Report: Google Shopping Comes With Higher Prices

A new report from Consumer Watchdog issued December 3 has found that consumers that use Google Shopping, Google’s product comparison search engine, paid more for eight out of every 14 items bought through the service, VentureBeat reported.

The report suggests consumers could save by using competitors such as Shopzilla, Pricegrabber and Nextag, and that Google is able to charge higher prices on its own search engine due to what the report termed its “search monopoly.” 

“Google is able to increase its revenue and cause higher prices for consumers because of its monopoly position in search and the way it favors its own services over those of its rivals in search results,” the report said, according to the media outlet.

Google charges merchants money to list items on the service, and the report suggests that these costs are being passed on to consumers.

The company did not respond for requests for comment from VentureBeat. For more on the Consumer Watchdog report, click here.

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