Google have just announced Google Shopping Express (“GSX” for short) has gone live to all consumers in the San Francisco and San Jose areas. Google are also launching an Android and an Apple app for Google Shopping Express so you can shop on your mobile.
For a $4.99 delivery charge you can shop online from a string of local retail outlets and the products will be delivered later the same day. However there is a six month free delivery option, doubtless aimed at hooking consumers in – if you get someone to use a service for free for six months they’ll almost certainly become creatures of habit and carry on using it when they have to start paying.
You’ll have to use Google Wallet for all payments, but prices are guaranteed to be the lower of the online price, or if the instore price has dropped that’ll apply to your order.
Google have been testing Google Shopping Express since earlier this year, but it’s now available to any consumer living within the two delivery areas. Signing up by the end of the year gets you the six months free delivery option.
It’s not just Google that are looking at getting us shopping online for home delivery – eBay have also announced that they’re testing eBay Now in London in 2014. What’s clear is that the lines between online and offline shopping are converging at ever increasing speed.
How successful Google will be and if they’ll be able to compete with the likes of Tesco, Saisbury, Occado or Asda home delivery services in the UK remains to be seen. In the mean time by offering free delivery for six months they’re signalling two things – they’re serious about competing and they’ve got deep pockets and are quite prepared to make massive losses at the start to gain marketshare for the long term.
4 Responses
we wonder how this fits in with lthe environmental regulations and objectives in California
Think bike.
Is Lance still looking for a job?
eBay Now is already available in several cities in the US. I just tried it and was even able to track my “valet” through GPS. Not bad but in most cases I’ll probably stick with free shipping from a third party seller than paying $5 to get something now from a big box retailer who may not have the best price available.
Working with multiple shops would give the service a bit of an advantage if customers can get goods from multiple shops delivered together for no extra cost.
The car shown in the photo looks unrealistic for this type of service (they would need a van with the ability to hold goods at multiple temperatures like the supermarkets use).
I wonder how many shops would allow this service to compete with their own delivery services (Waitrose currently competes with Orcado in some regions) especially if it allows customers to cherry pick their suppliers.
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Is Google planning this service to use their driverless cars in the future?