Gaynelle Grover, whose blog I’ve just begun to read, has a good point about Google Video Store and why folks are not so happy with it. In short, it’s because it’s called a store, but it doesn’t act like a store.
I agree. Stores have merchandising, special offers, architecture based on consumer flow. Stores are not driven by the principles of organic search. Stores are driven by the dollar, and so is search within stores. Consumers expect this, and put on a different lens when they know they are in a “store.” This is new to Google. But give the company time. I’d willing to bet it will figure this out, and quick.
UPDATE: This has also gotten me thinking about brand and product marketing, which is again, something Google does not really do (save B2B AdWords and a little B2B print). But if Google wants to play in music, books, video – all areas it is already playing in – it will have to market, and market well, the way that so far is has not had to.