmas fast approaching, Google has launched a new range of features that are designed to help shoppers find the best deals.
Google’s own research has shown that 43% of US shoppers are planning to look for deals and sales more closely than they did last year. As a result, the company has launched a suite of new features that will make it easier for shoppers to find the best discounts. These new features include options like promotion badges, coupon clipping, deals comparisons and price insights. Let’s look at each in greater detail.
New labels for coupons and a clipping feature
Google believes that finding coupons (and making sure they work) is too difficult. To help shoppers save both time and money, the search engine is now making coupons visible in product searches with the help of a promotion badge. This promotion badge will show up directly in the search results when a retailer is running a promotion.
On top of this, Google is also adding a new coupon clipping feature. This will allow users to easily copy promotional codes when they’re ready to buy. Both of these new features will be available in the coming weeks.
Ability to compare deals side by side
Google says that over the past year more than half of US shoppers have visited multiple websites before making a buying decision. To help reduce research time, Google is now making it easier for users to compare deals offered by different retailers. For example, if you Google “men’s trainers”, you’ll receive a side-by-side comparison of available men’s trainer deals within your results.
Google plans to roll out this view in the US this month. Depending on results, it may be rolled out more widely in 2023 and beyond.
Price insights
Sales always entice buyers, but Google now wants to show users whether the deals available actually present good value. To help, Google is launching an insights feature that will help shoppers make better buying decisions.
Now, users will quickly see how one merchant’s price compares to another’s. They will also see whether this price is low, typical or high for that product.
Merchants can also see how their deals are performing and review their promotions by managing their product listings on Google.
How effective will Google’s new features be? – the view from Spike
Google’s new raft of features shows us that price comparison and deal hunting is expected to be big. Google’s approach to search continues to be user-led; with a particular focus on enhancing the shopping experience, building trust and improving purchasing decisions.
Although these new features are user-focused, businesses can still use them to their advantage. All merchants should ensure they’re actively managing their product listings on Google and continually review the promotions they’re offering and how they compare with others. By being active, businesses can stay a step ahead of their rivals and entice customers who are taking advantage of these great new features in the run-up to Christmas.