How to Become A Google Certified Shop

We’ve all been there, about to make a purchase online when a niggling thought surfaces – can I trust this site? To soothe these fears Google introduced ‘Certified Shops’, an online service for the UK which ultimately aims to increase confidence for new, online shoppers.

In today’s online market, this is a vital service. Usually, the chance to prove you’re a credible, trustworthy business comes once a purchase has been made – after you’ve delivered a great service and an excellent product.

However, building trust for online shoppers by showing them you’re a Google Certified Shop before they’ve even made a purchase is a sure-fire way to increase conversions.

‘Google Certified Shop’ Status: The Benefits

Increased Confidence.

Generally speaking, Google Certified Shops gives users a greater sense of online confidence. Buyers, typically, trust big name brands and names don’t get much more ‘household’ than Google. The Google Shop certification highlights excellent customer service, positive customer reviews and reliable delivery.

Take iWeb client MyMemory, an online digital memory retailer, for example. The Certified Shop badge sits proudly on their site, allowing customers to feel more confident when clicking the ‘Buy Now’ button. What’s more, this also gives them the edge over non-certified competitors.

Improve Conversions.

Don’t just tell shoppers how reliable and trustworthy your service and delivery is, prove it.

Displaying the Certified Shops badge shows puts you on a level playing field with many of the UK’s largest brands. It has been proven by many businesses to boost both conversion rates and average order value.

Qualify For Seller Ratings.

If you’ve got happy customers it makes sense that you’d want shout about it and share what they have to say about their shopping experience.

The reviews collected through Certified Shops can be used to display seller ratings on your Google AdWords and Google Shopping campaigns.

Showcase Your Status On Google Ads.

You can use review extensions to showcase your Google Certified Shop status on AdWords, which can boost click-through rates. On Google Shopping, the Certified Shop badge lets shoppers know that you’re a safe and reliable place to shop. It’s a great way to create stand out for your ads and earn those oh-so-valuable clicks.

Purchase Protection.

Shoppers can opt-in for free purchase protection up to the value of £1,000 when buying through a Google Certified Shop. This helps to cover both shopper and business in case of any issues, removing the risk factor for the shopper and further adding to their confidence.

Is my website eligible?

Some of the major performance metrics are outlined below – there are more which Google will, of course, make you aware of should you decide to apply.

• Transaction Volume: Must process 600 orders on a 90-day basis rolling basis.
• On-time Delivery: 90% of shipments must achieve estimated time delivery. To account for variability beyond control (e.g. courier delays) Google requires 80% of on-time deliveries.
• Google Certified Shops Rating: At all times, a merchant’s site must maintain a 4.0-star rating on survey results and seller ratings.

Interested? You can get started here or if you’d like to find out more, drop us a line.