Google is at it again.  According to the Google Operating System Blog, an unofficial source of news and tips about Google, the search engine giant will soon be launching Google Trusted Stores.  This new service is designed to make it "easy for online shoppers to identify stores that provide an excellent online shopping experience."

I have to wonder how closely this will be tied to the reviews a business receives.  Or perhaps, it will be a reflection of a business' AdWord spend or a completely separate offering.  There is a lot of speculation on what this new feature will really entail since the landing page google.com/trustedstores isn't live.

If I had to guess, I'd say Trusted Stores will be similar to what already exists in the automotive industry: all businesses will be a part of the offering, using reviews to help rank which are more "trusted" than others.  And of course, an option for businesses to pay to be a highlighted trusted source.

What do you think?  Is this another way to force businesses to focus on Google Reviews, or could this be a valuable way to differentiate your auto dealership from those around you?