Google Store Advertising on Adwords

Is it fair?

[cline]

Google Store [googlestore.com] is now using Adwords to advertise its products. In many cases these products are just commonly advertised items, but with the Google logo added to them, such as this headset [googlestore.com]. Adwords has many clients advertising this same headset, without the Google logo on it, and similar, competing models of headsets.

Similarly, Google uses Adwords to advertise employment with Google. However, Adwords has many clients who use Adwords to advertise their job boards and recruitment services.

I don't think this is fair.

[BaseVinyl]

Wow...that's a cool headset! Thanks for the link...I just bought one!

[cline]

BaseVinyl, I sticky mailed you a link that may cause you to reconsider your decision. Yes, it's a cool headset, but there are lots of people trying to advertise that same headset (sans the Google logo). The question is whether it's fair for Google to be competing against its own clients, not whether it's a cool headset.

[poster_boy]

Not to comment on the ethics... but, it's certainly common. Yahoo and MSN both bid on their respective engines (and others) to advertise their shopping sections... bidding against the same partners that they feature.