Google adds e-commerce to Google Base

Google is adding e-commerce transaction capabilities to its Google Base consolidated web content platform.

Users will be able to buy products and services included in Google Base with their credit cards for the first time.

As Google Base will now involve sellers and buyers coming together to complete electronic transactions, the platform will now inevitably be seen as a potential smaller rival to online trading giant eBay.

Google Base has been in test mode by Google since last November, and is designed to let users post all kinds of content to the search engine's index.

As a growing portion of the content posted on Google Base is items for sale, Google has decided to facilitate transactions.

Users will be able to buy items via their Google Accounts, which require users to sign-up to a free account using a valid e-mail address and password.