Google is offering to be the middleman for customer service for online shoppers with its newly launched product Google Trusted Stores.

Google Trusted Stores will receive badges on their sites that to let shoppers see store-specific shipping and customer service metrics while on the site.

If a purchase goes wrong, the shopper can contact Google for help, who will then act on the shoppers behalf to resolve any customer issues with the merchant. However, Google still suggests that customers who do have issues with their purchases contact the merchant first before contacting Google.

The first sites participating in this voluntary program for online retailers are O.co, Wayfair, BabyAge.com, and Beach Audio.

Online retailers must opt-in to the program to receive a badge. Google will collect customer service feedback from shoppers when they contact Google about problems they have.

UPDATE: A Google Spokesperson said it is still to early to tell if retailers will adopt the program and opt-in with their metrics on a grand scale, but the company plans to continually evaluate the program over the coming months.

When users purchase an item from a Google Trusted store they will be able select free purchase protection to allow shoppers to go to Google with any issues related to their purchases. Google is also offering up to $1K lifetime purchase protection for eligible items.

SCREENSHOT

When shoppers hover over a Google Trusted Store badge they will see imporant information about the stores shipping history and customer service.

CONTACTS

Google Trusted Stores
Website: http://www.google.com/trustedstores/

Tom Fallows, Google Commerce Team Group Product Manager
Google+: https://plus.google.com/111522107654425215044