Yesterday, Google launched a new program – Google Trusted Sites. The program, which is aimed at reducing the risks associated with online shopping, will help consumers locate online stores that provide excellent customer service. Tom Fallows, a product manager for the Google Commerce Team said the following:
“The Google Trusted Store badge is awarded to e-commerce sites that demonstrate a track record of on-time shipping and excellent customer service. When visiting a qualifying store, shoppers can hover over the Google Trusted Store badge and see metrics on the store’s shipping and customer service performance.”
Currently, Google is testing the Trusted Sites program with several initial test partners including: O.co, Wayfair, BabyAge.com, and Beach Audio. Over the next several months, Google will perform extensive testing of the badges and other aspects of the program to determine the overall impact of the new program on the test sites. All of the merchants included in the program are required to share information with Google related to customer service and shipping.
The Google Trusted Store badge, which is displayed prominently on websites that are participating in the new program, simultaneously instills trust and provides consumers with information related to the ecommerce site. When a customer mouses over the Trusted Stores badge, information related to the store’s customer service, shipping times, number of transactions, and the Google purchase protection plan appear in a new window.
To be considered for the Google Trusted Store program, merchants should fill out an application on the official Trusted website. In the coming months, Google will be expanding this program to include more merchants. Once a merchant is accepted to the Trusted Stores program, Google will provide the merchant with an official badge to display and offer the merchant’s customers up to $1,000 of purchase protection.
[Sources Include: Google Commerce Blog & Google Trusted Stores]
