I need to confess something. I am a little obsessed with Google. It’s so bad that the other day someone mentioned they set their home screen to Google and I thought, doesn’t everyone? Yup, rather than setting my home screen to JustaBXmom.com I have it set to Google. Isn’t that something? Now, my devotion goes beyond the search engine. As I type, my Google Nest is playing music in the background, my Google mini woke me up this morning and I need to remember to backup my photos to my Google Photos app since my computer still won’t connect to my phone. Anyway, I felt the need to share my devotion to Google with you so that you can get why I’m loving this new feature.
Google Shopping is here to make our lives easier. How many times have you gone to Google to search for a product? I know I’ve used it to price compare just about every time that I go online shopping. Now, I can do it from the security of Google. Google is working with merchants so that now you can comparison shop, both big and small brands and even check out directly from them. Yup, that makes trying new brands feel less scary. Don’t listen to me though. Check out the eight features of Google Shopping directly from their mouths (or the press release that I received after attending an event showcasing the features live).
NEW: Buy directly on Google for easy checkout and green shipping ( I already shared about this but keep reading to find out about a discount)
Whenever you see the colorful cart icon on the new Google Shopping page, it means you can buy directly on Google. Google guarantees a smooth checkout process and quality customer service – including returns if something goes wrong. To introduce this new feature Google Shopping is offering a 20% discount (up to $20 off, valid 9/30 – 11/3) for first-time users: just use the code SHOPNEW19 at checkout. Google is also helping consumers shop green with a new commitment to offset 100% of the carbon emissions for shipping purchases made directly on Google.
NEW: Shop smarter with price tracking (This is one of my favorite features)
Similar to tracking flight fares, you can now find the product you want to buy and turn on “price track” in the product details page with a simple click. Google will track specific products, so you’re notified only of the item you want, like shoes of a specific color and size. Then, when the price of that specific item drops, you will receive a notification on your phone and through email.
See what’s in stock at stores nearby
December 24th is here and all your shopping is done! Except… uh oh, you forgot to order that Lego set for your favorite niece. With local results on Google Shopping, you’ll see which stores nearby sell what you‘re looking for and whether they have it in stock, so you can get what you need when you need it.
Find great deals with price comparison (We talked about this too but since it’s about saving money let’s go over it in detail)
Finding the best price for an item you want can take time, and you often don’t know what you’re going to pay for tax and shipping until you get all the way to checkout. But thanks to the price grid on Google Shopping, you can see the total price offered by stores across the web and the real world, including any extra charges at checkout. Just open up the product details page for whatever you’re browsing and Google will make your deal hunting a snap.
NEW: Get ideas and see product availability on Google Images (I use Google images so much. I’m going to go broke because of this)
Google Images is a great place to get ideas for which product to buy, with results across the web available in seconds. To help you be more informed as you explore products on Google Images, we’re adding availability information to the search results page, so you know if that product you’re looking at is actually in stock.
Browse style ideas with Google Lens (This is such a fun addition)
Not sure if that coat you see in stores will work with your fall wardrobe? Just fire up Google Lens, point your camera at the coat, and scroll down to style ideas. Voila! You’re greeted with a set of outfit ideas to match the jacket, so you can see how others are (or aren’t) pulling off the look.
Explore deeper with Lens on Google Images
When you’re browsing on Google Images, you might see something inside of an image that grabs your interest, but you don’t know what it is or, if it’s a product, where you can buy it. On the mobile web and Google app, you can use Lens in Google Images to learn more about what you see. Just tap on the Lens button after selecting an image and Lens will identify objects in the image you might want to learn more about. Tap on one of them and Lens will show you similar images so you can keep exploring.
See popular products on Search (I hope this feature doesn’t make blogs obsolete)
You’ve heard from your friends that retinol serum is the best thing you can buy for your skin, but there are so many different ones out there that it’s hard to know where to start. When you search for products on Google Search by their general category (“retinol serum,” in this case), you’ll see a module that shows popular products. You can click on the products that interest you and find out more details, right on Google.
Which of these features do you think you will use the most?
