In 2017, the EU Commission leveled a landmark €2.4bn fine against Google, alleging anti-competitive practices within Google Shopping based on complaints from Comparison Shopping Services (CSS). Moreover, the Commission has threatened Google with an additional €4bn fine if it does not demonstrate compliance with the verdict. Google has therefore split off Google Shopping into an independent business unit, “Google Shopping Europe” (GSE).
Under this intense regulatory pressure, Google must prove that GSE is independently profitable and also drive CSS adoption of the Google Shopping platform to demonstrate it is not an anti-competitive environment.
To be compliant, CSS and GSE must be free to compete as equals in every Google Shopping auction. But because GSE must be profitable, it has baked-in profit margins that make its bids weaker against CSS bids. The result: if your company advertises as a CSS, you will have up to a 25% bidding advantage that you can use to either increase your reach or increase your efficiency.
By advertising under both your normal GSE account plus your new CSS account, you can appear twice in the same auction. Best of all, you will never compete with yourself for this extra ad presence: you will only pay +.01€ above your nearest competitor.
For online marketers who use Google Shopping to target European markets, Whoop! Europe is an effective and efficient CSS solution that makes it simple for any merchant to get outstanding outcomes. Unlike other CSS providers, the AI and search marketing professionals at Smarter Ecommerce offer a sophisticated array of Google Shopping management features, the market’s highest level of control, plus continuous and trusted client support. Don’t just “set it and forget it” – demand the best performance from your CSS partner.
There is a strong first-mover advantage for merchants who act fast and advertise as a CSS in addition to their standard GSE ads. However, getting ahead in this complex environment requires a steady hand and the ability to act rapidly based on emerging information and trends before competitors do. That’s why Whoop! Europe offers classic Whoop! performance plus more than 50 CSS-specific features, services, and technical checks to optimize your results.
Whoop! Europe now offers you not only the access and capability to advertise using a CSS account in addition to your normal account, but unmatched customer service and sophisticated features like bid mirroring, account inheritance, and bid elasticity analysis. What does that mean for you? Peerless performance in Google Shopping on top of double presence and exclusive access to game-changing benefits from Google.
“With its feed-based approach, smec leads our customers directly from the search engine to the right product. This improves the click rates, conversion rates, and ensures a better user experience. The result has been a significant increase in sales and profitability.”
Already have a campaign management tool you love or want to manage CSS campaigns manually using your own unique approach? For all of you independent PPC minds, we offer a CSS self-service solution: just connect to our CSS and you are ready to go. Learn more
