Google is allowing businesses to add gift cards, donation links to their listing | HT Tech

Google is allowing businesses to add gift cards, donation links to their listing

At the time of launch, these links will be available to businesses across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

By: HINDUSTANTIMES.COM | EDITED BY SHWETA GANJOO
| Updated on: May 12 2020, 12:17 IST
These links will be available to a limited subset of customers.
These links will be available to a limited subset of customers. (Google)
These links will be available to a limited subset of customers.
These links will be available to a limited subset of customers. (Google)

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit small businesses hard. Amid the present circumstances, decreased sales have forced many businesses to offer gift cards to customers to enable them to help the struggling businesses. Now, Google has rolled out a new feature that allows businesses to add donation and gift card links directly to their business profiles on Search and on Maps.

While both the features are aimed at encouraging people to support local businesses amid the pandemic, there are some differences between the two. Gift card links lets customers purchase gift cards for a user's business. These links can go to a supported provider or a page on their own website. Donation links, on the other hand, send customers to a fundraising page where they can donate to the user's business. These links, Google explains, can only go to a supported provider and will be visible to consumers later this month.

What's more? Businesses can also share a personal message in their post to inform customers how funds will be put to use.

At the time of launch, these links will be available to businesses across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Google said that it has partnered with PayPal and GoFundMe for donations and Square, Toast, Clover and Vagaro for gift cards. The company said that while it is not charging merchants or consumers any fees, third-party may impose processing fees.

Additionally, the company said that at the time of launch, this feature will be available to a "subset of businesses to protect against misuse." It will expand this feature to more "countries, merchants, and partners in a safe and responsible way over the coming weeks."

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First Published Date: 12 May, 12:10 IST
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