Google has begun testing the 'buy button' on its Search Results page, which will help shoppers directly buy from the sponsored ad that appears first in the page. According to a report published in The Wall Street Journal, Google will roll out the button in coming weeks. Once users click on the button, they will be directed to another page hosted by Google with details of the product. This page will also allow for payment facilities and will store a user's credit card information for future visit. In short, this is Google's attempt at bypassing e-commerce giants like Amazon, etc and could ensure that you don't even leave the search page. The Verge adds that the feature is currently being tested out on mobile version of the Google Search only as more and more consumers are turning to mobile to buy products. Of course the service, when it is rolled-out will be a US-first one and according to the WSJ report, Google has already tied up several retailers for the products although not everyone is happy with Google's new approach. The report highlights how retailers are worried that Google will take over their place as the marketplace while they will be reduced to 'backend order-takers.' The worry is that in such a scenario buyers will identify Google as the go-to place for shopping, not the retailer. How Google's 'buy button' plan plays out will also depend on anti-competition laws. In April, the European Union began its case against Google for abusing its dominant position especially with regard to the Google Shopping page. One of the charges that EU's anti-competition watchdog has brought against Google is that Google's Shopping Page results always come first in the page, which EU says is a violation of its anti-competitive laws. With a new buy button getting tested and an 'Order' button for food being rolled-out in the US, what is clear is that Google aims to expand beyond the traditional search engine role in a very serious way.
