Supporting a dynamic online shopping industry in Europe
The way people shop online changes fast. How you find and buy things today is different from last year, or even a few months ago. You might be searching, scrolling, streaming and shopping all at once - and merchants, marketplaces and comparison sites are constantly innovating to help people find the right products and services. This not only drives new ways for people to find the things they want, it generates crucial economic growth.
In Europe, one of the ways we support retailers is through Comparison Shopping Services (CSSs). These are websites that gather offers from online stores and show them to shoppers. When you find something you like, the CSS sends you to the retailer's website to make your purchase.
A system that’s working for shoppers and sellers
In 2017, following a decision from the European Commission, Google made changes that enabled all CSSs in Europe to display ads in a dedicated unit on the Google search results page. Google’s own CSS, Google Shopping, competes on the same terms as other CSSs to place shopping ads in this unit.
The Commission has monitored these changes from the start and today, more than 700 CSS groups place ads on Google, helping their retail partners connect with customers and winning billions of clicks. This demonstrates that this fair system is working, indeed, if it did not, the European Commission would have taken action.
Innovative and dynamic CSSs are thriving. Take Genie Shopping, which continues to invest in its proprietary in-house technology to drive sales and reduce costs for retailers across the UK and the EU. Their client, a British nursery brand, saw CSS Partner revenue increase by 63% year-on-year in Q4 2024 and a 31% conversion rate increase through product ads on Google Search.
Success comes from innovation and investment
In this fast-moving business, success comes from innovation, investment and adapting to what customers want. The continued growth of comparison sites in Europe demonstrates how the sector is furthering competition and choice, and meeting the changing needs of shoppers. While a handful of companies seek to mischaracterize this progress, national courts have confirmed that investment is critical to the success of any CSS business.
Google is committed to continuing its own investment in the retail industry. New tools and opportunities, like our dedicated program for CSSs, benefit the entire online shopping industry and help merchants to compete and reach new customers outside of platforms like Amazon. The ultimate measure of success is the direct economic benefit: in 2024 alone European merchants saw approximately 1.5 billion sales from product ads placed by comparison shopping sites on Google Search.
Our goal is simple: give shoppers helpful search results and create a fair and competitive space where all merchants have a chance to grow. We believe this approach helps everyone in Europe's shopping landscape — from the smallest seller to the everyday shopper.
