With more people expected to do their Christmas shopping online, search giant Google has beefed up its Product Search service to help bargain hunters. Google Shopping team senior product manager Andrew Poon said the improvements should make shoppers feel more confident in their purchases. "This holiday season, many of us will be using our smartphones to research products when we’re out and about.
With the mobile version of Google Product Search, you can get instant access to detailed product information, reviews, and prices wherever you are," Poon said in a blog post. Poon said the new "Best match" feature highlights the products Google thinks a shopper is looking for even faster. He also said "Popular products" will be appearing for more searches. "Over the past few months, we’ve added popularity ranking to more search results pages, like wireless routers, heart rate monitors, vacuum cleaners, toddler car seats, and many more," he said. Poon said there will also be more rich information to help shoppers with their research. He said the "Product Features" section of the product page has been updated to help shoppers interpret detailed product specs. There will also be a product info bar at the top of the page that contains basic information about the product, and remains in place as one scrolls down the page. Additionally, the product page now also displays the date that the product first appeared on Google Product Search, so it will be easy to tell if one is viewing a newer or older product model. Poon said they also improved the apparel shopping experience. "As with dresses, when you click on a particular shoe, the product page displays visually similar styles giving you more products to browse and consider as you shop," he said. Meanwhile, using mobile phones to browse for gift ideas may be easier on the new curated Mobile Product Search homepage. "If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands in line at the mall or simply need more gift ideas, get inspired by browsing the new curated homepage for Mobile Product Search. To access the page, open the Google Search app and select the ‘Shopping’ tab. We update this page regularly, so check back frequently for seasonal gift ideas, fashion trends, and more," he said. — TJD, GMA News
