Google GBuy More Than Paypal Alternative

Google GBuy More Than Paypal Alternative

Google is expecting to launch an online payment system similar to (but expect something Google-rific) eBay’s (and Yahoo’s) Paypal system. The Google payment system, dubbed GBuy, is scheduled for release on June 28th according to Maya Roney at Forbes.

Roney says that the Google GBuy system will “enable Google to capture e-commerce transaction data, driving more precise targeting in future searches.”

Roney spoke with RBC Analyst Jordan Rohan who believes that merchants who offer GBuy will establish an extra degree of trust with their intended customers, from the AdWords click all the way down to the final sale and repeat purchases.

Google will designate each merchant accepting GBuy as a “trusted GBuy merchant.” If consumers view this as a mark of safety and security… this should increase click-through rate.

The analyst expects some resistance from merchants who will fear that Google will use the transaction data to charge them more for sponsored links in the future. Google’s bid rank algorithm is influenced by click-through rate, and would, therefore, favor GBuy merchants, he said.

Of course, GBuy, if it is launched in the same image as Rohan visions, will become a major competitor to the eBay-Yahoo juggernaut which is expected to transform eBay’s Paypal into its own search engine marketing, pay per call, online purchasing ‘all in one tool’ which may or may not include tracking integration within the Yahoo Search Marketing platform.

Rohan says that GBuy is a negative for eBay, which is a positive for Google.

Search marketing evangelist Peter Da Vanzo sees GBuy as becoming more than just a payment alternative for merchants, and an equation in the Google AdWords positioning formula.

It remains to be seen if this eventuates, but if it does, it will shake up e-commerce affiliate sites big time. If you’re not transacting through Google, you may not feature as prominently in the serps.

If an AdWords ad includes an icon depicting a GBuy merchant and this improves the ‘click-thru-rate’ then those advertisers should enjoy ranking above other competition in the Google search advertising: