BRIDGEVIEW, IL — A suburban flooring business owner is going toe-to-toe with tech giant Google, claiming its advertising practices are costing his company millions — and he’s not alone in his frustration.
Royal Home Flooring, based in Bridgeview, has built its customer base on Google Ads, social media marketing, and word-of-mouth referrals. But owner Salah Abukhaled said despite producing high-quality videos and maintaining strong service, the skyrocketing cost of digital advertising is threatening his business.
“I knew if I want to go ahead and succeed in this business, I have to be on the web,” said Abukhaled.
High-Stakes Spending
Over the last nine years, Abukhaled said he’s paid Google millions of dollars for ad placement tied to keywords like “flooring” and customer location.
But starting in 2023, those costs escalated dramatically. Between April and August 2023, his company paid Google $257 per click, totaling $693,000. That figure jumped to nearly $1 million during the same period in 2024, with some clicks costing $673 each.
“Why am I paying this much?” he questioned.
Smart Bidding, Big Charges
The increase came after Abukhaled opted into Google’s Smart Bidding system, a strategy that promises better conversion rates. But what it lacked, he says, was price transparency.
Google’s public documentation for Smart Bidding doesn’t include clear pricing details — a problem for small business owners like Abukhaled trying to manage their budgets.
“We struggle enough as business owners. The cost of materials is going up. Labor is going up too,” he said. “And when your advertising cost is going to go up, who’s going to eat it at the end of the day? It’s the end consumer.”
A Cycle Without Answers
When Abukhaled tried to understand his ballooning costs through Google’s customer support, he described the experience as an “infinite loop” of unanswered questions.
He filed a credit card dispute over the ad charges — which led to Google immediately suspending his account.
Despite this, he’s still using Google Ads. Why? Because there’s no viable alternative, he said.
“Google owns about 95% of the search market. Where else can I go?” said Abukhaled, who feels forced to continue paying whatever Google demands.
Legal Showdown
Abukhaled’s demand for relief now joins a wave of legal scrutiny against Google. The U.S. Department of Justice has filed two antitrust lawsuits, both successful as of April, arguing that Google is a monopoly that must be broken up.
Royal Home Flooring is now pursuing arbitration, alleging a “breach of good faith and fair dealing” and “potentially deceptive conduct” by Google.
“When I tell people I’m going after Google, they think it’s a joke,” he said. “But I’m serious. I know I’m not alone.”
Google declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing dispute, and referred CBS News Chicago to previous statements denying monopoly behavior.
Do you run a small business and rely on Google Ads? Have you seen pricing changes or struggled to get support? Share your experiences in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com — your voice matters in this digital economy debate.
