Google has been making a lot of moves on the Shopping front as of late. In addition to showing product listings for free on Google Shopping and Search, Google is making some major changes to the Buy on Google program (formerly Google Shopping Actions), including a reduction and eventual elimination of commission fees.
In case you need a refresher, Buy on Google is the name of the marketplace program in the Google Merchant Center. Products listed in Buy on Google appear alongside regular Google Shopping listings, but with a “Buy on Google” checkout feature. This checkout feature allows customers to buy the product directly on Google’s site, streamlining the sale process. In the past, sellers would pay Google a commission for each sale—that’s changing now.
The new Buy on Google pilot program in the US will charge 0% commission fees, essentially eliminating commissions. Existing Buy on Google sellers in the US will be receiving invites to the pilot program in their inbox throughout the coming weeks. The new 0% commissions program will be open to everyone later in the year.
If you’re not able to join the pilot program right away, you’ll still benefit from reduced commission fees. Beginning on July 30, 2020, commission fees will be capped at 5% for sellers who are not yet in the pilot program. This is a considerable decrease from the previous commission fees which averaged around 12% for most product categories.
In addition to the changes in the commission fees, Buy on Google will become more accessible to international sellers. A U.S. bank account is no longer required for participation in the program.
The customer service process on Buy on Google is changing as well. Previously, Google handled the majority of customer service inquiries on behalf of the sellers. Now sellers and customers will be able to communicate directly to address customer service issues.
Read Google’s help article to learn more about these and other changes to Google Shopping Actions.
To learn more about Feedonomics’ marketplace solution, and how we can help grow your Buy on Google business, reach out to us anytime! With best-in-class 24/7 service, Feedonomics can handle complex integrations, product listing and categorization, inventory syncing, and order management on Buy on Google and other marketplaces.
Brian Roizen is the Cofounder and Chief Architect of Feedonomics, a full-service feed optimization platform that optimizes product data for hundreds of channels. He has been featured on numerous podcasts and eCommerce webinars, and regularly contributes to Search Engine Land and other industry-leading blogs. Brian graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
