Google has announced that it will introduce a ‘Buy Now’ button in its search results. This button could have huge implications for the nature of online shopping, as it will enable people perusing search results to directly buy products without having to leave Google’s website.
So, how exactly would it work? Basically, someone who, on Google’s website, looks through search listings of products available for online purchase could click on the ‘Buy Now’ button next to a listing of a product that they especially like. They would then be lead to a Google transaction page where they could enter relevant details before completing the purchase.
This does not, however, mean that Google is opening its own online retail arm; it is thought that, instead, the company will work with existing online merchants, who will retain customer details and take care of the job of posting bought items.
Though, at the Code Conference in California, Google’s chief business officer Omid Kordestani said that the Buy Now button is “going to be imminent”, it is still not known exactly when this new feature will be rolled out. Whenever it is, however, it should soon encourage many Google users to stay on the search giant’s website at the expense of online retail websites, especially those of big name online retail companies like Amazon.