Google’s Buy buttons could make mobile shopping much easier

Desktop Web surfing is old news — nowadays we’re doing more and more of our browsing on mobile devices, which is why tech firms are falling over themselves to add functionality and features to their scaled-down sites. Google’s latest innovation is Buy buttons for search results on your smartphone, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

As the WSJ points out, this increases the heat on eBay and Amazon and means you might never need to leave Google to buy something you’re shopping for. These buttons are only going to appear next to sponsored links — not regular search results — so it’s an extension of the paid-for adverts you already see at the top of your screen when searching on mobile.

Based on what “people familiar with the launch” have said, users who tap on the Buy buttons are then taken to another Google product page to complete the purchase. Sizes, colors, and shipping options will all appear, enabling you to customize the purchase before parting with your money.

These goods will still be sold by the retailers rather than Google, however. Macy’s is said to be one of the companies involved in the initial launch, though as yet there’s no official word from either Macy’s or Google. The sources speaking to the WSJ say the trial will be limited in scope to begin with.

Such a tweak would obviously be beneficial to Google in its quest to become a one-stop shop for everything and anything, and it might turn out to be more convenient for users too. Yet with regulators looking closely at Google’s dominance of search and mobile, it’s also a risky move by the tech giant. Presenting a list of search results is one thing, but directing users all the way through a purchase process is another.

:story: Digital Trends