Google is set to make its big move in retailing to challenge Amazon.com, eBay and others.

The search giant said that Google Base will be a platform for retailers and others to offer goods and services, according to a report in the Financial Times.

In that sense, it will rival Amazon, which has recently attracted giants such as Marks & Spencer and Borders to its site, although it remains unclear whether Google will also offer Amazon-style back-office outsourcing.

Google may struggle to attract successful brands online, but smaller firms, laggards or companies underperforming online could be lured by potential customer reach.

“It’s providing retailers with another channel but we don’t know how much control they will have,” said Andrew McClelland, marketing director at online retail trade group the IMRG.

However, others said the service is currently skeletal.

“This is not e-commerce, it’s just online advertising,” said Paul MacGregor of project consultancy PIPC.

The US version of Google Base is currently in testing.