Google expands Store Ratings to 4 new english-speaking countries
Google's Store ratings feature, previously available in the US, now reaches shoppers in Australia, Canada, India, and the UK.
On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Google announced the expansion of its Store ratings feature to four new English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. This development, coming five and a half months after the announcement date, aims to provide shoppers in these regions with additional information to make informed purchasing decisions.
Store ratings are a feature that allows online shoppers to view feedback from other customers directly in Google Search results. These ratings showcase various aspects of the shopping experience, including:
- Product quality
- Shipping
- Customer service
- Returns and exchanges
According to Google, this information can significantly influence prospective shoppers' decisions when choosing where to make their purchases.
How Store Ratings appear in Search Results
Store ratings are displayed in shopping search results for product-related queries. For example, when a user searches for "Summer dress," they may see store ratings alongside the search results. Shoppers can click on these ratings to access more detailed information about a business, including:
- Customer reviews
- Shipping policies
- Return policies
- Other relevant business information
This additional context helps consumers make more informed choices about where to shop.
Participation for merchants
Merchants serving customers in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom now have the opportunity to participate in this program. There are two primary ways for businesses to enable store ratings:
- Google Customer Review Program: This is a free program offered by Google.
- Independent Review Websites: Merchants can gather reviews on various third-party platforms.
Importantly, businesses already participating in either of these methods are automatically eligible for their relevant results to appear with a store rating.
Technical details of Store Ratings
Google's documentation provides additional insights into how store ratings function:
- Rating Scale: Store ratings are displayed on a 5-star scale.
- Review Threshold: While the exact number can vary, most merchants typically need at least 100 eligible reviews to obtain a rating.
- Review Recency: Only reviews from the past 24 months are considered.
- Country-Specific Ratings: Reviews from customers in a given country only contribute to the business's rating in that country.
- Minimum Rating for Ads: For ratings to appear on ads, a business must have an average rating of 3.5 stars or higher.
Shop Insights Panel
In addition to the basic star rating, Google has introduced a shop insights panel. This feature provides more detailed information about a merchant, including metrics such as:
- Delivery performance
- Returns process
- Competitive pricing
- Payment options
These metrics are derived from Google's Shopping Experience Scorecard and aim to give shoppers a more comprehensive view of what to expect when dealing with a particular merchant.
Data sources for ratings
Google aggregates data for store ratings from multiple sources:
- Google Customer Reviews
- Shopping reviews for the shop's domain
- Feedback from supported independent review websites
- Aggregated performance metrics from Google-led shopping research
It's worth noting that Google states they do not modify existing shop ratings but do calibrate and filter out potentially untrustworthy or questionable reviews.
Implications for online retail
This expansion of store ratings to new markets represents a significant development in the e-commerce landscape. By providing more transparent information to consumers, Google aims to:
- Help shoppers make more informed decisions
- Increase trust in online purchasing
- Potentially drive more qualified customers to high-performing merchants
For businesses, this change underscores the importance of maintaining high customer satisfaction and actively managing their online reputation.
Key Facts
- Announcement Date: October 9, 2024
- New Countries Added: Australia, Canada, India, United Kingdom
- Previous Availability: United States
- Primary Feature: Store ratings in Google Search results
- Participation Methods: Google Customer Review program or independent review websites
- Minimum Rating for Ad Display: 3.5 stars
- Typical Review Threshold: Approximately 100 eligible reviews
- Review Consideration Period: Past 24 months