A new Schema.org markup is now being supported by Google to enable users to display shipping information to prospective customers conducting a shopping search.
With the new feature, which is currently being rolled out in the U.S. only, retailers can add shipping details structured data to their product pages, which will then show up in the Google shopping search results below the listed price.
The official documents detailing the new markup state that various options can be selected. These are:
• Does Not Ship, which will inform a user when shipping to a specific destination is unavailable
• Delivery Time, which will state the time between placing the order and the order reaching the customer
• Shipping Rate, which will state the shipping cost to a particular destination, with ‘free shipping’ being an option
• Shipping Destination, which will indicate the destinations to which the item can be delivered
• Shipping Settings, which will provide a link that will take users to a page containing all shipping information, including the cost and estimated delivery time
On this new feature, Google said:
“Shipping details, including cost and expected delivery times, are often a key consideration for users making purchase decisions. In our own studies, we’ve heard that users abandon shopping checkouts because of unforeseen or uncertain shipping costs. This is why we will often show shipping cost information in certain result types, including on free listings on Google Search.”
This markup has been created for those retailers who do not have an account with Google Merchant Center (GMC), as the centre already allows users to configure their delivery settings. Those that have an account with GMC need not use the new markup.
Although Google has not yet indicated if, or when, it will be released outside the U.S., such features typically do make their way across the pond, especially if they are successful, and so retailers should keep their eyes out for a UK release to follow.
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