Google is planning to create an online market for traditional
retailers via its recently unveiled Google Base service. The search
engine giant is looking to create a "virtual supermarket" by
developing the service, which is currently undergoing beta
testing.
By John Leyden for The
Register.
This article has been reproduced with permission.
Google EMEA head Nikesh Arora told the Financial Times that the
search engine giant was targeting firms in sectors such as real
estate as well as the more obvious retail segment of the market
with the service. Google's "value add" is to index and package
offers in an easy to use format. "Google Base is going to have a
huge impact on retailers," he said.
Many of the largest retailers have already invested heavily in
creating an online presence. But others are yet to set up shop
online despite a massive growth in ecommerce sales over recent
years. One big UK retailer that currently lacks an online presence
told the FT that Google's online market concept would be attractive
providing it also handled the onerous task of physically
distributing goods.
Google Base is a significant development because up to now the
service has been viewed as a classified ads service targeted at
consumers. The creation of an ecommerce launch pad for retailers
pitches Google against similar initiatives from the likes of Amazon
(whose clients include US bookseller Borders and UK supermarket
Marks and Spencer) and eBay.
© The Register
2006
