Google and UPS-Owned Ware2Go Partner for Free Shipping

'Free and fast' shipping will be displayed within Google Ads for participating partners.

Need to Know

  • A new Google Shopping integration will display “Free and Fast” shipping options within Google Ads.
  • Expedited shipping availability will be displayed based on real-time merchant inventory availability across Ware2Go’s fulfillment network.
  • Initial data from Google Shopping indicates that merchants displaying the free and fast shipping promise saw a 7% increase in conversions.
  • Ware2Go is a UPS subsidiary company with access to the shipping giant’s wide network.

Analysis

Merchants using Google Ads will soon be able to advertise free and fast shipping, as Google Shopping has announced a partnership with Ware2Go, a UPS subsidiary.

The new integration will see free and fast shipping displayed within a merchant’s Google Ads, on a real-time basis, based on inventory within Ware2Go’s fulfillment network. The hope is that this will drive revenue for merchants by advertising attractive shipping offers early in the purchasing journey, as consumers research products using Google Search.

“Ware2Go is committed to building relationships with partners that enable merchants to exceed customer expectations across commerce,” Ware2Go CEO Steve Denton said of the new integration. “By pairing the new Google free and fast offering with our flexible and scalable fulfillment solution, merchants can grow their market demand faster by positioning their delivery speed as a revenue driver.”

Ware2Go, which was launched by UPS in 2018, is a platform that connects small- to medium-sized businesses with warehouses, in order to better streamline the shipping process for merchants. Ware2 Go customers can hold accounts with the company a merchant, a warehouse, or both, and then answer questions on their business or warehouse needs. The company thens allow merchants to manage their inventory and orders across the its cloud-based network. With Google, Ware2Go’s data-driven insights will allow merchants to leverage a better-optimized supply chain.

According to a Ware2Go survey, 52% of merchants reported that advertising free and/or speedy shipping increased conversions by up to 25% when one-to-two day delivery was offered. Initial data from Google Shopping supports this: merchants displaying the “free and fast” integration saw a 7% increase in conversions, a 10% increase in conversions per dollar, and a 9% overall conversion rate.

Google has been working to improve its Shopping offerings for merchants, ramping up innovation especially since the COVID-19 pandemic drove a huge spike in e-commerce. In April, the company made it free for merchants to sell through Google Shopping in the US, as widespread lockdown measures resulted in the temporary closure of bricks and mortar stores country-wide. Less than two months later, the company rolled out plans to clean up the “messy middle” of Google Ads, including an image extension beta test, personalized responsive search ads, and improved location services. Additionally, the company announced Shoploop, a video-shopping platform that introduces consumers to new products in 90 seconds or less.

UPS, too, has demonstrated its commitment to innovation in recent months: in November of last year, the company unveiled plans for an expansive Internet of Things portfolio. At the time, the company said it planned to update its existing tracking capabilities, combining them with on-package sensor technology to allow for more comprehensive priority-handling services.