Color me surprised to discover Google operates an online merchandise store aptly named Google Store, courtesy of @newsycombinator. Google-centric blogs like Google Blogoscoped have understandably been aware of this for quite some time, but I had no idea. There’s no mention of it on the Google corporate website (although it’s linked at the bottom here), and even the Wikipedia entry simply redirects to a list of all its products. They’re apparently even running ad units for it on their network (see below).
Apparently, created back in 2006 several years ago, the online store features a big inventory of items featuring Google brands for sale, ranging from adult and kids clothing to accessories like lava lamps, mugs, Yo-Yos and lip balm. There’s even a recently launched section reserved exclusively for YouTube-branded stuff, and I’m definitely tempted to purchase one of those exquisite YouTube Snap Bibs for the next newborn in the family.
Two questions pop into my head: when’s the Bing Store coming (the domain name has already been secured by Microsoft), and how much revenue is Google getting out of this well-hidden Google Store?
wow – i get that rubbish for free! lol
The bigger WTF is Google promoting Huffington Post on their home page and having a whole bunch of left wing sites in that link.
Nice and neutral Google.
You’re apparently wrong. The true WTF news is that Techcrunch, a team that cracks all the latest tech news world wide, didn’t know about the existence of the store till now.
Even I bought a pair of jackets to here in India long time back
I came here when I typed Google merchandise and techcrunch’s site was second with the title ‘WTF, Google Sells Company Merchandise Online?’
I thought it should have been an old post but seeing the post date of Sep 2, 2009, I quickly scrolled to the top to see if this is really TC.
Very bad guys.
those lava lamps are fire hazards. we got one today after a google meeting. cool but dangerous. I’ll try to remember to put it in front of the crunchcam tomorrow. http://www.tech....com/crunchcam/
so you’re going to try and set the crunchcam on fire?
Are people still visiting the Crunchcam page!?
whats that?
Yes, they do. I check it every morning/night. Just love to see what these guys are up to…I like the casual work culture of TC.
A glad news for the Google Fans who did not know that such a store existed. It was a great surprise to see Google to operate on an online merchandise store aptly named Google Store.
nope
yeah. i checked it last week and saw a guy working at a comp desk scratching his head…it was kinda funny but in the way that made me realize i have no life.
They are not a fire hazard any more than the store bought ones from Spencer’s Gifts in the Mall.
I have one of the 3 foot lava lamps from when I worked at google in 2005. Its still doing its lava thing, no fire yet.
Dude…that website has been around for like, forever. You must have been living under a rock.
i also had no idea it existed.
then u were living under a rock too
LOL..
HAHA!
Double that! I bought some shirts (including Orkut which means “orgasms” in Finnish) from the very same store in May 2006.
Strange that Tech writers do not know such a thing existed.
who cares
Come on, seriously? At first I thought this was a joke – this has been around for years.
I did a case study for google a few years ago and got some stuff from the google store. That’s the only way I found out about it.
It’s been around for about a decade. Here’s a page from 1999, courtesy of Archive.org: http://web.arch...ooglestore.com/
This is not hidden or unknown. Go to Google.com, click on “About Google” and then click on “Google Store.”
I remember this. Best item was the “I’m Feeling Lucky” undergarment.
Not exactly as I remember, but here’s an example: http://www.flic...kyuan/86504276/
hahaha. thanks for bringing back the memories. that was my favourite. when i would try to explain it to my friends and family members they’d be like, “why do i need to wear i’m feelin lucky on my crotch?” i told them to get the shirt. ugh.
I’m surprised that techy people don’t know about this store. I’ve bought t-shirt, mouse pad, yoyo (this was rubbish).
don’t be surprised. apparently TC is living under a rock.
any decent googler, google fan, tech person or tech fan knows about this store. it’s been there for as long as google’s launch.
It’s had several different versions and at one time an outside company was providing ecommerce and fulfillment services to Google. No idea if Google is doing it all in-house or not but I’ve recognized this website for probably, 8 years – maybe 10?
I can’t believe Robin and Michael didn’t know about it.
Cheers,
Doug
i like how you wrote that in that insulting “wth are you talking about” way, and then pointing out that those who don’t know about the google store are cavemen.
+10000000
-1 for the dude and like
definitely buying some Google shirts ASAP.
Well, for a bunch of Google fans, you sure are late on that one… they’ve been doing that, for oh, i don’t know…. years ??
I realized that, I wrote that it was created in 2006.
And I didn’t know it existed, else I’d have been walking around with a Google Bamboo Bean on my head for the past years.
don’t you feel cheated that you’ve only now discovered this and didn’t have the privilege of wearing your google love on some sort of apparel?
hello world
The Google Store is run for Google by GatewayCDI.
Isn’t this post from 2006? Seems like someone changed the date on it or something.
That’s the possible answer… at first I thought I’m not getting the point of finding Google store!
.asp extensions?
Talk about breaking news.
It’s been around since 2004 I think.
This is so old, I think I saw that 5 years ago… It’s like your article a few days ago on the Google Toolbar not working with Chrome…
When you have nothing to say about Google, you digg very deep to fing something
Still waiting for my T-shirts to arrive
It’s not even 5am here on the east coast, and it’s already a slow news day. Can’t wait to see what other breaking stories TC publishes today.
Same here – I’ve been ordering stuff from here since 2006. I believe this was also one of the first stores you could use Google Checkout on.
But You can’t use Google Checkout on it now?
Google is very proud of their stuff. Prices are high..IMHO
It’s been there for years, how can you not have come across it?
You might as well be writing about the brand spanking new Windows 95 Premium…
Hehe, coming right up!
Indeed this website has been out there for ever, and Google has always been using it as an example in Google Analytics training!
Old! Visited long time ago. Sick you haven’t heard about it!
I’m just not cool enough. Working on it.
It’s also accessible via http://www.goog...e.com/index.php
And is osCommerce (Open Source eCommerce System) behind the screens..
google-store.com is not the same as googlestore.com
googlestore.com is owned by google, points to google dns servers and is running on ASP.
google-store.com is owned by someone in Britain and points to enom’s DNS Servers, it’s just made to look like google’s store, but is definitely not it.
I retract this, googlestore.com running on ASP does link to google-store.com if you click Europe on the landing page.
Well, the Google merchandise was available well before 2006. In 2004 I was given a gift, “I’m feeling lucky” boxer from there.
I don’t see that there anymore though.
http://www.goog....php?topsellers
What’s hilarious is that the “Blinky Pin” is their top seller.. (poss cos its the cheapest)
no interests.
actually, I found that google maybe start to open their online b2b or c2b bussiness.
Wasn’t aware they had a merchandise store until now. I think it’s great and I will definitely get myself a cool little beenie for the forthcoming grim Swedish winter.
Sorry – this has been around for years…
Sorry – this has been around for years…back when Google was “cool”
Interestingly the Google Store does not use Google Checkout and it also uses Oscommerce (which runs PHP).
http://www.webd...oogle-checkout/
it uses Google Checkout. Does not accept PayPal. Gave up years ago cause of this bullshit.
wow, really? you don’t use stores that do not accept PayPal. that must be pretty limiting.
What was you cut Mr Arrington for the spruiking to the tech community?!
1 x lava lamp!!! (Crunchcam fire comes FREE!)
Just kidding, knew about this but I have never been able to buy a tech tee or ’soft tee’ bit too err nerdy!
Fun article though Mr Arrington.
They’ve been selling Google Goo for years, a must-have.
http://www.goog...?products_id=61
Geeks forget simple things
“There’s no mention of it on the Google corporate website” … actually, it’s 2 clicks from the Google homepage.
“About Google” link -> bottom right “Google Store”.
btw. google store has been around since 2000
http://web.arch...ooglestore.com/
This store exist since a long time my son…
Even more WTF?!?
Ing, the bank, wants to give me 15% Ing store merchandise for my birthday.
WTF is a bank doing selling orange balls, books, and shredders?
And WTF type of birthday “gift” is for Ing to try to sell me these marketing “trash & trinkets”?
“Here is some crap we couldn’t give away at our latest convention. You want buy it?”
WTF?
I think someone had make a post on a blog a few weeks ago about that…
very bad shop. i can’t believe v.bad quality shop is the google shop lolz
That’s funny. I’ve known about this store since — I feel like — before 2006, but maybe not. I think I just kinda searched for random stuff one day, and found the store. I’ve had a Blogger hoodie for years and have loved it. It’s getting pretty faded now, and I really need to get my hands on a new one.
And you guys call yourself a news site? wtf
Michael, fire this dude, and hire someone competent that will actually bring (new)s.
I don’t buy that it was made by Google — It must have been bought over possibly by Google at some point but the site uses ASP which is a Microsoft Product, and I can bet Google avoids Microsoft products like the plague.
Indeed, it’s been around for ages, but most people get the stuff for free at Christmas time if they’ve been spending money on Google AdWords or earning money as publishers via Google AdSense.
LOL
This is too old!!!
Microsoft already has a store selling their merchandise: https://shop.ec...tore/login.aspx
I can believe who, other than employee, want a MSFT tshirt?
I actually remember browsing the items on the Google store (not sure if they called it that then or not) at least as early as 2002–so its been around for quite a while now.
I bought my Google coffee mug from there.
I most love the descriptive text that goes with each item…
“Now that your site’s a number one search result, you can’t show your face without being hounded by fans. Not to worry. This classic fleece hooded pullover sweatshirt shields you from scrutiny as it protects you from the elements.”
Eh?
The google store has existed for a long long time. I bought a Google tie-dye inspired by their chef at the time (former grateful dead chef) back in 2002.
Isn’t this store for those who want to pretend they got stuff from Google at conventions.
“No, man. I got this from ‘Google.’ Yeah, we’re tight like that.”
Um. This store was up at Google when I started working there in 1999 and took over responsibility for it. We had a lot of problems with keeping it online because 2 vendors went bankrupt before we moved the hosting in house and had Gateway CDI take over the fulfillment. So yeah, you’re about a decade behind on this one…
Robin,
we wrote about this in early 2007 and called out various bugs with the store and other blunders. Not much progress has been made since.
http://www.vari...ses-oscommerce/
roy
Great…now I have two Google shirts and I’m not sure why – thanks.