Shopping Actions is a Google program—now known as Buy on Google in the US—that lets retailers sell products directly on Google Search, Google Shopping, and Google Assistant. It uses a universal cart and a saved-payment system so customers can checkout without leaving the Google platform.
For marketers, this shifts the focus from driving website traffic to capturing immediate sales through a commission-based model. Unlike standard ads, you only pay Google when a customer actually buys a product.
What is Shopping Actions?
Shopping Actions allows merchants to surface products across mobile, desktop, and voice-activated devices. In the US, it is branded as "Buy on Google," while it is also available in France as "Shopping Actions."
The program differs from traditional Google Shopping Ads in its mechanism: * Checkout process: In a standard Shopping Ad, the user clicks to your website. In Shopping Actions, the user adds the product to a Google-hosted "universal cart." * Ranking: These are organic units that appear when Google identifies high purchase intent. You cannot pay to win more impressions as you would with PPC. * Cost model: It operates on a pay-per-sale (PPS) basis, removing the risk of paying for clicks that do not convert.
Why Shopping Actions matters
The program addresses the shift toward "immediate assistance" in shopping. Data shows that [mobile searches for the term "where to buy" grew more than 85% over two years] (DataFeedWatch).
Key benefits for retailers include: * New customer acquisition: Internal data suggests [68% of shoppers acquired through Shopping Actions are new to the merchant] (Sellbrite). * Increased basket size: Because shoppers can add items from multiple brands to one cart, merchants see an [approximately 30% average increase in basket size] (Google Ads Blog). * Voice commerce access: You can sell through Google Assistant, reaching the [44% of regular voice speaker users who use their devices to order products weekly] (Bidnamic). * Retention tools: Google uses machine learning to suggest 1-click re-ordering and personalized headers based on past purchase history. * Customer data ownership: Unlike some marketplaces, Google provides the retailer with the customer's name, email, and shipping address.
How Shopping Actions works
The program runs through the Google Merchant Center (GMC). It uses your existing product feed but changes how the customer interacts with the listing.
- Placement: Products appear in sponsored shopping units on Search and the Shopping tab, marked with a specific "Buy on Google" logo (a multicolored cart icon).
- The Universal Cart: A shopper can add a laptop from one store and a laptop bag from another into the same cart, then pay for both at once via Google.
- Order Management: Google sends the order details to the merchant, who handles fulfillment and shipping.
- Commission: Google charges a commission tied to the product category. These [commission rates average 12%, typically ranging between 5% and 15%] (DataFeedWatch).
Best practices
Monitor your Retailer Standards monthly. Google scores your performance based on a 90-day window. If you maintain a "Top Retailer" status—which requires a defect rate below 2%—you may receive a [10-20% commission discount] (Bidnamic).
Use supplemental feeds for inventory control.
If you have low-margin products where a 12% commission would erase your profit, use the excluded_destination attribute in your feed. This prevents those specific items from appearing in Shopping Actions while keeping them in your standard Shopping Ads.
Link your loyalty programs. You can link your store’s rewards program (like Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards) to a user's Google account. This helps surface personalized results and increases the likelihood of 1-click re-purchases.
Sync with regular Shopping Ads. Using both programs simultaneously can improve overall efficiency. Case studies show that [sellers using both programs saw an increase in conversions at a lower cost compared to running Shopping Ads alone] (Sellbrite).
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Listing out-of-stock items. Fix: Ensure your GMC feed updates frequently. High cancellation rates due to stock issues will damage your defect rate and can lead to order caps on your account.
- Mistake: Ignoring shipping speed. Fix: Slow shipping is a primary factor in the "defect rate." Google penalizes late shipments, which can lower your visibility in organic search results.
- Mistake: Treating Shopping Actions as a PPC replacement. Fix: Treat them as complementary. Shopping Actions captures high-intent "buy now" shoppers, while standard ads drive traffic to your site for broader brand exploration.
- Mistake: Failing to use the provided user data. Fix: Since Google provides email and contact info, integrate these buyers into your internal CRM for post-purchase marketing.
Examples
Retailer Performance Results * Target: Expanded its partnership with Google to allow voice ordering. Through these efforts, Target saw [Express baskets increase by nearly 20%] (Google Ads Blog). * Ulta Beauty: By linking its loyalty program and using Shopping Actions, Ulta reported an [average order value (AOV) increase of 35% compared to 2016] (Google Ads Blog). * Ambush Board Co.: After running Shopping Ads alone, the company added Shopping Actions and [increased total conversions by 115% and revenue by 104%] (Sellbrite).
Shopping Actions vs. Alexa Shopping Actions
| Feature | Google Shopping Actions | Alexa Shopping Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Direct purchase via Google platforms | Purchase via Alexa Skills/Amazon |
| Visibility | Search, Shopping tab, Assistant | Voice-only (via Alexa skills) |
| Inventory Source | Merchant Center Feed | Amazon Product Detail Page (ASIN) |
| Customer Data | Name, email, shipping provided | Handled by Amazon (hidden from dev) |
| Pricing Model | Pay-per-sale (Commission) | Commission (via Associates program) |
FAQ
How do I get started? You must have a Google Merchant Center account. Once logged in, you can express interest through a form in the Merchant Center and accept the terms of service. Google must then validate your business, tax information, and bank account before you can publish your storefront.
Is Shopping Actions different from Google Express? Google Express was the consumer-facing shopping app/site. Google has since folded Express into the "Shopping Actions" program and rebranded the US checkout experience as "Buy on Google."
How is the "Retailer Standard" calculated? Google evaluates you on a 90-day rolling basis. The main metric is your "defect rate," which counts unfulfilled orders, late shipments, and 1-star ratings. A defect rate above 10% is considered "below standards."
Can I choose which products to list?
Yes. By default, your entire Shopping feed is opted-in. However, you can use the excluded_destination attribute to remove specific items from the program based on margin or shipping complexity.
What payment methods are used? Google handles the checkout using saved payment credentials in the user’s Google account. However, Google allows retailers to use their own payment provider and manage their own customer service and returns process.
