With the holidays fast approaching, Google decided it was a good time to announce nine new shopping tools and features. During the announcement, Google said the intent was to drive a more immersive, personalized experience. Let’s dive in.
1. Search with the word “shop”
In the US, when you search for the word “shop” followed by the item you’re looking for, you’ll access the visual feed of products, tools, and inventory for that product. The shoppable search experience is also being expanded beyond apparel to electronics, beauty, and more, to additional regions for both mobile and desktop.
2. Shop the look
This new tool will allow you to see options of where to buy the products you see in search. The “shop the look” feature show links to the exact product you’re searching for, plus complementary pieces and where to buy them.
This feature was first announced in 2016.
3. See what’s trending
A new feature in Search, trending products shows you products that are popular right now in a specific category. U.S. shoppers will be able to use the new feature later this fall, but no specific date has been provided.
4. Shop in 3D
Google says people engage with 3D images almost 50% more than static ones. 3D visuals of home goods were launched earlier this year, and soon you’ll be able to see 3D visuals of shoes, starting with sneakers.
To give merchants and advertisers better access to 3D visuals, Google also launched a new automated 360-degree spin feature that can be accessed by using a “handful” of static photos. The new technology will become available in the coming months.
5. Get help with complex purchases
A new buying guide will share helpful insights about a category from a wide range of trusted resources. If you’re purchasing a large or expensive item, the buying guide may show you specs about weight, materials, features, sizes, and more.
The new buying guide recently launched in the U.S. and new insight categories are “coming soon.”
6. See what other shoppers think
A new feature in the Google app gives you helpful context about a webpage you’re on or a product you’re searching like pros and cons, and star ratings, all in one view.
Page insights will launch in the U.S. in the coming months.
7. Get personalized results
You’ll soon see more personalized results based on your previous shopping habits. You’ll also have the option to set your preferences and turn off personalized controls.
When you’re shopping on Google you can make your selections on preferred stores and brands to see more of those in the future. If you no longer want to see those personalized results, or your preferences change, you can adjust that feature or even turn it off completely.
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8. Shop your way with new filters
Whole page shopping filters on Search are now dynamic and adapt based o real-time Search trends. For example, if you’re searching for jeans, you could see filters for “wide-leg” and “bootcut” because they’re popular, but even those could change over time.
Dynamic filters are available in the US, Japan, and India, and will be launched to more regions in the future.
9. Inspiration beyond the Search box
Using Discover in the Google app, you’ll see suggested styles based on what you’ve been shopping for, and what others have searched for too.
Dig deeper. You can read the full announcement from Google here.
Why we care. Advertisers gearing up for the holiday season should ensure that their ads, images, merchant accounts, and stores are ready for these new features. Shoppers will have more choices, styles, and stores to choose from, so retailers will need to step up their game if they want to stand out.
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