Google considers European retail push

G plans to develop Google Base, into an online retail platform

[christopher w]

Google is attempting a significant push into the European retail industry with plans to launch a service aimed at giving traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers a base from which to market and sell their goods online.

The US-based search engine company plans to develop Google Base, a product still in testing, into an online retail platform. The service would give retailers access to the hundreds of millions of Google users.

Financial Times Story Link Courtesy of MSN [msnbc.msn.com]

[grobe]

But traditionally Google starts products in the US, and then later expands them internationally. So wouldn't it do the same here? (And note that for Europe Google would have to both be multi-lingual and meet the legal regulations of both the European Community and the several countries--much more difficult than the one language, one country United States).

[TinkyWinky]

maybe it will do as well as froogle has over here then!

Good luck - but with a very diverse audience over here it won't be as simple as cracking USA / Canada.

[walkman]

just becuase you succeed in A, does nto mean that you will succeed in B. I have a feelign Google will not fair well in this. dependign on how $$ they put in, they could make a profit, but I doubt they will change the world or anything. Shopping is at least slightly more complicated than this

[rustybrick]

Why is everyone talking about this now? Google Base was launched months ago. And they still have not open up Google Payments to everyone?

I don't get it, what am I missing?

[stef25]

i have to say i do think there is a market for this.

recently ive been buying things online because the brick and mortar business here in the EU have been a) too expensive, b) unhelpful and rude, c) "never heard of that product and no i cant order it"

i got stuff off ebay and through froogle.co.uk at rediculous prices and spent time on the phone with people selling this stuff.

to me this isnt necessarily e-commerce, its just hooking up buyers with sellers

[rohitj]

You can't expect them to succesfully rival paypal, 2checkout, among others, without some serious alpha/beta testing with select groups. I think it'll be much like the other products--with invites or something along those lines--based on volume.

[forex]

Why is everyone talking about this now? Google Base was launched months ago

It seems Google base didn't become popular.
Wanted to start a thread for google base but there are threads is this forum dated Oct 2005

[forex]

You can't expect them to succesfully rival paypal, 2checkout, among others

They are of no comparison for google