Google users make millions of searches daily about specific products, and the company has decided that it’s a good opportunity to make some money off these searches, Reuters reports.
The company is teaming up with retailers such as Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Costco and others. The retailers will be able to list their products on Google Search and the Google Express shopping service, as well as Google Assistant on mobile phones and voice devices.
In exchange for the listings, retailers will give Google a piece of each purchase – different from the payments made for placing ads through Google. The tech giant promises to influence purchasing decisions, and help retailers compete with Amazon.
The idea, according to Reuters, came from Google observing that many consumers were sending images of products, asking “Where can I buy this?” or variations of the phrase. However, currently, the default choice is an Amazon purchase.