Interesting how power is being consolidated all the time, creating stronger monopolies: Facebook taking control over publishers by integrating their content. Now Google taking control over suppliers by creating the sales lead/conversion. Power consolidation just like what happened with the banks.
The end result means less competition, higher prices, less democracy, more mass surveillance and population control/manipulation.
The Internet is becoming the opposite from what it was in its early days.
> The Internet is becoming the opposite from what it was in its early days.
The Internet is unchanged. You don't have to use any of these private services that run on top of it. You can still run your own, and you can still reach any IP on the 'net. Now faster than you used to. What's to complain about?
psa: "Can Google Outsell Amazon and eBay?" is the title of the article (enter the article page via google search if hit with a silly paywall / register page)
Anyways ... ... in my opinion, there is no way Google can outdo Amazon, it is not the "one click" button that makes me shop on Amazon but the great customer support who go out of their way to help you.
Google on the other hand and "support" have never belonged in the same sentence :(
Seems like "providing support" to customers is to "low brow" for Google, and I am an avid google product user both hardware and software.
Google has no support service is becoming a silly meme. Some of their products indeed seem to be almost integrally managed by algorithms.
On the other hand, just yesterday I reported a problem with my nexus tablet through the assistance app. Two minutes later, I was extremely surprised to get a call from a Google representative.
After a couple of minutes of discussion, they are going to send me a replacement tablet right away.
If they want to put the resources behind a support department for another of their products, they are perfectly able to procure a good service.
The support question is really interesting. If Google is the company that takes the money, they will be the company that people would expect to handle refunds, returns and general support. Unless Google is planning something new, there's no way that they are geared to deal with the barrage of consumer support issues that will appear.
I don't see why the majority of online resellers would be concerned by being "reduced" to "back-end order takers". That's the easy part of the business, while payment and customer support is the expensive and annoying part. Most consumers are not loyal to any one online reseller anymore, Amazon excluded perhaps.
If I was to pick where I would want to be in terms of online retail in the future, I would want to be the business with the warehouse and just supply eBay, Amazon, Google and any direct shipping customer I could find. That's where the money is in the future, at least that's what I believe.
Same for me, I buy on Amazon for the quality of the reviews, the fact that if there is a problem with the delivery or the product received, I just send an email an everything is solved. In order for this to work, Google will have to improve tremendously their customer service, if they are doing it like in the Play Store and Adwords, it's just not going to work.
FWIW, Google's support for the Google Express shopping and delivery service is top-notch, at least Amazon quality. You usually get same day responses to any inquiries and Google is quick on the refund trigger - giving you refunds and coupons even before figuring out what the root cause of the problem was.
I'm always wary of the "great customer support" gambit. I mean, of course everybody likes great customer support, but who actually makes everyday purchase decisions based on hearsays about customer support quality?
I'm not talking about business threatening decisions (like relying on a free Google API, or tying your hosting to your registrar). But for most purchases at worst you will lose the money tied to it, which is probably not that big a deal.
Few weeks ago I ordered stationaries from an obscure Japanese website I had never heard about before, for my Japanese tea subscription service [1]. Total cost was around ¥4500 (~$37). I didn't hesitate, worst case I would have lost ¥4500. Turned out everything went very smoothly and I will certainly buy from them again. But maybe they have dreadful customer support, how could I know?
Next time I look for something online maybe Google will propose me a "Buy Now" button. And maybe I will give it a try, what could possibly go wrong? At worst I will lose a few bucks?
A decade ago I had great Amazon support, missing books were resent and all problems solved fast.
In Germany I had very crappy Amazon customer service experience the last 2yrs. Problems with payments, fraud, washing machine delivery without taking back the old one although I had paid for that, etc. Worst was a stolen mobile phone (during delivery), where Amazon support gave wrong instructions during several interactions and then failed to cancel the attached carrier contract for months (blaming it on their system) which blocked me to get a new contract b/c I was banned for 6 months by German carriers.
In none of the cases Amazon did help in any positive way. Payments and fraud was only solved after I went to the police.
At least here Amazon support changed directions from 'happy customer' to 'cheap as possible'.
In fact if I recall correctly Google also experimented a couple years ago with a "email signup" field in search ads, but that doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Not that it is surprising because if you are searching for something, would you really "interact" with it before clicking the link? Save for a few exceptions, like Google Now-ish results (i.e. information), it doesn't make sense.
If Google improves their customer service, I would give them a shot. Their domain name register seems to function well.
Personally, I don't have any loyality to Amazon. It's just another big company who slowly raised their prices, along with spotty customer service.
I don't know why companies get to a certain level of success and change--thinking customers won't notice? I saw this happen to Costco. They changed their "complete customer satisfaction policy" and they did me a favor; I only buy what I need from the store.
Not just electronics, but every product is affected. They still sell grey market luxury watches--that you can't return, and if they break--Costco Horologists repair them. The manufacturer wants nothing to do with watches bought at Costco. Products bought at Costco are scrutinized by a low level employee when you return an item. If you are a dramatic person the store manager might overrule the counter person. It's just not worth the effort anymore. I will take Costco to court when my Omega stops working--just on principle. "It's a great deal sir. If it stops, just return it. It's a no brainer. That's what's great about our store!"
So bring on the competition! I don't buy like I used to. My purchases right now are for survival.
> The buttons will accompany sponsored—or paid—search results...
Big Fail! The retailers that pay Google for the listings have little chance of being the cheapest place to purchase. So this endeavor will degrade into providing either sales for services where prices are meaningless or sales for non-comparable high-markup items. Anyone remember Groupon?
[+] [-] nota_bene|11 years ago|reply
The end result means less competition, higher prices, less democracy, more mass surveillance and population control/manipulation.
The Internet is becoming the opposite from what it was in its early days.
[+] [-] robotresearcher|11 years ago|reply
The Internet is unchanged. You don't have to use any of these private services that run on top of it. You can still run your own, and you can still reach any IP on the 'net. Now faster than you used to. What's to complain about?
[+] [-] ashishk|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] treelovinhippie|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yc1010|11 years ago|reply
Anyways ... ... in my opinion, there is no way Google can outdo Amazon, it is not the "one click" button that makes me shop on Amazon but the great customer support who go out of their way to help you.
Google on the other hand and "support" have never belonged in the same sentence :( Seems like "providing support" to customers is to "low brow" for Google, and I am an avid google product user both hardware and software.
[+] [-] on_and_off|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mrweasel|11 years ago|reply
I don't see why the majority of online resellers would be concerned by being "reduced" to "back-end order takers". That's the easy part of the business, while payment and customer support is the expensive and annoying part. Most consumers are not loyal to any one online reseller anymore, Amazon excluded perhaps.
If I was to pick where I would want to be in terms of online retail in the future, I would want to be the business with the warehouse and just supply eBay, Amazon, Google and any direct shipping customer I could find. That's where the money is in the future, at least that's what I believe.
[+] [-] realusername|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] eliben|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Xixi|11 years ago|reply
I'm not talking about business threatening decisions (like relying on a free Google API, or tying your hosting to your registrar). But for most purchases at worst you will lose the money tied to it, which is probably not that big a deal.
Few weeks ago I ordered stationaries from an obscure Japanese website I had never heard about before, for my Japanese tea subscription service [1]. Total cost was around ¥4500 (~$37). I didn't hesitate, worst case I would have lost ¥4500. Turned out everything went very smoothly and I will certainly buy from them again. But maybe they have dreadful customer support, how could I know?
Next time I look for something online maybe Google will propose me a "Buy Now" button. And maybe I will give it a try, what could possibly go wrong? At worst I will lose a few bucks?
[1] Tomotcha (https://tomotcha.com)
[+] [-] bababoosh|11 years ago|reply
In Germany I had very crappy Amazon customer service experience the last 2yrs. Problems with payments, fraud, washing machine delivery without taking back the old one although I had paid for that, etc. Worst was a stolen mobile phone (during delivery), where Amazon support gave wrong instructions during several interactions and then failed to cancel the attached carrier contract for months (blaming it on their system) which blocked me to get a new contract b/c I was banned for 6 months by German carriers.
In none of the cases Amazon did help in any positive way. Payments and fraud was only solved after I went to the police.
At least here Amazon support changed directions from 'happy customer' to 'cheap as possible'.
[+] [-] sixQuarks|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Mahn|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Illniyar|11 years ago|reply
I wonder what made them choose this time to reveal such a feature.
[+] [-] marincounty|11 years ago|reply
Personally, I don't have any loyality to Amazon. It's just another big company who slowly raised their prices, along with spotty customer service.
I don't know why companies get to a certain level of success and change--thinking customers won't notice? I saw this happen to Costco. They changed their "complete customer satisfaction policy" and they did me a favor; I only buy what I need from the store.
Not just electronics, but every product is affected. They still sell grey market luxury watches--that you can't return, and if they break--Costco Horologists repair them. The manufacturer wants nothing to do with watches bought at Costco. Products bought at Costco are scrutinized by a low level employee when you return an item. If you are a dramatic person the store manager might overrule the counter person. It's just not worth the effort anymore. I will take Costco to court when my Omega stops working--just on principle. "It's a great deal sir. If it stops, just return it. It's a no brainer. That's what's great about our store!"
So bring on the competition! I don't buy like I used to. My purchases right now are for survival.
[+] [-] commentzorro|11 years ago|reply
Big Fail! The retailers that pay Google for the listings have little chance of being the cheapest place to purchase. So this endeavor will degrade into providing either sales for services where prices are meaningless or sales for non-comparable high-markup items. Anyone remember Groupon?
[+] [-] mahouse|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] sixQuarks|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] sixQuarks|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]