Google Shopping Switching to Paid Model

The only way a vendor's merchandise will show up on Google Shopping this fall will be to buy a paid ad, according to a report.

Google announced in May that it would be changing its Product Search results under the Google Shopping banner based on paid listings, according to Mashable. Before, the search results occurred naturally and were a mixture of both paid and unpaid listings. However, at least one Google spokesperson said that results would be ranked by relevance and "bidding." 

The paid listings will appear in the United States this fall and debut in Europe and Asia next year. 

Whether or not this will raise Google's profile in online shopping to rival Amazon remains to be seen because according to a recent survey, would-be customers were almost three times more likely to research online purchases at Amazon rather than Google. But at least Google will now be making more money doing it.

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