Google Shopping for Marketplace Sellers — Is It Worth It

Should Marketplace Sellers Use Google Shopping

If you sell primarily on Amazon, Etsy or eBay, you might wonder whether Google Shopping ads are worth adding to your marketing mix. The answer depends on whether you also have your own website — and how much margin you have to play with.

How Google Shopping Works

Google Shopping displays product images, prices and store names at the top of search results when someone searches for a product. When they click, they go directly to your website (not to a marketplace). You pay per click, similar to Amazon PPC but through Google Ads.

This means you need a product website — usually Shopify, WooCommerce or a standalone site — to run Google Shopping campaigns. You also need a Google Merchant Center account with your product feed uploaded.

The Opportunity for Marketplace Sellers

The big advantage of Google Shopping is that sales go to YOUR website, where margins are higher because you avoid marketplace fees (15% on Amazon, 12% on Etsy). If your product costs £30 to sell on Amazon (after FBA fees, referral fees, etc.), selling the same product through Google Shopping to your own Shopify store might cost £22 — a significant margin improvement.

When It Makes Sense

Google Shopping works well when you have a working Shopify or WooCommerce store, your products have healthy margins to absorb Google's cost-per-click, people search for your product type on Google, and you want to reduce dependence on marketplace algorithms.

When It Does Not Make Sense

Skip Google Shopping if you do not have your own website, your margins are too thin to absorb another advertising cost, your products are highly commoditised (you will be competing on price against Amazon itself), or you do not have time to manage another advertising platform.

Getting Started

If you decide to try Google Shopping, start with your best-selling products only. Set a modest daily budget (£10-20) and track performance for at least 2-3 weeks before making judgements. Google Shopping typically takes longer to optimise than marketplace PPC because you are reaching people earlier in their buying journey.

I help ecommerce sellers evaluate whether Google Shopping — and other off-marketplace channels — make sense for their products and margins. Get in touch if you want an honest assessment.