Google has launched a program meant to ease the nerves of online consumers who worry about buying from unfamiliar sources.
The pilot program, called Google Trusted Stores, will help shoppers know they're dealing with serious merchants by letting them see a report card of the store's shipping and customer service practices, notes Tom Fallows, group product manager of Google's Commerce Team, in a post on the Commerce Blog.
"One of the great things about online shopping is that it offers the opportunity to find just what you're looking for at a terrific price," Fallows says. "But shoppers often tell us they're nervous about purchasing from unfamiliar online stores."
The new program should ease concerns, he says. Stores involved in the pilot program will get a Google Trusted Store logo in the lower right corner of the screen. Buyers can hover their mouses over the logo to see how past shoppers have felt about the store's shipping and customer service.
Currently, only a few large retailers like O.co, Wayfair, BabyAge.com and Beach Audio are participating in the program, but merchants can contact Google and ask to be added to the program when officials are ready to expand it, the company notes.
Google adds that shoppers who buy from a Google Trusted Store can opt to get free purchase protection, which will allow buyers to ask for Google's assistance in resolving any issues that may occur during a transaction with a Trusted Store.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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