This new Google Maps feature is a game-changer for me

I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about a Google Maps feature. Announced last week, it’s called Products Nearby and is designed to find specific products in the area of choice and check if they are in stock.

While it may seem like just another random feature at first glance, I think it offers tons of value, especially since it will save time when on a hunt for a specific item. However, there’s a catch.

Why is it a game-changer for me

When I was on holiday in Budapest, Hungary, a few years ago, my beard trimmer died on me the very first morning I was there. I needed a new one, and fast. Easier said than done when you’re in a city you’ve never been to before. I didn’t know which electronics stores sell them, where they are located, or if they even have the specific model I’m looking for in stock.

After researching this on Google extensively, I found a store that was 20 minutes away and sold the product I wanted, but I didn’t know whether it was in stock or not since that wasn’t listed on the company’s website. I just went there and hoped for the best. Of course, they didn’t have it, but the staff directed me to one of their other locations in the city that did. It took an extra trip across town and got what I wanted in the end. Problem solved.

Things would have been a lot easier for me that day if Products Nearby had already existed. It would have saved me a lot of time and hassle, as I’d be able to find the exact product I was looking for in Google Maps in a matter of minutes. No in-depth online research or extra trips across town needed. Getting stuff like this done fast while traveling is especially important since I’d rather get lost in a new city than lost in a sea of electronics stores, hunting for a product.

I also see myself using this feature when shopping for last-minute gifts during the holiday season or for someone’s birthday. Whether looking for a specific item, brand, or something more general like smartphones, Maps will show me all the items in stock, their prices, and even directions to the store. For someone like me who hates shopping for gifts — and shopping in general — this is a game-changer.

It’s worth pointing out that a basic version of this feature has been available in Maps for a while now. You can search for a product, and Maps will show you the stores in the selected area that sell it. However, that’s all the info you get. You can’t see which products exactly they are selling, what their prices are, or whether they are in stock, making it pretty useless for me personally.

It’s already live, but not really

Products Nearby is technically already live, however, for it to work properly, retailers have to start using it. Google can’t pull up their inventories from thin air, and this is where the problem lies.

If retailers don’t upload their inventories and keep them up-to-date, the feature loses much of its appeal. At this point, it’s hard to say how many retailers will actually use this feature, although I’d imagine many will try it out since it has the potential to increase sales and is free to use. Time will tell.

I’ve tried searching for various products in different cities in the US and across Europe but haven’t found any listings yet. The feature just went live a week ago, so it may take time before retailers implement it as part of their marketing efforts. But when that happens, I’ll be the first in line to start using it.