Online marketplace OnBuy turns to Google Cloud for expertise in cloud management, data analytics and AI

OnBuy, a UK-based online marketplace, has announced a new collaboration with Google Cloud.

This will enable OnBuy to leverage a range of Google Cloud products and services - including infrastructure, data storage, and managed services - with the aim of improving both seller and customer experiences, reducing costs and building new revenue streams. 

Some key products and services of the collaboration include Google Cloud’s Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), which allows OnBuy to deploy a virtual network that spans all regions, helping to secure and segregate its infrastructure.

In addition, Cloud Storage provides it with fast, low cost, and highly durable storage for its data, while Cloud SQL manages its databases, enabling the business to run without disruption.  

The migration to Google Cloud will also allow OnBuy to experiment with AI and generative AI tools for various applications across the business.

For example, the team is exploring how the AI platform, Vertex AI, can train a product auto-categorisation algorithm to look at new and unseen product titles to predict the category they should be in at scale. 

“We turned to Google Cloud because we were looking for a like-minded, fast moving tech company that could complement our rapidly growing business,” says Cas Paton, Founder and CEO, OnBuy. 

“Most importantly, we needed a platform that we could trust with our data, which is hugely important to us, both as a business and as part of our commitment to our customers. We are excited for Google Cloud to support us on our mission to change online retail for the better, with the power and flexibility to support the adoption of new tools and systems in the future.”

Adrian Poole, UKI Digital Natives, Google Cloud, comments: “The online retail market is undergoing significant modernisation, and it is great to see how our expertise in cloud management, data analytics, and AI is supporting important industry players like OnBuy to navigate this change. We believe we can be a critical innovation partner at this pivotal time in OnBuy’s growth journey.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Online retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.