Google has opened the beta for its “buy button,” which they are calling Purchases on Google. Sales & Orders reported finding the option in Merchant Center Tuesday.
An announcement wasn’t made by Google yet, but advertisers are able to request access to the Purchases on Google beta through the Merchant Center Programs section in Google Merchant Center. That option is accessible from the three-button drop-down menu.
The pilot Purchases on Google was unveiled by Google back in July 2015. The Shopping ads, which are tagged with “Buy on Google,” display on Android devices. If their Google Wallet is set up, users will be able to make a purchase from a Google-hosted landing page after clicking on the ad. UGG and Under Amour are two brands that have been participating in the pilot. Below is an example add from UGG that was spotted last week:
I was unable to replicate the above example.
Google has been pretty quiet about the testing. There are plenty of challenges for the program, such as integrating multiple systems, tracking issues, data integrations, as well as retailer concerns about being able to market to customers that buy via Google. Also, impression volume for these ads remains relatively low, around the 20-30 percent range.
The closed beta is open to US retailers only at this time. Those interested can request access through Merchant Center or by filling out the request form here.