'What is Google Express？': A guide to Google's online shopping service

Google Express is an online shopping site with a selection similar to Amazon, but the shopping experience is more akin to searching with Google than browsing on Amazon. There's no subscription or membership fee, and most orders over about $15 can include free delivery. Most Google Express items are delivered within about three days, with same-day and overnight delivery available from many stores.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Google Express is an online shopping service owned, as the name implies, by Google. Meant to compete with Amazon, Google Express is akin to a virtual mall that offers products from thousands of retailers, both online-only and brick-and-mortar. Indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to find a store that isn't represented on Google Express, from Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Walgreens, to Society6 and Shoes.com. Notably absent, of course, is Amazon and retailers owned by Amazon, like Zappos. How to order from Google ExpressYou can explore the Google Express storefront in a web browser on your computer. You can also browse the store using the Google Express app for the iPhone or the Google Express app for Android. When you use Google Express, though, be prepared for a slightly different experience than what you get on Amazon. Yes, you can browse products by store or category, but since this store is powered by Google technology, the site's real strength is in search. You can search for products by name (“Xbox”) or by its general description (“cookies”). Product pages contain full descriptions and reviews, like you may be used to on other sites like Amazon. That's not all – you can also use voice commands to place an order. In much the same way that you can place orders to Amazon verbally with an Amazon Echo, you can tell a Google smart speaker like the Google Home to place orders for you. And if you have Google Assistant configured on your phone, you can order by voice there as well. Just say, “OK Google, order some cookies,” and your phone will display items that you can choose to add to your cart. Google will even let you know when you've ordered enough items to qualify for free delivery. What Google Express offersGiven the vast array of stores that are a part of Google Express, you can find an astonishing array of products. Google Express has almost two-dozen categories, including groceries, electronics, healthy & beauty, toys & games, office supplies, pet supplies, and automotives. In general, if you can find an item in a Target, Costco, or Best Buy, you can expect to find it on Google Express. Google Express delivery timesGoogle Express offers quick delivery, ranging from same day to three-day delivery, depending upon the store and your geographic location. In general, you can expect overnight or two-day delivery on most orders. Google warns, though, that delivery can take a week or more in the case of some stores. What Google Express costsThere is no membership or subscription service for Google Express, so it has no annual or monthly fee. Delivery is free for many purchases over $15 (or $25 to $35, depending upon the retailer) and there's no subscription fee, making it an attractive option compared to Amazon Prime or a membership retailer like Costco. If you don't order enough to qualify for free delivery, you'll pay between $5 to $7 for delivery, depending upon whether the items are shipped by Google or the retailer.Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:How to change your Google password, or recover it if you've forgotten itHow to change your default Google accountI just cleared out my Gmail using a simple trick that took only a few minutes — here's how to do itHow to change your Google username's display in Gmail