With the holiday shopping season arriving soon, Google Lens is becoming a perfect in-store shopping companion.
Find Out More About a Product
Starting today, in the Google app for iOS and Android in the United States, you can use Google Lens to find out more about a product.
After snapping an image of a product, you can see information about it, similar products in stock, if the store’s price is competitive compared to other in-store or online shopping outlets, and shopper reviews.
The feature will be available for use with beauty products, toys, or electronics at stores of all sizes that share local store inventory with Google. To use the feature, select the Lens icon in the Search bar. You’ll also need to make sure you’ve opted-in to sharing a precise location.
“Seventy-two percent of Americans say they use their smartphone while shopping in-store, and more than half say they’ve left a store empty-handed because they didn’t feel confident enough to buy,” said Lilian Rincon, Vice President of Product for Google Shopping. “This new feature can give shoppers the information and confidence they need to make a decision on the spot.”
The new update is made by advancements in Google’s AI image recognition technology, including Gemini models.
Shoppers will also soon be able to use Google Maps to search for a product, like a festive sweater, and find nearby stores that carry it.
Google Lens Continues to Add New Features
Google has quickly been adding a new host of features to Lens. Just last week, Google announced that you can now add text along with an image when using Lens in the Chrome browser for iPhone and iPad. Doing that can provide more relevant search results to help you locate exactly what you’re looking for.
When shopping online in Chrome, you can also make use of a new Shopping Insights feature to locate the best deal. Choose the “Good deal now” notification and see price history, price tracking, and more online buying options.
While I’ve never thought about using Lens while shopping in-store, being able to snap a quick picture of something I’m looking to purchase and see more information makes the technology perfect for long shopping trips.
