Beginning in early July our team started spotting a new extension test on Google Shopping in which discount prices are presented with their full price slashed out directly to the right. It appears that Google is testing this out for certain users, as we see it showing while logged into a specific Google account but not while logged into others. As with most tests, Google reps reiterated that they are always testing different formats to provide users with the best information possible.
This recent test offers a new variation of Google’s attempts to make it clear to users that a product is discounted, similar to price drop alerts which have been around for a couple of years.
Shoppers Get Additional Visual Cue to Identify Bargains
These eye-catching extensions highlight the promotion an advertiser is running on a product. We’ve seen them on both mobile and desktop across a variety of advertisers.
The location of the extensions still allows for other existing extensions to show including free shipping, product ratings, and special offer merchant promotions. The image on the left shows the shopping block containing several ads with price slash extensions, while the image on the right shows several of the same products without the price slash extension.
While Google hasn't confirmed it, it appears this data is pulled from the price and sale price columns within the feed. It is possible that Google is testing this format as an alternative to price drop extensions which often use up more space on the SERP and feature percentages. However, it seems these two extensions are pulling from different data points.
Potential Effects
Moving forward, these price-slash extensions could certainly impact CTR, especially since they can be featured alongside other extensions. They could provide an advantage to advertisers who employ discount pricing strategies and help differentiate those ads from competitors. As always, advertisers should ensure the price and sale price columns are updated in their feeds and sent to Google daily, and even more so in the event that Google shifts from test phase to launch.
