Shopping Blog

Our goal at Google is to get you the most relevant results as quickly as possible. But relevance is about relationships as well as words on webpages. That’s why we recently started to include more information from people you know—stuff they’ve shared on Twitter, Flickr and other sites—in Google search results.

Today we’re taking that a step further, enabling you to share recommendations with the world right in Google’s search results. It’s called +1—the digital shorthand for “this is pretty cool.” To recommend something, all you have to do is click +1 on a webpage or ad you find useful. These +1’s will then start appearing in Google’s search results.

The +1 button will appear next to each search result

After pressing the +1 button, you have the option to undo the action immediately

Say, for example, you’re planning a winter trip to Tahoe, Calif. When you do a search, you may now see a +1 from your slalom-skiing aunt next to the result for a lodge in the area. Or if you’re looking for a new pasta recipe, we’ll show you +1’s from your culinary genius college roommate. And even if none of your friends are baristas or caffeine addicts, we may still show you how many people across the web have +1’d your local coffee shop.




The beauty of +1’s is their relevance—you get the right recommendations (because they come from people who matter to you), at the right time (when you are actually looking for information about that topic) and in the right format (your search results). For more information about +1, watch this video:




So how do we know which +1’s to show you? Like social search, we use many signals to identify the most useful recommendations, including things like the people you are already connected to through Google (your chat buddies and contacts, for example). Soon we may also incorporate other signals, such as your connections on sites like Twitter, to ensure your recommendations are as relevant as possible. If you want to know who you're connected to, and how, visit the “Social Circle and Content” section of the Google Dashboard.

To get started +1’ing the stuff you like, you’ll need to create a Google profile—or if you already have one, upgrade it. You can use your profile to see all of your +1’s in one place, and delete those you no longer want to recommend. To see +1’s in your Google search results you’ll need to be logged into your Google Account.

We’ll be slowly rolling out +1’s, starting in English on Google.com. If you can’t wait to start seeing +1’s, we’ll soon let you opt-in to the launch by visiting our experimental search site. Initially, +1’s will appear alongside search results and ads, but in the weeks ahead they’ll appear in many more places (including other Google products and sites across the web). If you’re an advertiser and want to learn more about how the +1 button works on search ads and websites, visit our AdWords blog.

We’re confident that +1, combined with all of the social content we’re now including in search, will mean even better, more relevant results than you get today.


Posted by Rob Spiro, Product Manager

We invite you to take a few minutes tomorrow and hear mobile insights, strategies and best practices from mobile search specialists. Today at 1:00 pm EST, Google’s Anjali Vaidya, Mobile Account Manager, and Bon Mercado, Senior Mobile Account Manager, will speak to 1000+ members of the American Marketing Association in a webinar; please join us.

Since marketers tend to combine their mobile and desktop campaigns in order to drive additional traffic, many marketing efforts are not yet optimized for the mobile platform. Today, Bon and Anjali will share tactics and tools for setting up mobile specific campaigns to maximize traffic and conversions. Major topics of the webinar will include the mobile search landscape and how to optimize mobile campaign structure. Specifically, Anjali and Bon will discuss keyword selection, ad creative and click to call options, mobile landing pages, and analytics and reporting.

To register, click here. Dial in for a the latest and greatest mobile strategies from Google’s Mobile Search Ads Team!

Posted by, Anjali Vaidya, Mobile Account Manager at Google

As we announced on the Official Google Blog, we’ve just launched the third-generation of Google Commerce Search – our search solution for e-commerce websites. When we first first launched Google Commerce Search, our focus was on improving search quality and speed to help retailers provide a better shopping experience and convert more visitors. And retailers like Woodcraft Supply, BabyAge.com and HealthWarehouse.com have all seen the results. Today we are pleased to one-up the capabilities that have proved useful to our retail partners with the launch of Google Commerce Search 3.0.




This release introduces several new features that should further impact retail conversions:

• Search As You Type: Search is quickly becoming a more interactive experience. Search As You Type provides instant gratification to shoppers – returning product results with every keystroke, right from the search bar. 
• Local Product Availability: This year, 46% of retail sales will be influenced by online research – but more than 90% of total retail transactions will occur in-store (eMarketer, June 2010). Local Product Availability helps retailers bridge online and offline sales by showing shoppers when a product is also available in a store nearby – in-line with the search results.
• Enhanced Merchandising: Retailers need to be agile to effectively respond to shopping trends and market dynamics – for example ramping up certain underdog basketball team apparel going into the Final Four! Our new merchandising tools allow retailers to easily set query-based landing pages, and to create promotions that display alongside related search queries in retailer-designated banner areas.
• Product Recommendations (Labs): To help consumers discover related products, Product Recommendations show shoppers what other people viewed and ultimately bought. 

With this release we're also welcoming three new retail partners: Forever21, General Nutrition Company (GNC) and L’Occitane. GNC implemented Google Commerce Search in less than a week on their mobile website, while Forever 21 and L’Occitane are currently working to implement various new features of GCS, such as Search as You Type and Local Product Availability. Here is what Jeff Hennion, EVP & Chief Branding Officer at GNC had to say about the rise of smartphone adoption, and how Google Commerce Search has helped his business adapt to this new shopping medium:

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"The velocity of smartphone adoption has made the mobile channel increasingly important for retailers. GNC wanted a flexible solution that would provide the best in e-commerce search while allowing us to develop a unique mobile experience. Google Commerce Search allowed us to upgrade our mobile search solution in less than a week and deliver a faster, more targeted experience for our smartphone users."

Learn how you can provide the latest in retail technology on your website with Google Commerce Search. Sign up for our upcoming webinar (details below). You’ll hear from Nitin Mangtani, Group Product Manager, in conversation with Google Commerce Search customers about how these new features are transforming retail for the better.

Google Commerce Search 3.0: Driving user engagement and cross-channel coordination in retail Wednesday, May 5, 2011 2:00 p.m. EDT / 11:00 a.m. PDT

For more information check out google.com/commercesearch.  


Posted by Abhishek Rajgarhia, Software Engineer, Google Commerce Search

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane...

Travel plans are the topic of many daydreams as warmer weather approaches and days lengthen. What is the necessary ingredient for a perfect getaway? A hassle-free luggage set that accommodates your every need.

What type of luggage and travel accessories are consumers looking for?

Here is what Google Insights for Search found to be the top consumer requested items of all time:

• Carry on luggage
• Rolling luggage
• Kids luggage
• TSA-approved luggage
• Luggage accessories
• Luggage tags
• Luggage rack
• Car travel accessories

When does luggage interest peak?

Luggage query volume remains fairly consistent throughout the year, with slight upticks in Spring, Summer and around the Holiday season.















How can you capture consumers as they look for the perfect luggage and accessories?

Be Relevant:
Advertise next to travel content and articles that describe appropriate travel gear for various locations (ie. tripadvisor.com, etc.)

Be Compliant:
Feature TSA-approved travel gear and highlight the benefits of using compliant luggage

Be Diverse:
Show diverse inventory including rolling, kid-friendly and carry-on models. Don’t forget to include information on available travel and luggage accessories

Be Local:
List store locations and inventory available in each local area

Be Everywhere:
Utilize all platforms to communicate to your potential consumer as they research travel and luggage information prior to purchase


Posted by Keri Overman, The Google Retail Team

Olivia Newton-John’s famous early 80’s song, Physical, sums up the thoughts of frantic out-of-shape Americans rushing to get in shape before being forced to bare their recently hibernating bodies in a swimsuit. Google Insights for Search 2010 trends indicate that there is a spike in interest for weight loss programs & exercise plans in April and May.














What does this mean to you as a retailer?

If you have weight loss supplements, exercise equipment, swimsuits that flatter or cover-ups, you have an audience that is looking for attention. Emphasize tips for looking leaner and highlight fashions in your swimsuit and apparel inventory that flatter. Feature exercise equipment and DVDs prominently on your website and in ad copy.

What should I feature?

According to Google Insights for Search, in the last seven days within the Fitness category, treadmill reviews and specific workouts have led consumer interest.















Be specific about the types of exercise programs and equipment you offer to minimize consumer frustration and unnecessary bounce rates. Offer testimonials and reviews to entice consumers to favor your retail store for purchase.


Posted by Keri Overman, The Google Retail Team

(cross-posted on the Google Mobile Ads Blog)

Starting out on mobile can be overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you prepare for your first campaign? These are big questions that we hear every day. This is the first in a series of posts on establishing your presence on the mobile web - before you even start your first advertising campaign.

An essential part of any digital marketing campaign is the post-click experience from advertising. Is your website easy to navigate? Are there any hurdles to conversion that you can remove? These are the same questions that you should consider for your mobile user experience.

We recently conducted a study that examined the mobile post-click experience of some of our largest advertisers. After looking at over 200 diagnostic points to measure ‘mobile readiness,’ including load time, device detection and mobile site optimization, we found that only 21% of Google’s largest advertisers have a website that is optimized for mobile. That’s 79% serving up a less than ideal experience for their mobile customers.

The good news is that it’s not too late to be early on mobile! Get ahead of your competition by creating a fantastic experience for your mobile customers. Start with these 4 tips for designing a great mobile website and check in next week for some real examples of how to test and build a mobile website that works for your business.

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Four Tips for designing a mobile website:

1. Prioritize what’s important. Make it easy for customers on-the-go to call or find directions to your business. Easy navigation combined with relevant and interesting information lead to happy customers and more business.
2. Take advantage of mobile-specific functionality. Users can interact through touch, sound, sight and location on their mobile device. Create a mobile website with custom content that utilizes these capabilities. 
3. Build for the mobile platform. Focus on easy navigation and remember to develop your website with touch screens in mind. Eliminating any website elements that don’t work or are slow to load on a mobile phone will keep users engaged.
4. Optimize, optimize, optimize. Be sure to add mobile analytics to your website in order to evaluate and improve performance.

Posted by Vicky Homan, Google Mobile Ads Marketing Team

Bikini season is just around the corner. With record low temperatures and massive snowstorms this year, people’s attention is focused on the warm weather ahead. Swimsuit searches have been on the rise since January, with interests being focused primarily on one-pieces and tankinis. It seems that she will not be wearing a teeny weeny bikini this year!



























Could there be an association with extreme cold temperatures and extra swimsuit coverage? Google Insights for Search shows that one piece swimsuit searches are at an all time high. A coincidence? Perhaps.















Retailers can take advantage of the rising demand for one-pieces and tankinis by evangelizing inventory and selection. Advertise unique styles and deals to capture interested consumers.


Posted by Keri Overman, The Google Retail Team

(Cross-posted on the Google Mobile Ads Blog)

As mobile technology continues to accelerate, our phones are quickly becoming indispensable shopping tools. Whether researching a product or comparing prices before purchasing, 79% of US smartphone users have used their devices to help with shopping and 74% of those smartphone shoppers have made a purchase.*

This means that having a mobile strategy is key when engaging with these tech savvy, connected consumers. And this is especially true for advertisers focused on driving online and in-store conversions. To help you develop your mCommerce strategy, we’ve put together the following list of best practices for driving smartphone users to purchase from your site. Please note that these tips are geared towards ads running on high-end devices with full Internet browsers.

Extend your Online Brand Reputation to Mobile with Seller Ratings
It’s no secret that having a great online reputation is essential to driving online conversions. With Seller Ratings on mobile, you can extend your online reputation from desktop to mobile devices and leverage the power of the mobile platform to drive conversions on your website.

The Seller Ratings extension enables mobile searchers to see merchants who are highly recommended by other shoppers. By showcasing relevant and useful rating information for your business, the extension can help differentiate you from your competition and guide potential customers to purchase from your site. In recent studies, campaigns with mobile Seller Ratings saw a 7.5% increase in clickthrough rates when compared to campaigns without this extension.

click to enlarge image

Seller Ratings are aggregated from merchant review sites all around the web and the extension will only show when a merchant's online store has a rating of four or more stars and at least 30 reviews. To learn more about Seller Ratings, please read this Help Center entry.

Take your Customers Directly to your Desired Conversion Path with Mobile Ad Sitelinks
Ad Sitelinks enable direct navigation to specific pages of your website. Since navigating on the mobile web can still be difficult, sitelinks for mobile can be especially useful in taking customers directly to the desired conversion path on your site. For example, with sitelinks you can quickly guide your customers to the best selling products on your site or to your online store locator. Mobile users find this format particularly helpful and on average campaigns with mobile sitelinks see a 30% increase in clickthrough rates when compared to campaigns without sitelinks.

Right now a maximum of two sitelinks can appear on mobile devices with ads displaying two links across one line or stacked vertically on two lines. One-line sitelinks can show with the Click-to-Call Phone Extension and will display one link to your website alongside your phone number. One-line sitelinks can also show with the Seller Ratings Extension and will display your online store rating as well as two links to your website.

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The quality of your ad will determine which variation of mobile Ad Sitelinks will show. Two-line sitelinks typically show for higher quality ads. To learn more about mobile sitelinks, please read this Help Center entry.

Drive Customers to your Store with Offer Ads
Are you running an in-store promotion? You can get the word out and incentivize customers to visit your store by placing a coupon right in your AdWords ads.

Mobile Ads with Offers enable advertisers to include special deals in their mobile search ads, allowing users to store coupons via email or SMS. Ads will also display your phone number or your business location on a Google Map for Mobile so that customers have everything they need to go to your store, redeem the offer and make a purchase. Mobile Ads with Offers are currently in beta, but we hope to make it broadly available soon.

click to enlarge image

Make it Easier For Customers to Contact you with Click-to-Call Ads
Whether you take orders over the phone or have a physical store location, you can ensure that your customers can easily connect with you by including your business phone number in your mobile search ads. Since users who make a call are showing interest in your product or service, they are more likely to make a purchase. With a call costing the same as a click to your ad, this is a very cost-effective ad format for driving quality leads and conversions for your business.

Are you specifically focused on driving calls to your business? Try the Call-Only Creative, an enhancement to the Click-to-Call ad format that ensures your phone number is the only clickable part of your mobile ad.

Do you have a vanity phone number? Use the Vanity Phone Numbers feature of Click-to-Call to display an alphanumeric phone number in your mobile ad and ensure that customers easily remember how to get in touch with you.

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To learn more about mobile ads with Click-to-Call please read this Help Center entry.

We hope you’ll find these tips helpful in driving conversions with your mobile campaigns and look forward to developing more mCommerce ad features for you in the future.


Posted by Anna Khesed, Google Mobile Ads Marketing Team
*source: US Mobile Smartphone Consumer Study, Google & Ipsos, 2010

You might be surprised to learn that within five years more users will connect to the Internet through their mobile device than through their desktop PC’s. Not only are customers using their mobile devices to access the web, but they are also making purchases online. It is estimated that by 2015, 8% of all e-commerce purchases will be made via mobile phones - that’s $119B in sales.*
With such tremendous growth in the mobile space, it is a great time to optimize your search campaigns to include mobile targeted campaigns. The following are some tips for developing strong mobile search campaigns:

• Break out mobile campaigns: Create unique mobile search campaigns. This will allow you to bid differently by device and customize your text ads. To take that strategy one step further, you can break out your campaigns by desktop, mobile phones and tablets.

• Bid: Start with aggressive maximum bids (1x to 2x Search bids) to build strong history and win the limited auction spots available. You will be competing to have your ad serve on one of five ad spots versus ten for desktop. Then, manage bids to meet the target CPA.

• Keywords: Look at analytics to see which keywords are receiving strong mobile traffic (in paid or natural results) and leverage those. Consider how user intent may be different for users of mobile devices and tailor the keywords accordingly. Use general keywords to increase impression volume.

• Creative: Test mobile specific calls to action such as “Shop today from your phone” or “Call for a free quote”. Also use location and phone extensions to attract attention to your ads and make them more relevant to users.

• Landing pages: Be sure to check functionality and usability on various devices. (Note that flash-heavy sites often don’t work well on mobile phones)

• Expand misspellings: Include more misspellings than are included in your desktop campaign, since they are more common on a mobile device.

• It’s local: 1 in 3 mobile search queries have local intent - optimize your campaigns accordingly.

• Click-to-Call: Add a number to your text ad, so you can drive customers to your call center.

• Sitelinks: Minimize clicks on mobile devices and take users directly to the point of sale. If you’re a big-box retailer and sell a myriad of products, it is advantageous to have links directly in the ad unit to ‘computer accessories,’ ‘printers,’ ‘office supplies,’ and the like.

 *Source: Mary Meeker’s “State of the Internet”, Morgan Stanley, 2010; ABI Research, Feb. 2010; Forrester; Kelsey Group


Posted by Anuj Kucheria & Courtney MacConne, The Google Retail Team

The past ten years have brought surging growth in countless areas of technology and communication for US consumers: The number of personal computers, the number of mobile phones, accessibility to high speed Internet. However, there is one growing number whose rise has not generally been welcomed: the price of gas.

Since the early years of the past decade, gas prices have been rising in the US. Yet, as we move out of winter and into spring, another round of gas price increases again besets the US--at historically sharp rates. The week of February 28, 2011 marked the second greatest week-over-week leap in US gas prices since 1990.

At the start of this month, the national average price-at-the pump was currently around $3.39/gallon--a year-over-year increase of 27%, or $0.72. Looking ahead for the rest of the year, the US Department of Energy predicts an overall 2011 average price of $3.15/gallon. This represents a $0.37 year-over-year increase.

This latest uptick does not seem to show signs of slowing any time soon. The same DOE report forecasts prices climbing to a $3.30/gallon average in 2012, with a steady $0.05 average rise per gallon each year for the foreseeable future. There is a 10% probability that prices could “exceed $4.00 per gallon” in the summer of 2011. West Coast states should brace for even higher gallon averages during peak season, by as much as $0.25.

Rising gas prices have complex, difficult to predict outcomes. However, one nearly certain impact will be a shift in driving habits of many Americans--which will in turn impact their shopping habits and, thus, retailers. What should retailers look for, and how should they respond?

Romy Ribitzky, a writer at Portfolio.com, believes that there might be a silver lining to rising gas prices--at least for pure player retailers: “Gas prices put pressure on traditional bricks-and-mortars retailers that online ones don’t have to worry as much about.” The implication is clear: It could reinforce long-term cross-channel shifting of shopping and buying from the real world to the online world. Rising gas prices could also compound and accelerate growing trends of consumer savvy, with even more of the upper purchase funnel--research and browsing--occurring at home, rather than in stores. Conversely, when consumers do make the trip, they may be even more primed to buy once in the store.

For pure player retailers, this builds on a decade-long trend of increasing e-commerce activity. For retailers maintaining both a physical and virtual world presence, this calls for keeping an eye on upticks in traffic to their sites or other signs pointing to a gas-price-driven migration of consumers online--and to plan growth strategies and budgets accordingly.

Yet, many pure player retailers also have a major connection to gas prices: shipping costs. Ribitzky warns in the same article that “when oil prices rise, they take a profit-margin percentage out of the retailer’s equation” as shipping costs increases. This makes free shipping enticements a more expensive offer for the retailer. But, shipping is only the most obvious area of impact for gas prices.





With high gas prices here to stay--and, in all likelihood, rising for the foreseeable future--now is the time to reflect upon all the possible ways your business intersects with the real economy. Hyperlocal merchants may have an edge in locations within walking and biking distance. Acquiring retail locations near major public transit routes may matter more than ever. Travel could become more expensive for cars and planes, impacting retailers that depend on tourist seasonalities. At a big picture level, any marketing strategies should follow suit--engaging all the mobile and local advertising products possible.

Yet, there might be a flipside here as well. Local merchants may have to contend with other countervailing trends. Phil Wahba, a journalist with Reuters, reports that “the International Council of Shopping Centers expects February chain store sales to be up 2.5 percent to 3 percent.” Such a shift may hint at an increasing consumer trend toward packing as many purchases into as few trips as possible.

Regardless of size, retailers might consider ad creatives that appeal to the consumer’s desire to minimize fuel costs, with mentions of free shipping, or crafting ad campaigns around the cross-selling potentials of your store. If you sell bikes and helmets, inspire (or entice with special deals) buyers to save a trip and buy both your store. Increased fuel costs may key new segments of consumers into ecological awareness. With the rise of green marketing trends, this could mean new or greater traction for eco-friendly products.

As long as gas prices remain in flux and predictions are difficult even for the short term, many recommendations to retailers can seem contradictory. Every recommendation should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt--and, of course, due consideration of your business’ subvertical, region of the country, history, target audiences, and business model. However, this latest spike in gas prices reminds all retailers to comprehensively consider the impact of rising energy prices.


Posted by Paul Nauert, The Google Retail Team

So long, February. Hello, March! As we trade in red hearts and roses for shamrocks and clovers, one thing becomes immediately clear: Valentine’s Day is past. So with Cupid’s holiday in the rear view… was it everything you hoped it would be? We sure hope so!

Query trends show that boyfriends/girlfriends and husbands/wives were much more thoughtful this year than last. In the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, searches for flowers, gifts and greetings were up more than 30% over 2010. Following on the heels of a very successful holiday season, the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day were anticipated to be bigger online than ever before. And while the impact on search activity was certainly sizeable, what really stands out is the explosive query growth that occurred on the actual day, itself.

Now, could we assume that our loved ones were really just super thoughtful this year? Perhaps. But it’s more likely that the search surge was due to circumstance, not love sickness. The key difference this year: Valentine’s Day fell on a Monday instead of a Sunday. So, while some couples may’ve spent last year’s holiday joined at the hip, many spent this year’s V-Day glued to their work computers. And what better way to postpone the Monday morning monotony than with animated e-cards and love poems?

Although it may seem a little less romantic, loved ones (and e-tailers) stood to benefit from the Monday holiday. Searches for cards and greetings were up nearly 200% over last year.
















 



Source: Google Internal Data

Similarly, searches for flowers and gifts were up 230% and 130%, respectively. And while some of the boyfriends/husbands out there made sure to plan ahead, the procrastinators flocked to search engines in spades. Queries for “same day flower delivery” spiked significantly on February 14th. And with same-day delivery more plausible this year, online florists rose to the occasion to make the most of Valentine’s Day eCommerce sales.




















Amidst the flurry of candy, cards, and bouquets – both real and virtual, we hope Valentine’s Day Monday was good to you. And if not, well, there’s always next year…


Posted by Becky Chilowicz, The Google Retail Team

Consumers are smarter than ever and utilize Google to hunt for sales and promotions, especially around holidays. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or President’s Day (both of which were wildly successful this year) shoppers are now trained to search for deals around these dates.

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and looking at historical search volume, queries for ‘St. Patrick’s Day sale’ terms were up 92% from ’09 to ’10, and three weeks out from the big day, advertisers are already advertising on holiday sale terms.
















We can only anticipate that queries for deals, coupon codes and sales will continue the upward climb this year. And what about other upcoming celebrations to plan for?

Earth Day, which will be celebrated on April 22nd this year, also had a large year over year increase from ’09 to ’10, with Earth Day sale and promotion searches jumping 49%, while Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and Father’s Day deal terms also soared.




















Source: Google Internal Data


In order to build quality score and maintain low CPCs, get in the auction early! If you are running a promotion around St. Patrick’s Day, go ahead and imagine Clint Eastwood asking, ‘Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?’


Posted by Kelly Smith, The Google Retail Team

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began collecting e-filed tax returns last week, and with signs of an improving economy, consumers and retailers alike are anxiously awaiting the arrival of 2011 tax returns. In 2010, the average person received a tax refund of about $3,003, pumping $328 Billion dollars (IRS Filing Season Statistics) into American pockets--that’s no small chunk of change. Not surprisingly, consumers are already planning how to spend that extra money.















Despite the lingering issue of unemployment nationwide, The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rang in at 77.5 this month--the highest level of consumer comfort we have seen since January 2008. This is a clear indication that consumers are aware the economy is improving, but it’s likely they have not forgotten the financial lessons learned over the past two years. So how will 2011 refund recipients spend their big returns?

According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRF) this month, 66.2% of Americans are expecting a return this year (up from 65.5% last year). While many intend to use tax refunds to dutifully measure out debt payments and savings (42%), others will retire their penny-pinching ways to treat themselves with an exciting new purchase. In fact, 13.2% of those surveyed plan to purchase a big-ticket item, such as a car, television, or new furniture; and 11.9% will cash in on a spring/summer vacation.

“Despite the difficult unemployment situation across the country, Americans receiving a tax refund this year seem eager to plough this money back into the economy,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “With sales momentum continuing to build, NRF is becoming more bullish about the economic recovery.”

For retailers, it’s an important time to stay top-of-mind as consumers research their many spending options. This year, 40.4% of consumers have already filed their taxes (NRF). A strong presence while consumers are thinking about their big returns over the next two months, anxiously searching for “tax return status” could lead to a bigger chunk of the $328 Billion dollar pot for your company this year.

If you’re one of the many expecting a big tax return in 2011, how will you spend it?


Posted by Jacalyn Stolt, The Google Retail Team