Google updates Product Search in time for the holidays

By Jeff Hughes November 23, 2011

Google officially announced an update for its product search feature, which is good timing for the upcoming holiday shopping rampage. The company has overhauled its Product Search, a comparison shopping tool, creating a fuller, more intuitive experience and incorporating popular features from the recently shuttered Boutiques.com.

There are two main changes to note from Google’s update: ‘Best match’ and ‘Popular products’. The ‘Best match’ feature is fairly self-explanatory; Google does its best to pick out the product it thinks you want. If, for example, you type in: PowerShot SD14000, Google will show its pick at the top of the pages, with less relevant matches below.

The ‘Popular products’ feature helps along research for those who don’t have a specific product in mind. A general search term, for example ‘netbook’, will generate a list that ranks the most popular netbooks , and from there Google suggests ways to refine the search to find your perfect match.

Along with the two main additions, Google is offering more information on products. Clicking on a product takes users to a page offering product spec, prices, customer reviews and even local availability. Product features has also been updated, so if you click on the tab for features you’ll notice a product information bar hovering at the top of your screen which contains basic info about the product you’re researching.

red pumps — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Shoe shoppers will particularly benefit from the update. The former Likes.com team has incorporated another Boutique.com lesson as with dresses. Shoe searches get larger product images and give you the option of searching by brand, color, style and more. Product pages for shoes will also give you suggestions for similar styles.

This isn’t relegated to home searches either, don’t forget that there is a mobile version of Google Product Search when you’re out scurrying through store aisles for deals.

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I'm a SF Bay Area-based writer/ninja that loves anything geek, tech, comic, social media or gaming-related.

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