Rumor: Google China to Resume Online Shopping Search Service
Beareyes.com.cn, 5/31/13
Google is reportedly in talks with major Chinese internet companies to bring its shopping search service back to China, according to an industry source. Given the staggering future potential of the product search market and the opportunity to avoid censorship and other thorny issues, Google may be planning to make shopping search the beginning of its return to the Chinese market.
One industry source who requested anonymity said that Taobao's e-commerce search engine Etao has begun making preparations in hopes of seizing a position at the head of the market in advance of Google's possible return. Etao uses its parent company Alibaba's e-commerce data, and has both allied with Chinese Internet services and search provider Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) against Baidu and purchased ads on Baidu in order to mine Baidu commercial search data.
Editor's Note: For more information on this topic, please see "Update: Google China Shuts Down Shopping Search Service," MD 12/12/12 and "Qihoo 360 Partners with Etao to Introduce Shopping Search," MD 5/22/13 and "Update: Alibaba Resumes SEM Spend on Baidu," MD 5/29/13 issues.
Keywords: Taobao Internet Google Etao e-commerce search vertical search
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