By adding a Google Checkout button to the Adwords ads they redirect(steal) the traffic to their checkout site so they can get a bigger percent by selling the product.
[Signature URL removed – Tony] |
I agree that the Google Checkout promotion on Google Product Search does not follow the ads campaigns standards. It is not an issue in my opinion, as I see Google Checkout more like a feature of Product Search than as a distinct Google product.
But again, do you have any relevant argument to consider that search results are "determined or impacted" by the promotion of Google Checkout?
Ljancho> Google does not steal merchants traffic. Google Checkout is willingly adopted by online merchants, who hope to increase their ads convertion rate thanks to Google convenient, secured and integrated checkout feature.
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I'd wonder if the advertiser with the Google Checkout button underneath isn't a Checkout seller?
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Oh.. you guys sometimes go overboard on picking the wrong issue. And this definitely one.
If you don't think so, atleast explain why this violates their principle in detail rather than a picture blurb. |
RC, please note the image is linked to more information... |
this doesn't affect their results, it just displays more options. the same results would show whether or not they used google checkout, but since gcheckout is becoming so popular, the stores that normally show up towards the top are now using the gcheckout, which makes it seem like they are altering the results. |
In addition to my previous comment, I would like to remind you guys that the new way to label Google ads running on Google-owned services (the "Google promotion box") was a move toward more transparency around Google cross-selling efforts decided after tech bloggers reaction to the now famous "Google tips". |
> which makes it seem like they are altering the results
By adding the Checkout button they are altering the results (albeit not the ranking of them). If this search result would be independent of what Google employees believe in or prefer, then there would be either no such badge in the result at all, or there would be a PayPal badge as well. These icons are drawing in the attention of users; as Ionut says in his post, they give preference to those sites using Checkout (not by ranking changes, but by display changes), thereby pushing Google Checkout. Ionut goes as far as to call Google Products close to being a "Google Checkout ad."
As for the promotions box on top, if it's done using AdWords (as Google claims they are using the same tools as we do to promote their offerings in search results), how can I create such a campaign then – including having a "promotion" label, and using images in my ad? |
Sounds like a familiar discussion about ads versus promotion in Google results :)
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-07-21-n38.html |
Google is actually happy about this:
"Google Product Search is a fast way for shoppers to find the items they're looking for, and Google Checkout is a fast and convenient checkout process that allows shoppers to buy these items from you quickly and securely. Together, these two services offer shoppers one of the most convenient and secure online shopping experiences."
http://www.google.com/base/help/sell-process.html |
