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elgato
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 17236
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:57 am Post subject: Google Splits Up Google Base |
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Google has split Google Base into two separate entities - Google Base and the new Google Merchant Center. The Merchant Center will replace Google Base for users who submit product-type items to Google.
"If you submit products to Google, Google Merchant Center is now the place to upload your feeds, check on the status of your items, and get information on the performance of your listings," says Google Merchant Center Product Manager Loannis Kalafatis.
Google Base remains available for other types of structured content, but according to Google the Merchant Center is better optimized for product listings.
"In general, the Merchant Center interface is very similar to the Google Base interface, so we hope it's easy to transition," says Kalafatis.
Google says they will continue to add features and improve the tools for uploading and managing product listings with the Merchant Center. Users can use the same Google account information to sign in to the Merchant Center that they used for Google Base. Existing data feeds, items, FTP settings, etc. will be there waiting.
more.. link to news article |
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xbaystores
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 562
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:43 am Post subject: |
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| It sounds like Google needs to study eBay's screwups when making major changes in the 4th quarter. |
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purple_reading_giraffe
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 5485
Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:58 am Post subject: |
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Reading the new Terms of Service, I noted this paragraph:
"10. NO RESALE OF SERVICE
You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, or resell any portion of Google Merchant Center, use of Google Merchant Center, or access to Google Merchant Center."
I wonder if that means that no aggregator or marketplace site may make Google Products feeds (and perhaps Google Analytics) a feature of their paid upgrades, or if "Google Merchant Center" means the interface that one can sign in to at Google, and not the upload and analytics interfaces. |
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pjrcoffee
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 634
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I think they are trying to protect their copyright to the interface. They wouldn't want anyone else to set up a service like them and copy the format. PayPal will just have to design their own. |
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jjj525
Joined: 08 Apr 2009
Posts: 354
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Google Splits Up Google Base |
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I think they want to make it a paid service like yahoo shopping.
So many changes each day, becoming more like feebay. |
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wphamilton
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 1940
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Google Base is no longer holding products. It's totally separate now.
jjj525 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
I think they want to make it a paid service like yahoo shopping.
I think they're going to do something like that. To me this is an encouraging sign from Google. It may mean that they are going to start looking seriously at product search with the understanding that product and content have vastly different considerations in search.
I just hope it doesn't wind up costing me too much and that they keep to pay-for-performance. |
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purple_reading_giraffe
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 5485
Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:28 am Post subject: |
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| Hmmm, I hope they don't make it a paid service - I think that would tend to make it more "exclusive" and less "complete". However, I can't foresee all things - if it were a very small percentage of sales it might be OK... What I would like to see is the addition of fed auction items - that would be tremendous. That was my hope, that they might be moving toward building my universal search, but leaving eBay out (or giving me the ability to exclude them in search). |
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DaLizardsLair
Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 4780
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| It would also make it less competitive with the new big boy BING! |
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NewSkies
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 272
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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Any input would be appreciated. It seems Google is not bringing ANY visitors to my apprx 5 year old Bay store for about 2+ months as of when I checked Sales Mgr today.
Could this be due to the Google changes?
If so, any suggestions in elementary terminology (not my strong point)?
Seems the little traffic is coming from (estimated in memory) as per below.
Yahoo - 93%+
Bay - 7% (above standard, high DSR & 4.9-5.0's
GOOGLE - 0%
This is NOT good by any means.
Any comments appreciated! |
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DaLizardsLair
Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 4780
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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NewSkies wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Any input would be appreciated. It seems Google is not bringing ANY visitors to my apprx 5 year old Bay store for about 2+ months as of when I checked Sales Mgr today.
Could this be due to the Google changes?
If so, any suggestions in elementary terminology (not my strong point)?
Seems the little traffic is coming from (estimated in memory) as per below.
Yahoo - 93%+
Bay - 7% (above standard, high DSR & 4.9-5.0's
GOOGLE - 0%
This is NOT good by any means.
Any comments appreciated!
Do each of your items state the condition as required by Google? Condition can be New, Used or Refurbished. |
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NewSkies
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 272
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for reply DiLizard!
Yes, they all conform to condition requirements, good keywords, no other site duplicate listings, all the SEO friendly ingredients.
I am stunned and puzzled! |
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purple_reading_giraffe
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 5485
Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:29 am Post subject: |
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As I can't figure out who you are on eBay or what you may be selling, I can't look around for you, but I can suggest how you can look.
Try some Google searches on both Google regular search and in the Google Products / Shopping search. Try using the site:ebay.com limiter to narrow your results. Try searching for some item titles. Use quote marks around a specific phrase if you need to. Try searching for your user id.
Verify that your items are or are not in Google web search and / or Google Shopping search. Once you have verified if they are there, then start figuring out how easy it is for a Google searcher to find them.
Once you have more info, you might be able to find out what the problem could be. |
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NewSkies
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 272
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Thanks much, Purple Reading!
Perhaps your suggestions that I have not tried earlier today already will lead to some answers! I hope so!
If I don't figure it out soon and without lengthy time to remedy, guess I should consider importing all elsewhere and close it. Thought would at least wait until after the holiday sales, but then, if a Google problem exists (and the Bay's low traffic numbers above) then the holidays likely won't surface via the Bay for me anyway. If this proves to be the case, the time to remedy might be better spent moving totally off the Bay instead of attempting to correct the problem.
Again, your reply was really appreciated! |
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pjrcoffee
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 634
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:54 am Post subject: |
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| Just a thought that maybe you have up only AUCTIONS. Only fixed price items will be indexed in Google. Buy it Now will be indexed, though. |
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NewSkies
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 272
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks pjrcoffee and good thought! Only about 5 auctions and remainding all BIN while also have been ending/sell similar 3-4 BIN items per week with new titles and descriptions to keep fresh content going plus adding 2-4 new BIN items per week. |
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