As the holiday shopping season approaches, google is enhancing its shopping experience with new features designed to make in-store shopping smarter, easier, and more informed. Building on the success of its google Lens visual search tool, the tech giant is introducing a series of updates aimed at bridging the gap between online research and physical store visits. With the addition of price comparisons, product insights, and local inventory availability, google is positioning itself as a valuable shopping companion for consumers navigating both the wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital and brick-and-mortar retail worlds.

Google Lens Gets Smarter for In-Store Shopping

The latest updates to google Lens are designed to take the guesswork out of in-store shopping. By leveraging its AI-powered capabilities, Lens now allows users to snap a photo of a product in a physical store and instantly access key information such as product reviews, price comparisons, and stock availability at nearby retailers.

For example, if you’re browsing toys at Target and see one that catches your eye, simply use google Lens to capture the product. The tool will provide reviews and ratings, suggest similar items, and even show whether the same toy is priced lower at other stores like amazon or Walmart. Additionally, google Lens will let you know if the product is available in other nearby locations, so you can avoid making a special trip to another store.

This functionality is powered by Google’s Shopping Graph, which indexes more than 45 billion product listings, and its advanced gemini AI models, ensuring that the product information delivered is up-to-date and accurate. As Google’s Vice President of Consumer Shopping Product, Lilian Rincon, explained, “There’s nothing like the magic of in-store shopping during the holidays, and at the same time, we’ve all come to rely on reading reviews, comparing prices, and researching before buying.” The new tool aims to merge the best of both worlds by offering essential product details that can help consumers make confident, informed decisions right in the store.

Retailer Partnerships and Availability

The feature will initially support categories such as beauty products, toys, and electronics, and will be available at select retailers that share their local inventory data with Google. Retail partners include major chains like Target, Ulta beauty, Sally beauty Supply, Macy’s, and Nordstrom, with plans to expand the list in the future. The service is set to roll out in the coming weeks, and it’s expected to be especially popular during the busy holiday shopping period.

Google Maps and Shopping: A New Way to Find local Products

Alongside the Lens update, google is also making significant changes to its google Maps platform, further enhancing the shopping experience. Starting soon, users will be able to search for specific products directly in Maps and get information about which nearby stores carry them.

For example, if you’re hunting for a holiday sweater, you can search for that specific item in Maps and see which stores near you currently have it in stock. This feature will also extend to categories like home goods, electronics, clothing, and groceries, making it easier to find the products you want without endless searching or driving around. The feature will be available in the U.S. in the coming weeks, providing an invaluable tool for consumers looking to buy products quickly and locally.

More Buy Now, Pay Later Options via google Pay

In response to the growing popularity of flexible payment options, google is also expanding its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) capabilities within google Pay. After introducing partnerships with Affirm and Zip earlier this year, google pay is now adding Afterpay as a payment option, with support for Klarna coming soon. These BNPL options give consumers greater flexibility to spread out payments over time, an increasingly important consideration for shoppers during the holiday season.

With the addition of these payment choices, google pay is becoming a more comprehensive tool for users who want to manage their spending, especially during big shopping events like Black friday and Cyber Monday. The integration of BNPL options also provides an added layer of convenience for users who are accustomed to using google pay for both in-store and online transactions.

Fighting Fraud: Google’s New Merchant Tools

In addition to these consumer-facing features, google is also piloting a new service aimed at helping merchants reduce fraud and streamline transactions. This tool will assist businesses in identifying fraudulent transactions while minimizing the chance of legitimate transactions being mistakenly flagged as fraud. By helping merchants better distinguish between genuine and fraudulent activity, google aims to create a smoother, safer shopping experience for everyone involved.

A Seamless Shopping Experience for the Modern Consumer

Google’s updates to google Lens, Maps, and google pay are designed to give consumers a more connected, streamlined shopping experience—whether they’re shopping from home or in a physical store. By providing easy access to product insights, price comparisons, local availability, and flexible payment options, google is helping shoppers make smarter, more informed decisions. With these tools in place, consumers can navigate the holiday shopping season with confidence, knowing they’re getting the best deal and the most accurate product information available.

As google continues to refine and expand these features, it’s clear that the company is setting the stage for a new era of smarter, more personalized shopping experiences—both online and in-store.