shopping

Google Search is getting new shopping features to help you get a better deal • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in Apps, Commerce, Google, google search, shoppingNo Comments

Google is rolling out new shopping features that are designed to help you get a better deal on products directly from Search. The search giant is making it easier to find promos and coupons by introducing a new promotion badge in Search that will be displayed when a coupon is available for a specific product. For example, you may see a label that says “15% off with coupon code HOLIDAYS.” The company notes that although it already shows when items are on sale or if the price for a specific product has dropped, the goal of this new feature is to show users specific promotions and allow them to compare them to others right in Search. Image Credits: Google Google is also adding a new coupon clipping feature that allows you to copy promo codes when you’re ready to make a purchase. These two new features will roll out in the coming weeks, Google says. The company is also launching a new feature that lets you compare deals side by side. For example, if you search for a women’s puffer jacket, Search will show you a side-by-side comparison of available puffer jackets on sale. The new feature will roll out in the U.S. this month. In addition, Google is bringing its price insights feature, which is currently available in the Shopping tab, to Search to help shoppers understand the prices they see and make better buying decisions. Now, users will be able to quickly see how one brand’s price compares to others’ and whether it’s low, typical or high for specific products. Google’s decision to bring features from its Shopping tab over to Search results is a welcome one, especially for people who don’t want to click over to another tab and would prefer to look for products directly through Search. Image Credits: Google The launch of the new features comes as Google says 43% of Americans are planning to look for deals and sales more than last year this holiday shopping season, which isn’t exactly surprising, due to inflation and a potential recession. At its Search On event a few weeks ago, Google announced a slew of new shopping-related changes and new features across areas that include visual shopping, personalization and buying with the help of trusted reviews. One of the biggest changes coming to Google Shopping is the addition of opt-in personalization, arriving in the U.S. later this year. With this, consumers will be able to tap buttons to direct Google to remember the types of categories they want to shop, such as “Women’s Department” instead of the “Men’s Department.” Users will also be able to choose favorite brands to ensure those are highlighted in their future Google Shopping search results.

Amazon now allows customers to make payments through Venmo • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 25, 2022Posted in Amazon, Apps, Commerce, PayPal, shopping, VenmoNo Comments

Amazon announced that it will now allow customers to make payments through Venmo on its platform. The company said this option will be available to select customers starting today and will roll out to all U.S.-based users on the Amazon site and mobile app by Black Friday next month. To pay through Venmo, users will need to first add their account. During checkout on Amazon, users can select “Select a payment method” and then “Add a Venmo account.” This will redirect them to the Venmo app, where they can complete the authentication. Users can also choose Venmo to be their default payment method for Amazon purchases on that screen. While paying with Venmo on Amazon, customers can use their Venmo balance, linked bank account or eligible debit card to complete the transaction. “We want to offer customers payment options that are convenient, easy to use, and secure—and there’s no better time for that than the busy holiday season. Whether it’s paying with cash, buying now and paying later, or now paying via Venmo, our goal is to meet the needs and preferences of every Amazon customer,” Max Bardon, vice president of Amazon Worldwide Payment said in a statement. The e-commerce platform already offers different payment methods like credit and debit cards from networks like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diner’s Club and JCB. A recent survey named “Netfluential and Edison Trends PayPal and Venmo Study” noted that Venmo users shop two times more frequently than an average shopper. So that might be beneficial for Amazon in terms of increasing the number of transactions on its platform. Amazon is set to announce its Q3 2022 results this week with expected revenues of $125 billion to $130 billion. Notably, this quarter also included its Prime Day sales held in July.

PayPal debuts a new rewards program that combines Honey’s discounts with other ways to earn • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 17, 2022Posted in Apps, discounts, e-commerce, Fintech, PayPal, rewards, shoppingNo Comments

PayPal is taking a step away from the Honey brand, the $4 billion shopping rewards acquisition it made in 2019, with today’s launch of PayPal Rewards. The new program will replace “Honey Gold” — the rewards program for Honey browser extension users, which allows customers to redeem their points for cash, gift cards or PayPal shopping credits. With the new PayPal Rewards, consumers will be able to track and redeem their points directly inside the PayPal app, and will have new ways to earn, the company says. The deal for Honey was intended to give PayPal a better position in the face of the increased competition in the payments space from larger rivals, including Appl, Google and even Facebook (now Meta). The battle for consumer adoption of online and mobile payments had shifted away from the checkout page itself, to compete against all the other places people go to discover, browse, get inspired and deal-hunt — including on retailers’ sites and on social platforms, like Instagram, Pinterest, and today, TikTok. A rewards program, like the one offered by Honey, works to entice users by offering promo codes and coupons for favorite retailers, while redirecting them away from Amazon with better prices. Features like the price tracking “droplist” also help consumers find the best deals on items they’re considering. And, with last year’s revamp of the PayPal app, personalized deals and rewards became a larger part of the mobile experience as well. This year, PayPal customers have saved nearly $200 million through the Honey cash back and discounts program, says PayPal. With the launch of PayPal Rewards, the company is now combining the rewards being offered to PayPal customers across multiple PayPal products, including the Honey browser extension, the PayPal app, and, in the future, various card products. Rewards will also be given its own dedicated spot in a new part of the PayPal app, where shoppers can track and redeem their points as they earn. When customers want to redeem their points, there won’t be category restrictions or account minimums, the company notes, and the points can be converted to cashback at a rate of 100 points equaling $1 USD. Once redeemed as cash, the funds can be transferred to a linked bank account, deposited into a PayPal Savings account, donated to a charity, or sent to someone else as a peer-to-peer (p2p) payment. With the new in-app hub, customers will also be able to earn points through personalized engagement in the PayPal app, in addition to the browser extension, and will be able to be stacked with the rewards earned from their payment card programs. This personalized engagement introduces a new way for a customer to earn PayPal Reward points by doing things like linking a debit card or bank account to their PayPal, for example. If the customer has already done so, they might be presented with a different action to take. Image Credits: PayPal The company is touting the move ahead of the 2022 holidays and traditionally, the biggest quarter for online shopping. This year, however, the e-commerce landscape is looking a little different, with more spending expected to start earlier thanks in part to Amazon’s decision to host a second Prime Day event in October, leading other retailers to follow suit. Still, Adobe predicts consumer spending will still increase this year by 2.5% during the Nov. 1-Dec. 31 time frame, reaching $209.7 billion. “With the financial challenges people face these days, brought on by rising prices and the need to tighten budgets, it can be frustrating to shop for everyday essentials or plan for the holidays,” said Greg Lisiewski, Vice President of Shopping and Global Pay Later, in a statement about the launch. “PayPal Rewards makes it easy to find sales, discounts, and great deals when making a purchase with PayPal – through cash back, discount codes, or other rewards,” he said. Image Credits: PayPal