Target partners with Google on voice-activated shopping

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Oct 13, 2017

Target and Google are expanding their partnership, introducing voice-activated shopping through the Google Assistant on Google Home devices.

 
Following home delivery shopping trials in New York City and California, Google Express will allow users to shop from Target using their voice. All items purchased via voice-activated shopping will be shipped to nearby Target stores, and guests will receive their orders in two days. The new feature will expand nationwide.
 
“In the markets where we’ve offered Google Express, guests tell us they love the ease and convenience of shopping Target through Google. So we’re excited to offer this service nationwide in time for the busy holiday season,” said Mike McNamara, Target’s chief information and digital officer.

The partnership between Target and Google expands just weeks after Perry Ellis launched its Ask Perry Ellis voice-activated shopping service on Amazon’s Alexa-enabled Echo device.
 
According to Adobe’s e-commerce sales data from June 2017, the Amazon Echo surpassed the Google Home smart speaker in sales, and a report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners in September found that the Amazon Echo has a 76% US market share. Google is keeping the smart speaker market competitive by allowing retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Costco, Ulta, and now Target to utilize Google Express for shopping.
 
“At Google, we are focused on continued innovation and making Google Express a platform to help retailers like Target offer consumers a high quality seamless, end-to-end shopping experience,” said Daniel Alegre, President of Retail and Shopping, Google. “We're excited to expand our partnership with Target and bring the Google Assistant to new platforms."
 
In 2018, Target will make the Target REDcard debit and credit cards available as an option for Google Express shoppers. Also, the wait time to receive orders will be decreased significantly from two days to two hours in 2018
 
In addition, Google announced on Thursday that it will make Google Assistant eligible on iPhone and Android, allowing Target customers to shop from Target using voice commands.