Google have released a new Google Payment API, which lets people pay in app or online with any verified credit or debit card saved to their Google Account, via products like Google Play, Chrome and YouTube.
For users, the option to pay with Google means breezing through checkout without needing to remember and type multiple lines of payment details. You simply choose your preferred card, enter a security code or authenticate with your Android device, and check out.
Payments coming to Google Home
In the next few months, Google will use the new API to enable people in the US to send or receive payments via the Google Assistant. On your Google Home or Android device, it’s as simple as saying “Ok Google, send $10 to Jane for pizza.” All you need is a debit card linked to your Google account.
Whilst this isn’t adding shopping to Google Home, it’s the first step towards doing so. First comes payments and later down the line ecommerce is almost certainly going to be added.
Quite how Google will add shopping remains to be seen, it’s possible it will be limited to Google Certified Shops and likely to launch in the US before we see it in the UK. Adding the ability to send money is the first step and so notable and definitely something to watch.
Google product feed requirements
It’s worth reviewing Google’s requirements for product feeds – if you want to be ready to get your products available to buy on Google Home once ecommerce is enabled, the first thing you have to do will be to get your products on Google.
- Basic product data
- Unique identifier (SKU)
- Title
- Description
- Link
- Image link
- Mobile link
- Price & availability
- Availability (e.g. ‘In Stock’)
- Price
- Product category
- Product identifiers
- Brand
- GTIN
- Manufactures Part Number
- Detailed product description
- Condition
- Adult (yes/no)
- Multipack
- Bundles
- Age Group
- Size
- Colour
- Item Group (Variants)
- Delivery
- Tax
