A ‘Buy Button’ could be making its way to Google search results for mobile, in a move which could signal the first steps in Google becoming the next big online marketplace.
The buttons would appear when users search for specific products using their mobile devices, with the button accompanying sponsored or paid search results.
It is likely to be displayed under the "Shop on Google" heading and will not show in unsponsored results that are generated through algorithms.
After clicking the ‘Buy Button’, shoppers are likely to be redirected to another Google product page where they will be able to complete their transaction and modify their order.
The products are likely to be sold by retailers, rather than by Google. The product page where the company will handle the purchases will be heavily branded for the retailers selling the items.
The Wall Street Journal cited sources familiar with the matter as saying that the payment information will be stored by Google for future purchases, but the company will not disclose the payment details to the retailers.
Google will initially take the money from the customers and later will pass it on to the retailers, and it might including digital payment methods from other providers.
The move has raised concerns amongst retailers, as they fear it could make them back-end order takers.
To address the concern, Google is reportedly planning to opt into the same marketing programmes that users would have been exposed to if they made the purchase on the retailers’ own websites.
