Google Launches Merchant Centre

Google has launched a new web application called Merchant Centre that will list products uploaded by online sellers in the search results. If this is all sounding very familiar that’s probably because this is exactly what Google Base is doing currently. So, Merchant Centre is replacing Base? Well no, it’s not quite that simple I’m afraid – Base will remain as a platform for listing business addresses etc., allowing Merchant Centre to list products for sale.

Essentially this is being introduced as a way to simplify Base. There has recently been some confusion as to what the application is actually for, is it business listings, or is it ecommerce? This new app will cut through that by offering two very specific services as opposed to one hazy one.

A slightly more cynical reading of this new strategy would be that Google are aiming to take of yet more of the first page of the search results in order to hamper the progress of SEOs and promote their own brand… But I couldn’t possibly comment of course.

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