Google Launching Fashion eCommerce Site

[benitez17]

According to TechCrunch, Google will be launching a fashion ecommerce site at boutiques.com that will allow people to comparison shop between vendors, similar to the Amazon marketplace. Basically, it sounds like this will be an improved version of Google Shopping that is targeted at a specific niche.

What do you think of this move by Google into the ecommerce sector? Do you think all of the people who have spent years building up long tail Amazon and eBay affiliate sites to attract search engine traffic will be able to compete with Google's own shopping sites, will Google launch its own affiliate program, is this going to kill that business model, or will Google fail in their latest attempt to diversify away from search and advertising?

[tke71709]

Do you think all of the people who have spent years building up long tail Amazon and eBay affiliate sites to attract search engine traffic will be able to compete with Google's own shopping sites, will Google launch its own affiliate program, is this going to kill that business model, or will Google fail in their latest attempt to diversify away from search and advertising?

Once Google decides to integrate their own results into the top of the SERPs (just below the Adwords ads) that will be the end of the long tail Amazon and eBay affiliate sites.

I don't see why Google would launch an affiliate program, they are a comparison shopping site, not a retailer.

Google does have a track record of failing at things (Wave, Knol) but anything search related such as this they would have a hard time screwing up.

[benitez17]

Once Google decides to integrate their own results into the top of the SERPs (just below the Adwords ads) that will be the end of the long tail Amazon and eBay affiliate sites.

I don't see why Google would launch an affiliate program, they are a comparison shopping site, not a retailer.

Google does have a track record of failing at things (Wave, Knol) but anything search related such as this they would have a hard time screwing up.

I think the long tail sites are dead as well in the long term. I expect to see a wave of them available for purchase in the next couple of months.

[Clinton]

What I don't understand is why some webmasters still have trouble understanding Google's intentions and wider efforts

What do I think? I think they'll keep expanding into taking more traffic from the rest of us. The SE was a one trick pony and they are now desperately trying to become more and more of the destination rather than the route. I think we should protect ourselves. I think we should

1. Diversify in content and revenue streams
2. Work to reduce our reliance on Google (not just traffic, but Google tools as well)
3. Promote the use of other search engines

[tke71709]

What I don't understand is why some webmasters still have trouble understanding Google's intentions and wider efforts

What do I think? I think they'll keep expanding into taking more traffic from the rest of us.

I don't think even the greatest of Google supporters don't understand that. Google cares about Google and it's searchers, they don't care about webmasters.

[Clinton]

They didn't use to care. For a long time they refused to engage with the webmaster community.

Then they had GoogleGuy posting at one or two select places like webmasterworld. He later morphed into a Matt Cutts who made a career out of being a Google mouthpiece to webmasters - attending their conferences, talking with them in forums, posting in blogs, even running a blog of his own.

Maybe some webmasters have taken that to mean Google cares about them.