Google reminds shoppers and merchants that it has many tools to establish consumer trust.
In a recent blog post, Google highlights three key ways to help people shop safely.
1. Automated scanning process
One of the main ways Google ensures shopper safety is through its automated screening process.
Before a product or merchant can get listed on Google, it goes through an in-depth safety review.
This process is aided by Shopping Planner, Google’s massive dataset of products and sellers in the world.
Thanks to this technology, Google’s systems can quickly and accurately determine whether a company is legitimate and whether its products comply with Google’s policies.
Google follows strict shopping policies to ensure that product listings and shopping ads on its platform adhere to certain standards.
The policies cover what is and isn’t allowed on Google and give shoppers confidence that they’re seeing products that meet Google’s quality standards.
In January alone, Google stopped showing more than 100 million product offerings and rejected nearly 300,000 accounts for having quality issues or not following its policies.
2. Store badges and other visual cues
For added reassurance, shoppers can look for store badges on the Google platform.
The Google Trusted Store badge is awarded to merchants based on their Shopping Experience Score Card.
If your business offers an excellent shopping experience, you may be eligible to display the Trusted Stores badge on your product listings.
The Trusted Store badge is based on four performance metrics: shipping speeds, shipping, return costs, and return windows.
These performance metrics are compared with other merchants in the same category to determine eligibility for the badge.
An example of the Trusted Store badge can be seen below:
Human and automated review teams
Google’s security efforts don’t stop once the product listing is published. The company has automated systems to monitor infringing activity.
In addition, a team of human reviewers is on standby to review issues that require a more nuanced perspective.
Shoppers can help others stay safe by reporting suspicious behavior. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, you can report it to Google via the “Report a Listing” link at the bottom right of the product page.
In summary
Google’s commitment to consumer trust and safety is evidenced by its rigorous audit process, stringent shopping policies, and trusted badge system.
With the large amount of products and sellers on the platform, it’s reassuring that Google is taking the necessary steps to ensure that people make purchases without worrying about fraudulent activity.
By reporting suspicious activity, you can play a role in helping Google maintain a safe and reliable shopping experience for everyone.
Featured image: Vladimka Productions/Shutterstock
