Google is connecting mobile and brick-and-mortar retail by letting consumers see whether an item is in stock at nearby stores, all through the search results on their smartphone.
The service went live on Thursday, featuring inventory checks from Sears, Best Buy, Williams-Sonoma, and Pottery Barn. Consumers can access the feature by clicking on the "shopping results" link in their search results. They will see a blue dot in their search results if the item they're searching for is available in a nearby store, according to Google.
The service is currently available on the iPhone, Palm WebOS phones, and Android-powered devices. The new retail inventory feature is the latest in a line of mobile search applications from Google. Earlier this year, the search giant unveiled a "near me now" search tool that used the GPS system commonly found in smartphones to help locate local restaurants and services.
