Friday, January 26, 2007
Back in September, we introduced a feature that allowed users to more easily find Checkout stores by filtering search results on Froogle. We got great feedback about this feature, and our users have continued to ask for even easier ways to find Checkout stores when they search on Google. Based on that feedback, we recently introduced some experiments and features that help users identify Checkout stores when they search:
- The first change we've made is a limited test of new Google Checkout badges on AdWords advertisements. Google runs experiments all the time to test new ideas and improvements, and Checkout is no exception. The experimental badge we're testing uses a Checkout button rather than a cart image to identify Checkout merchants. This test will appear on a very small percentage of queries and we look forward to learning from experiments like this so we can ensure Checkout continues to deliver value to everyone -- especially our users who are eager to find fast, secure places to shop when they search.
- In addition to new badges, we also recently made it easier to find Checkout stores in product search results. To provide some background here: when searching on Google, you'll sometimes notice "product search results" in addition to web search results. These links offer further relevant information about your query. To see this in action, try searching for "laser pointer" on Google.com; the clustered links at the top of the page are product search results. Product search results have been displayed on Google for a while now, and we recently added an extra link to this section so users who are interested can click through to view results from Google Checkout stores.
One of our core beliefs is to focus on the user. We know that when it's time to shop, our users often start by searching, and that they're looking for places to shop that are convenient and secure. Checkout addresses this need by making online shopping quick and safe, from search to purchase. As always, our goal is to improve the user experience by providing more relevant information whenever users choose to search and shop with Google.
