Google Improvises on Bringing Local Product Inventory Online

Nov 16, 2010 04:20 AM | Comments (0) | POST COMMENT

Google is not the first who brought this concept of online influencing offline purchase. Instead this story was prevailing from quite a long time back where many companies have tried their hands in connecting online search with offline purchase of a product. Here is the list of those companies who worked on helping consumers to find products in their locality stores online:


Shopatron
Krillion
ShopLocal
Retailigence
NearbyNow
Milo
Clarinova
Goodzer


Though, all these companies have acquired distinct approaches to the Local Product Inventory Problem.


But Google’s trial transformed into succession because of its visibility, influential power and trust among users. Not only this, Google also highlights the stores that have a “wide selection” of the desired item.


Google has had put its effort earlier also. About five years back, company tried bringing local inventory online by partnering itself with a company called StepUp Commerce, and ShopLocal. But Google discontinued this after a very short period of time. Again, around a year ago, Google announced to introduce new feature where Google would show products that were available in stock in the nearby shops, which was made live in March this year. But today, Google’s attempt is much wider than what it did earlier. It has broadened the exposure of product data by making it viewable online, in mobile and on Android too. Google is claiming to include as many as products it can after associating itself to a long list of small and large retailers. To collect data, Google uses software called “plug-in” that works with Google’s inventory software and in turn facilitates data delivery to Google. Google also gets data through direct retailer feeds.  


Google said that apart from improvising local search for product availability this holiday season, it will soon roll out two new features called “Popular products” and “aisles”: This idea was borrowed from brick and mortar stores which will help people discover new products and learn more about them.


According to Google, introducing ‘Local availability on Google Product Search’ was just an attempt to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping. Where, a recent study has revealed that about 93% of shopping takes place through brick and mortar shops but 46% of them is influenced by online. Users do find products online, compare their prices, read review and check their availability in their locality to get one they desire for, before purchasing them from a brick and mortar shop.

Have a Good Day!

Maneet Puri

E Commerce Website Development