For almost a decade, the coveted Google Trusted Store Badge has been available. In fact, over 67 percent of users used Google ratings, price comparison, and reviews to help them make a purchase last holiday season, according to Google.
In every industry, but especially in eCommerce, a positive customer experience is critical. That’s why Google announced that the Trusted Store badge will now be available for free shopping listings.
The Trusted Store Seal of Approval
The Trusted Store badge will be available to brands based on their Shopping Experience Scorecard, which is a welcome change for online businesses.
A Trusted Stores badge may appear on your product listings if your brand consistently provides excellent shipping and returns services.
Earning the Trusted Store badge is based on completing the following tasks:
- Shipping speeds
- Shipping
- Return costs
- Return windows
These metrics are compared to those of other merchants in a similar category.
The following is an example of the Trusted Stores badge:
Explanation of the Shopping Experience Scorecard
If you participate in Buy on Google or free product listings in the United States, you are eligible for this program.
The Shopping Experience Scorecard keeps track of the various aspects of the shopping experience you provide to your customers (listed above in the Trusted Store Badge section).
You’ll get a rating of one of two options for each metric:
- Excellent
- Comparable
- Opportunity
Google will give your product listing prominence in Shopping tab placements and/or a badge on your listings if certain criteria of these metrics are met. To get the badging on your product listings, you must submit information for all of the areas listed above.
While Google analyses the data you provide each day, your metric status is determined using a set lookback period. The metrics above are based on a weighted average of impressions from that lookback period.
By logging into your Google Merchant Center account, you can see your performance and Shopping Experience Scorecard.
The Badge’s Advantages
It’s not easy to earn the Trusted Store badge. It’s all based on how well your users are treated as customers. You’ll be able to reap the benefits if your company excels at shipping, returns, and reviews. Among these advantages are, but are not limited to:
- Increased product listing engagement
- Improved trust in users
- More prominent listings in Shopping tab
- Brand awareness
“Merchandise displaying a Trusted Store badge is more likely to receive clicks,” according to Google’s early testing of the badge. Furthermore, Google claims that less well-known brands with the Trusted Stores badge receive more clicks and traffic.
Read How to Identify The App Used In A Shopify Store.
New Reporting Tools Have Been Released
In addition to the Trusted Store badge, Google has improved its reporting tools to better understand the impact of free listings.
The new reporting tool provides merchants with information about their product listings on the following platforms:
- Total traffic
- Impressions
- Conversion rate
Previously, merchants were not able to report on their free product listings. For example, if you wanted to compare free and paid product listings, you’d have no way of knowing if the free listings had a positive impact on your business. You can now see all conversion data from free listings, which will assist you in making better business decisions in the future.
Here’s an example of a free product listings report from Google:
Google’s price insights tool is the most recent tool it has announced. The purpose of this tool is to assist brands in better understanding their market competitiveness.
Using machine learning, the pricing insights tool also suggests prices for each product being sold. The greatest benefit may be found in the anticipated revenue impact of price changes.
Summary
These tools have been added for the benefit of both the customer and the company. A Trusted Store badge will be awarded to you if you provide a consistent customer experience. You’ll be able to make product changes and improvements faster thanks to the new insights and reporting tools.
Learn more from News and read Standard Shopping campaigns will continue to be available, according to Google.
