Google starts trialling Google Shopping Express, its same-day local delivery service in San Francisco

Google has started trialling a same-day delivery service to rival Amazon Prime and eBay Now, called Google Shopping Express, in San Francisco.

It’s a limited pilot for now, although anyone can register their interest in the service by filling out an online form here.

Testers will be given a free six-month membership for unlimited same-day delivery with the following reputable brands and local retailers; Office Depot, Staples, American Eagle, Target, Walgreens, Toys “R” Us, Blue Bottle Coffee, Raley’s Nob Hill Food and Palo Alto Toy & Sport.

Consumers will almost certainly need to pay for the service when Google gives it an official launch, but so far no details on this have emerged. Reports have suggested, however, that Google Shopping Express will be $10 or $15 cheaper than Amazon Prime, pegging it at roughly $69 or $64 for a 12-month subscription.

As with Amazon Prime, the premise behind the service makes an awful lot of sense. One of the only downsides to ordering a product online is that you have to wait a considerable amount of time before it reaches your door. Consumers can often pay a premium for next-day delivery, but the end-goal has always been to offer a same-day service.

Google says that with its new service, testers will be able to find all of their local stores in a single place online. They can also choose a specific time period for when the package is delivered, which should be really handy if you’re at work or want to pop out to run some chores.

Tom Fallows, Product Management Director at Google Shopping Express, announced the trial earlier today but emphasized that it was still “incredibly early days” for the service.

“We’re still working out our long-term pricing plan,” he admitted. “(But) hopefully, no more trips across town for simple errands.”

Google says the pilot will expand as soon as “we work out the kinks”, so keep your eyes peeled for a much wider release across the US.

Image Credit: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images