Google Commerce

Taste, cook, and dine with local celebrity chefs with Google Offers’ Chef Exclusives in Austin and Dallas, TX

2012-05-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Whether they’re licking BBQ off their fingers or enjoying gourmet food truck eats, we’re pretty sure the thing Texans love most (maybe after football) is quality, locally-crafted food. To showcase that, Google Offers has set the table for Chef Exclusives, a series of inspired culinary experiences with chefs from acclaimed local restaurants in Austin and Dallas. For the next few weeks, customers will be able to purchase offers to join chefs for everything from cooking demonstrations at the chef’s home to a four-course brunch and cooking lesson with an executive chef.

The series kicks off on May 30th in Austin where we have 11 chefs from top-notch restaurants lined up. The first offer features celebrity chef and James Beard Award-winner, Tyson Cole (you might recognize his name from the Food Network's Iron Chef America). As the owner and executive chef of Uchiko, Cole will host Google Offers customers for a seven-course dinner in the restaurant’s private dining room.

Dallas will feature 12 experiences with chefs from the city’s finest restaurants, starting with none other than Top Chef’s own Tre Wilcox on June 11th. Wilcox, the executive chef at Village Marquee Grill & Bar, will give a cooking lesson and demonstration before enjoying a four-course brunch with the lucky group of Offers customers.

Even if you don’t live in Austin or Dallas you can spend time with both Tyson Cole and Tre Wilcox, as we've partnered with Zagat to host Google+ Hangouts with the chefs on the days their Google Offer launches. To join Tyson's Hangout, visit Zagat’s Google+ page and comment on this post to let them know you’d like an invite to the Hangout and return back on May 30th to try to grab one of the open spots. Even if you don't get to participate, you can sit back and watch the Hangout to indulge your inner chef.

To subscribe to Google Offers in Austin, Dallas and other locations across the U.S., please visit: www.google.com/offers. And follow our Google+ Page for updates from the Google Offers team.

Posted by Gary Heitz, Program Manager, Google Offers

Discover Google Offers near you in Google Maps for Android

2012-05-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re navigating the streets of your hometown or exploring a new city, getting from “point A” to “point B” is a breeze with Google Maps for mobile. With today’s release of Google Maps 6.7 for Android in the U.S., you can see all the Google Offers near you in list or map form, making it easy to get great deals from local businesses on the go.

Now, even more great deals are just around the corner
The next time you’re looking for things to do or places to eat nearby, open Google Maps for Android and see if there’s an offer nearby. Tap “Maps” to open the dropdown menu and then tap “Offers” to see offers on your map. You’ll see all the businesses offering deals near your current location, marked with the blue Google Offers “tag.” You can also view these offers in a list and choose to get notifications for offers nearby, so you’ll never miss a great deal.

Browse the available offers in maps or in “results list” and get notifications for offers nearby.

Super simple savings on the go
If an offer catches your eye, click on it to learn more. You’ll see offers that can be purchased for later use and offers that can be used instantly for free. For these offers, just tap “Use now” if you’re ready to redeem, then show it to the nice person behind the counter when you’re ready to check out.

If you’re not ready to use your offer, just press “Save for later.”

All of your saved or purchased offers can be found in the “My Offers” section of Google Maps for Android, or on the Google Offers homepage.

So, the next time you’re zooming around town, put your street smarts to work and uncover the great deals and discounts around you using Google Maps for Android.

If you’re a business owner and would like learn more about reaching customers near you with Google Offers, please visit: www.google.com/offers/business/start

Posted by Eric Rosenblum, Director of Product Management, Google Offers

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas from Google Offers

2012-05-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mother’s day is right around the corner—have you started shopping yet? Look no further. Find the perfect gift for Mom this Mother’s Day from Google Offers. From traditional gifts for moms who like flowers, fragrance and jewelry, to gourmet goodies for foodies, and pashminas for fashionistas, Google Offers has gifts for every mom, at the right price.

Here’s the scoop on our hand-picked gifts, created with moms in mind:

Flowers:
CalyxFlowers.com: $40 for $80 toward bouquets & flowering plants
CalyxFlowers.com works with premier growers from around the world, so you’re sure to find all of Mom’s preferred petals, from sweet-smelling roses and lavish, pastel peonies to exotic orchids.

Jewelry:
PearlsOfJoy.com: $49 for a freshwater pearl necklace with silver clasp ($99.99 value)
Adorn Mom with a strand of luminous freshwater pearls that she’ll treasure on her special day and for years to come.

bamboopink: $50 for $100 toward fashion jewelry
You’ll find the perfect Mother’s Day gift at bamboopink. This purveyor of high-quality jewelry at affordable prices has it all, from stylish stackable rings to collectible pendants to chandelier-drop earrings.

Fragrance:
FragranceNet.com: $25 for $50 toward fragrance, beauty products & more
Give Mom luxury for less with a gift of fragrance from FragranceNet.com.

Apparel:
FlirtyAprons.com: $15 for $30 toward aprons & kitchen gloves
With dozens of aprons that combine modern fit with retro flair, FlirtyAprons.com’s line of kitchen attire even makes doing the dishes feel like a treat.

PajamaGram.com: The deal: $25 for $50 toward sleepwear & more
Let Mom have her fun with the ultimate comfy Mother’s Day gift: PJs as cozy as they are cute from PajamaGram.com.

UniquePashminas.com: $15 for an infinity scarf ($38 value)
Why not surprise her this Mother’s Day with the ultimate accessory: a reversible infinity scarf? She’ll be totally on-trend in the chic, continuous loop style, which instantly upgrades any outfit already in her closet, from jeans to cocktail attire.

MeUndies.com: $10 for $20 towards stylish undergarments
On Mother’s Day, pamper the special woman in your life by making her feel glamorous, even if it’s a sweatpants day, with underthings that are equal parts pretty and comfy from MeUndies.com.

Goodies:
HarryandDavid.com: $25 for $50 of fresh fruit, desserts & gourmet gifts
Discover towers of fresh fruit, cookies, chocolates, and more gourmet assortments, all meticulously assembled by hand and designed especially for Mother’s Day by HarryandDavid.com.

igourmet.com: $20 for $40 toward specialty cheeses, chocolates & other fine foods
Thank Mom this Mother’s Day with a gift of fine food that’s up her (gourmet) alley from igourmet.com.

More Great Gifts:
BlueDolphin.com: $19 for a year of Martha Stewart Living & Everyday Food ($39 value)
Treat Mom to a year of Martha’s hints and how-tos with one-year subscriptions to two of the entertaining maven’s magazines.

SmileBox.com: $16 for a one-year membership ($39.99 value)
With a simple (and free) application for PC or Mac, Mom can easily create scrapbooks, collages, slideshows, and e-cards right on her computer with SmileBox.com.

CozyMyPhoto.com: $64 for a custom photo blanket ($129 value)
Let the textile masters at CozyMyPhoto.com turn Mom’s favorite photo into a cozy, woven blanket.

To subscribe to Google Offers, please visit: www.google.com/offers. And follow our Google+ Page for news and updates from the Google Offers team.

Posted by Shazia Makhdumi, Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Google Offers

Google Wallet now available on three new phones

2012-04-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today the unlocked Galaxy Nexus went on sale on Google Play. This unlocked phone provides a pure Google experience offering access to the latest and greatest apps including Google Wallet. Check out the Google Mobile Blog for more information.

With the pre-installed Google Wallet app, you can easily make purchases and redeem offers with a tap of your phone. And when you set up your Google Prepaid Card, we'll also give you a $10 credit!

In addition to the unlocked device, we are also excited to announce that Google Wallet is available on three new phones from Sprint, including: Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper 4G LTE and LG Optimus Elite. Google Wallet will also be available on the LG Optimus Elite from Virgin Mobile.

Follow us on Google+ for the latest updates from the Google Wallet team!

Posted by Mark Andrews, Product Manager & Ryan Barnett, Technical Account Manager, Google Wallet

Make your Earth Day blossom with 50% off wildflower seeds from American Meadows

2012-04-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Earth Day only comes once a year, but you can show the planet some love every day, starting with your own backyard. Today through Sunday we’re running a special Google Offer with online gardening retailer, AmericanMeadows.com: $5 gets you $10 worth of mixed wildflower seeds (more than 50,000 seeds!), specially designed for Google Offers customers in honor of Earth Day. As a bonus you’ll also get two veggie or herb seed packs. Click here to buy this deal now!

This GMO-free wildflower seed assortment includes twenty-five varieties of brilliant blossoms—like Cosmos, Poppies, and Hollyhocks—with both quick-blooming annuals for a splash of summer color and hardy perennials that’ll flower year after year. Not blessed with a green thumb? Don’t wilt; this mix is easy-to-grow and will flourish in all parts of the country, be it in a pot or in your garden.

Head outdoors and plant something new!

To subscribe to Google Offers, please visit: www.google.com/offers. And follow our Google+ Page for news and updates from the Google Offers team.

Posted by Andrew Textor, Sr. Account Manager, Google Offers

Follow Google Wallet on Google+

2012-04-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for the latest on Google Wallet? Add the newly launched Google+ Page for Google Wallet to your circles to keep tabs on news and updates from the Google Wallet team.

We’ll be posting about industry news and events, the latest Google Wallet product updates, announcements from our partners, and details about exclusive offers for Google Wallet users.

We hope the Google+ Page for Google Wallet will be a fun and engaging community, full of people who are just as excited about the future of payments as we are. Join today and follow us as we continue on our journey to build a better wallet.

Posted by Ryan Pollock, Product Marketing Manager, Google Wallet

Get Google Offers straight from your browser with the new Google Offers Chrome extension

2012-04-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today we are announcing the Google Offers Chrome extension. The extension helps you keep tabs on great deals from Google Offers as well as from our partners such as Gilt City, kgbdeals and zozi.

Download the new Google Offers Chrome extension today from the Chrome Web Store.

After downloading the extension you’ll get instant access to deals for places to eat, shop and play, and you’ll receive notifications for new deals in your area right within your browser. You can also share your favorite deals with friends on Google+, Twitter and Facebook from the Chrome extension.

Check out www.chrome.google.com/webstore to learn more and download the Google Offers Chrome extension. This Chrome extension is currently available in the U.S.

Posted by Eren Kantarli, Product Marketing Manager, Google Offers

Google Wallet Customers Get Free LISTERINE® POCKETPAKS® With Purchases at Select Walgreens and Duane Reade Drugstores in New York City

2012-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Attention Manhattan Google Wallet customers! Until April 28th, if you use Google Wallet to make a purchase at select, participating Walgreens or Duane Reade stores in Manhattan you’ll also get a free LISTERINE® POCKETPAKS®, presented by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc, while supplies last.*

More than 167 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations in New York City now accept Google Wallet -- making it even more quick and convenient to shop and save at your neighborhood drugstore.

To get this Google Wallet Featured Offer, simply open the “Offers” tab in the app, touch “Find Offers” and save the LISTERINE® POCKETPAKS® offer to your Google Wallet. And that’s it! The next time you tap to pay at a participating Walgreens or Duane Reade location, this offer will be automatically redeemed and you’ll be on your way to fresher breath!

Check back in May to see more Featured Offers from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc for products available at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores in Manhattan.

In addition to Walgreens and Duane Reade, Google Wallet, available on select phones, is accepted at 150,000 merchant locations in the U.S. via the MasterCard PayPass network.

Posted by Peggy Mangot, Emerging Platform Manager

*This offer is only valid for redemption with Google Wallet via NFC while supplies last. Limited quantities available. Offer is good through April 28, 2012. Not valid on paper or on phones that don’t support Google Wallet. Single use only and non-transferable. Select stores located in Manhattan.

Data quality monitoring and user management via the Google Content API for Shopping

2012-04-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

It’s no surprise that some of the best ideas for improving Google products come directly from you, our users. In February, we announced a debugging dashboard for the Content API for Shopping that we created based on feedback from our merchant partners. Today we’re introducing two more features for the Content API for Shopping that many of you have requested: the Data Quality feed and the User Management feed.

Data Quality feed
The Data Quality feed gives you detailed information on the quality of your product data in Google Product Search. Since data quality issues impact if and how your products appear on Google Product Search, it's important to address these issues quickly. Today we’re making it easy to do so. With the new Data Quality feed you can:

Retrieve a comprehensive list of data quality issues
Get detailed information about each issue, including the number of affected products, the last time your inventory was checked, and the specific term or phrase that’s triggering the issue
View an example product from your data feed affected by the issue
View a list of issues from all of your sub-accounts (if you have a multi client account)

User Management feed
The User Management feed lets you manage access to Google Merchant Center across multiple users. More specifically, this feed lets you programmatically:

Retrieve and modify the list of users that have access to your account
Define which users are admins and can thus manage users themselves
Fine-tune each user's access level (no access, read-only, read/write) per scope (online products, local products)

We hope these features make it easier for you to manage your product feeds and drive better results from Google Product Search. Please keep the valuable feedback coming!

Posted by Thomas Kotzmann and Thomas Frey, Google Content API for Shopping team

Google Offers to run "I Love Boston Week" April 9-13

2012-04-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Google Offers, Bostonians have been taste-testing menus, revealing hidden talents and soaking up the Boston culture without burning a hole in their wallets. We’re keeping the great deals coming with an entire week of offers that embody the true flavor of Beantown.

Next week (April 9-13), Google Offers subscribers in Boston will receive one-of-a-kind deals that will have them singing "Sweet Caroline.” Here’s a sneak peek of the offers-goodness to come:

Figs: One of Todd English’s acclaimed restaurants in Charlestown, Figs is celebrated for its thin crust, wood-fired pizzas as well as its handmade pastas and homemade desserts. This casual bistro is a no-brainer when it comes to choosing a place to dine (and with all the gems in Boston, we know that isn’t always an easy choice).

Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours: Visit historic Plymouth for more than just the Pilgrims and the Rock. With Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours, you’ll cruise alongside the most rare, massive mammals in the world. The kicker? Whale sightings are guaranteed!

The Elephant Walk: “Flat out delicious” according to Zagat, this award-winning restaurant serves up an unexpected combination of Cambodian and French cuisine. With the arrival of baseball season, you’ll be happy to discover it’s located just a short (elephant) walk from Fenway.

Old North Church: The Old North Church helped spark the American Revolution when Robert Newman climbed the steeple and held out Paul Revere’s signal that the British soldiers were leaving Boston. The oldest standing Church building in Boston, the Old North Church is one of the top historical destinations for tourists and Bostonians alike.

Viking Princess Cruises: As much as we love Boston, sometimes you need to get away. Escape to the Cape and board the 40-foot Viking Princess, which cruises a coastline that’s seen its fair share of shipwrecks, pirates, pilgrims, and whalers. This narrated journey reaches the very tip of Cape Cod, home of the scenic Long Point Lighthouse—it also happens to be as far east of Boston as you can get without ending up in the Atlantic.

To subscribe to Google Offers in Boston and other locations across the U.S., please visit: www.google.com/offers. And follow our Google+ Page for updates from the Google Offers team.

Posted by Jacquelyn Moore, Account Manager, Google Offers

Attention, coffee lovers: Google Offers to run $5 for $10 Starbucks deal tomorrow

2012-04-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, Google Offers is running its first deal with Starbucks. For $5 you’ll get a $10 Starbucks Card eGift, good at all participating Starbucks locations nationwide. This deal is only available to Google Offers subscribers.

The Starbucks Google Offer includes a contribution to a good cause. For every deal purchased, Google Offers will donate $3 to the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) for the Create Jobs for USA Fund (up to $3 million). Founded by Starbucks and OFN, the Create Jobs for USA Fund helps provide loans to community businesses in order to create and sustain jobs in America. So, when you buy this Google Offer, you’re also taking action to help Americans get back to work.

Sound like a great Wednesday pick-me-up? We think so! Get your caffeine fix, save a little cash and help support small businesses, all with a few clicks.

Sign up for Google Offers and we’ll send this offer straight to your inbox. And for those of you already subscribed to Google Offers, stay tuned to your email for details and the chance to purchase the deal tomorrow.

Posted by Michael Haswell, Head of Business Development, Google Commerce

Google Acquires TxVia

2012-04-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Over the last year, we’ve been hard at work developing Google Wallet, a payment service that makes it possible for people to redeem discounts, earn loyalty points and pay—all at the same time, whether they’re shopping online or at the store around the corner.

Today, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired payments technology company TxVia to complement our payments capabilities and accelerate innovation towards our full Google Wallet vision. TxVia is a technology pioneer that offers a fast, flexible and highly reliable payments platform—which we believe is one of the best in the world.

Since 2008, TxVia has supported the management of more than 100 million accounts. They’ve partnered with the industry’s best known brands, and their leadership team has played an instrumental role in defining the fast-growing prepaid card segment of emerging payments. In this time, TxVia has also certified and directly connected to the major payment networks, which establishes a solid foundation for Google Wallet and our partners to drive innovation on a global scale and in a partner friendly way.

Finding and purchasing products is a big part of day-to-day life. At Google, we’re working to create new ways to improve the commerce experience. We’ve worked closely with TxVia over the last year, and they’re a forward-thinking team that will help us take the next steps in realizing the future of commerce. We welcome the TxVia team to Google.

Posted by Osama Bedier, Vice President of Wallet and Payments, Google

Updates to Google Merchant Center Terms of Service

2012-03-29T09:37:00.001-07:00

Back in January, we announced our new Google Terms of Service to provide a more consistent experience for users across Google's products. Starting today, March 29, Google Merchant Center will be covered by the new Google Terms of Service along with a short set of additional terms and conditions specific to Merchant Center.

While the substance in the additional Merchant Center terms and conditions remains unchanged from the previous version, the new additional terms and conditions are shorter and reworded to be easier to understand. We encourage you to take the time to review the new Google Terms of Service along with the additional Merchant Center terms and conditions.

Posted by Mayuresh Saoji, Senior Product Manager, Google Merchant Center team

Google Offers Food Truck Day in LA

2012-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Google Offers connects you with deals at great places in your city. And sometimes those places are on wheels. We’re joining the food truck craze and kicking it all off in the city where you need a car to do pretty much everything (even cooking): Los Angeles. Enjoy Food Truck Day this Friday, March 23 with offers from some of LA’s most buzzed-about, award-winning food trucks.

Here’s what’s on the menu:

Kogi BBQ: Hailed by Zagat as “the forerunner of all food trucks,” Kogi BBQ, LA’s own traveling landmark, is known for putting Korean barbecue tacos on the map. Corn tortillas, double-caramelized meats, salsa roja, onion-cilantro relish and fresh Asian slaw make up the iconic Kogi taco that has both LA locals and TIME magazine buzzing. Believe the hype: $4 gets you $8 of Korean BBQ tacos.

The Grilled Cheese Truck: These sandwiches “might change your life” according to Zagat. Try their Cheesy Mac ‘n Rib or S’more Melt and it’ll be no surprise why The Grilled Cheese Truck was voted Best Food Truck by LA Times Readers’ Choice. Get in on the grilled goodness: $5 gets you $10 of sandwiches and more.

Grill ‘Em All: Zagat rates Grill ‘Em All as one of LA’s top 10 food trucks—and the competition is stiff. Winner of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, this local favorite serves epic, gourmet burgers and (cheese-filled) tator tots while cranking jams from their favorite bands. Get ready to rock ‘n roll: $7 gets you $14 at this hamburger hotspot.

The Buttermilk Truck: For those who believe breakfast shouldn’t be confined to any hour, keep an eye out for The Buttermilk Truck. Zagat declares this “the truck to chase,” but don’t forget to bring your Offer with you. $5 gets you $10 of chicken ‘n waffles, red velvet pancakes, fresh donuts and other breakfast favorites morning, noon, and (late) night.

Frysmith: This innovative food truck knows great things are worth doing twice—like deep-frying your french fries. Here they dole out crisp, twice-fried spuds that are meant to be meals, like the rave-worthy Rajas Fries loaded with steak, onions, chili, and cheese or the sweet potato Vegan Chili Fries. This here is your main course: $5 gets you $10 at Frysmith.

Be sure to subscribe to Google Offers Los Angeles so you don’t miss out on these fantastic offers. Foodies in San Diego and Houston: subscribe to Google Offers San Diego and Google Offers Houston, because Google Offers Food Truck Day will rolling into your cities soon!

Posted by Ellen Shen, Business Analyst, Google Offers

REI’s first daily deal is a success, thanks to Google Offers

2012-03-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

People love saving money. According to eMarketer, almost 88.2 million people--or half of all U.S. adults who use the Internet--redeemed an online coupon in 2011, and this number should increase to 96.8 million by 2013. So it’s no wonder why so many companies, big and small, are using discounts, in the form of daily deals, to drive increases in sales.

In November 2011 Google Offers partnered with REI, the nationally loved outdoor retailer, to run REI’s first-ever daily deal and Google’s first-ever national offer: $15 for $25 worth of outdoor gear from REI.

Co-branded landing page used with marketing campaign to increase awareness of the offer

“REI was looking for ways to learn how we can use daily deals to drive the business during a non-promotional period, both within our stores and online, and a partnership with Google was a great fit,” said Teresa Harting, REI’s Marketing Manager. “We wanted to partner with a company that understood our brand and could manage it appropriately in the midst of a large-scale promotional announcement.”

In the weeks leading up to the offer, REI and Google worked closely to develop an offer that accurately reflected the REI brand. The companies also worked hand in hand to craft a well-executed pre-offer campaign that would drive interest and awareness among REI customers. The campaign, which ended on the date the offer ran, included the following tactics:

A 10 day teaser campaign on Google’s GDN, which drove people to a co-branded landing page for the offer.

An email campaign sent to REI’s opted-in subscriber base and to Google Offers opted-in subscribers on the day of the offer.

REI Facebook and Twitter posts were published the day before the offer and the day of the offer.

Facebook promotion on the REI brand page, including real-time interaction with customers to answer any questions about the offer.

Email campaign sent to REI’s opted-in subscriber base

Beginning on November 3rd, the REI Google Offer ran for 24 hours and was purchased by nearly 90,000 people across the U.S. The one-day deal has driven a significant amount of sales, both online and offline, and the average order value exceeded REI’s already high expectations. Further analysis will continue through the end of the redemption period to understand the total business impact, but it’s clear that REI will continue to see a benefit from their Google Offer.

“Our objective in running a Google Offer was to understand if we could attract new REI customers and increase traffic to our stores and to our website. Additionally, we wanted to gain a better understanding around how daily deals work for REI and if it would yield similar or higher average order values across both new and loyal customers. We have seen strong redemption and are continuing to track the results through the end of the redemption period. Overall, we are happy with the results of our very first daily deal with Google Offers,” said Harting.

If you’re a merchant and are interested in running a Google Offer, please visit: google.com/offers/business.

Posted by Robin Lien, Google U.S. Retail Team

Get 10% off Pinkberry with Google Wallet ‘til April 30

2012-03-19T06:15:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love frozen yogurt? We certainly do and we’re happy to announce that Google Wallet is now accepted at 69 Pinkberry stores across the U.S. You can also use the Pinkberry Featured Offer in Google Wallet to get 10% off any one Pinkberry when you use your Google Wallet to pay. This offer is good for use at select stores until April 30, 2012.*

The popular yogurt retailer now accepts Google Wallet at select stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., so now you can buy delicious and refreshing frozen yogurt with your phone. Yum!

To celebrate our partnership with Pinkberry we’ll be holding a free tasting event at several Pinkberry stores in the Los Angeles area. Come by to try out Google Wallet on Tuesday, March 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Santa Monica, 3rd Street Promenade
1456 3rd St
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 394-4982

Burbank
120 E Palm Ave
Burbank, CA 91502
Phone: (818) 841-1981

Our partner ecosystem continues to grow, so visit our website for up-to-date information on retailers that accept Google Wallet. Google Wallet is available on the Sprint Nexus S.

Posted by Peggy Mangot, Strategic Partnership Management

*This offer is only valid for redemption with Google Wallet via NFC. Not valid on paper or non Google Wallet phones. Single use only and non-transferable. Cannot be combined with other offers. Valid at participating locations in LA, SF, NYC, DC and CHI until April 30, 2012.

Working with 30 deal experts to bring you more great offers

2012-03-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Matching you with the deals that you want is our focus, but we can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re working with a select group of deal provider partners -- including 11 new partners that we’re announcing today -- to bring you more of the greatest deals out there. Also, we’re expanding the availability of all of our partners’ deals to four new cities including: Austin, Houston, Philadelphia and Miami.

This means subscribers in 23 of the 40 cities where Google Offers is available now have access to more deals each day, from both Google and our partners, in a single place. Whew! That’s a lot of deals! But don’t worry, we'll only send you the best deals in your area, in one email a day. And if you take the Google Offers personalization quiz, we'll send you deals that match your interest too.

Our newest partners bring a unique variety of deals to the Google Offers platform. They include: 8Moms, APDailyDeals, AT&T Interactive, Boston.com, DailyDeals.com, DoubleTakeDeals, Half Off Depot, Morgan’s Deals, Savored, Signpost and Urban Dealight.

Learn more about Google Offers and subscribe by visiting: www.google.com/offers. If you are a deal provider and are interested in partnering with Google, please get in touch with us via our partner program form.

Posted by Ji Yang, Software Engineer, Google Offers

Join us for a Google+ Hangout: ‘Using Google client libraries to submit product data’ on March 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. PT

2012-03-09T10:32:00.001-08:00

For all you retailers already using the Content API for Shopping or looking for a way to automate your product data upload to Google, we’ll be hosting a technical webinar in a Google+ Hangout. Join us for “Using Google client libraries to submit product data," on March 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. PT.

This webinar is for those interested in getting up and running with the Google Content API for Shopping without worrying about constructing XML or figuring out how to make an HTTP request in your language of choice. We’ll show you how to leverage open source client libraries written by Google engineers so you can focus on the important stuff: your product data.

In this 60 minute session, we'll cover the following:

The way a product is represented and sent with the API
Using batch requests to send multiple product updates at once
Writing and running code to insert your product data
Q&A with Google Product Search team members

Register now for the webinar with your Google+ account, and you’ll receive an invitation to join the Google+ Hangout in your stream on the day of the hangout. To add a reminder to your calendar, click the link below.

We hope to see you there!

Posted by Daniel Hermes, Commerce Developer Relations Team

Merchants: Get deeper insight into your product performance on Google Product Search

2012-03-08T14:28:00.002-08:00

We frequently hear from merchants that data is gold - especially when that data provides insight into the performance of their products and their customers’ buying habits. We’ve listened to the feedback, and today we’re rolling out the first in a series of improvements to Google Merchant Center to put more data in the hands of merchants.

Starting today, retailers who submit product feeds to Google Product Search can view more detailed product performance data directly on the ‘Performance’ tab of their Google Merchant Center account.

In addition to seeing clicks on all products in aggregate over a specified period of time, merchants can now drill down to view click metrics for specific product categories, brands, condition and country. With these tools, it’s easy to compare the performance of different types of products, brands, and more to assess how you’re doing and identify areas that may need additional optimization.

With these improvements, merchants now have more detailed insight into product performance, allowing them make informed decisions about their business and drive increased ROI. We’re continually working to improve the Google Product Search experience for merchants and more tools are on the way. Check back soon for updates!

Posted by Mayuresh Saoji, Senior Product Manager, Google Merchant Center team

Visit the Google Commerce Team at the SXSW Google Village

2012-03-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

SXSW Interactive 2012 starts tomorrow and we’re excited to be a part of this year’s festivities in Austin! As we announced last week, we’re transforming Rainey St. into the “Google Village” on March 10-11. Only a few steps away from the Austin Convention Center, the “Google Village” will consist of four houses packed full of demos and fun, drinks and music. The Commerce team will be at the Google Village too, and here’s what we got going on:

Google Offers
Google Offers will be set up throughout Google Village and our goal is to connect you to our product by allowing you to experience great Austin businesses that we’ve partnered with to run Google Offers.

Your journey begins at the Maps House, where you can pick up a Google Offers passport. This passport gets you access to all the Google Offers carts outside every house in the village:

Developer House: Get a taste of local favorite Frank’s unique artisan hot dogs
Discovery House: Play our record toss game for a chance to win swag from Waterloo Records
Android House: Whip up a refreshing drink while burning some calories by testing out blender bikes courtesy of Jack and Adam’s Bicycles

Like what you see? Then sign up for Google Offers at www.google.com/offers or download our mobile app to purchase offers from our featured businesses in your city.

Google Wallet
As you walk through the Google Village, stop by the Android House to try out Google Wallet. You can play the Google Wallet-enabled claw and pinball games to win prizes, and Google Wallet team members will be on hand to demo the app and answer any questions you might have.

If you’re not able to stop by, find out how you can get Google Wallet here: http://www.google.com/wallet/get.html

Commerce Developer Hangouts
Have technical questions around In-App Payments or other Commerce APIs? Sign up for 15 minutes of one-on-one time with a member of the Google Developer Relations team on March 11th at the Developer House. Get answers and insights from Googlers who are experts on these products.

Posted by Artem Chetverykov and Teresa Jung, Commerce Marketing Team

Visit Google In-App Payments at GDC

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last week we wrote about some recent updates to In-App Payments that help developers monetize their apps in fewer steps, across more countries. In addition to improvements in the in-app payment process, Google is also investing heavily in helping developers create and distribute their games.

For those of you attending GDC at the Moscone Center this week, stop by and see us at our developer days March 5th-6th in Room 2020 and at booth #1901 March 7th-9th on the show floor. If you’re not able to attend the show, check out our new site for game developers where you can learn about the Google tools, technology, and services that can help you build, distribute, promote, and monetize your games.

For even more game developer goodness, check out today’s post on the brand-new Google Developers Blog.

Posted by Arundhati Singh, Product Manager

Making it even easier to monetize your games

2012-03-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

(Cross-posted on the Google Developers Blog)

As any merchant knows, the easier the path to purchase, the more likely the sale. That’s why the In-App Payments team is dedicated to developing a simple, yet intuitive API that makes the in-app purchase experience effortless for your customers -- leading to a higher conversion rate for you. Over the last few weeks, we’ve made some improvements to the API that we wanted to share:

Additional Currencies Accepted
With the recent international expansion of In-App Payments, we’ve expanded the types of currencies accepted so you can sell your goods in your customer’s native currency. For example, if you’ve set up shop in the United Kingdom but your customer base is mostly in Japan, you can specify prices for your good in Japanese Yen and Google automatically handles currency conversion for you.

As of today, the supported currencies for In-App Payments are:

To use a different buyer currency, just specify the currency code in the JWT request:

"request" => {
"name" => "Piece of Cake",
"description" => "Virtual chocolate cake to fill your virtual tummy",
"price" => "1000",
"currencyCode" => "JPY",
"sellerData" => "user_id:1224245,offer_code:3098576987,affiliate:aksdfbovu9j"
}

Card Details Minimized
In order to purchase through In-App Payments customers must first create a Google Wallet account, but entering payment information can be cumbersome. So, we’ve cut the amount of information that your customer has to enter when adding a new credit card to their Google Wallet. Now customers in many countries only need to specify their postal code instead of a full address, making the experience of creating or updating a Google Wallet quick and painless.

Terms of Service in Context
We’ve incorporated the Terms of Service into the purchase confirmation page to reduce the number of pages a new Google Wallet user sees before completing a purchase. This means that your new customers can easily review the Terms of Service and get to enjoying their purchases faster.

If you have any questions about Google In-App Payments, please reach out to us in the forum. We’ll also be hosting a regularly scheduled Google+ Hangout the first and third Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. PST to answer any technical questions about implementation of the API or about these new updates.

Stay tuned as we have plenty of new features to be released in 2012. Happy monetizing!

Posted by Peng Ying, Developer Advocate

New debugging dashboard for the Google Content API for Shopping

2012-02-27T11:15:00.002-08:00

Today we're announcing the API dashboard in Google Merchant Center, which makes it easier for online merchants who use the Google Content API for Shopping to debug their API requests.

If you’re an API user, you can now view a comprehensive timeline and list of errors that occurred while making requests to the API, sorted by the number of times the errors occurred for faster prioritization. For each error, the dashboard also displays example request and response pairs, making it easier to locate and fix errors in your requests.

To access the new API dashboard, log into your Google Merchant Center account and click on the ‘API Dashboard’ tab.

Posted by Thomas Kotzmann and Paul Brauner, Google Content API for Shopping team

Smartphones and Tablets Influence Consumer Purchasing Decisions on Mobile, Online and in Store

2012-02-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

(Cross-posted on the Google Mobile Ads and Google Retail Blogs)

Retailers are largely focused on how consumers are shopping across channels and devices. We know consumers love their mobile and tablet devices, but we are just beginning to develop a strong understanding of how they engage with these devices as they make their purchase decisions. To gain greater insight into this key behavior, we partnered with Ipsos during the 2011 holiday shopping season to study online shoppers. We uncovered a number of interesting consumer behaviors across desktop computers, smartphones and tablets. The powerful data we uncovered can drive best practices for advertisers at every holiday and year round.

The first key mobile insight every advertiser should know is that consumers use their smartphones at many different points in their purchase path. 41% of those who used their mobile phones to help with shopping said they made a purchase directly on their smartphone. 46% said they researched an item on their smartphone then went to a store to make their purchase. 37% said they researched an item on their smartphone then made their purchase online.

Another key mobile insight that emerged is that consumers used all three devices throughout the research process, but some activities were more popular on specific devices. Consumers who owned tablets read product reviews and looked for product information more from their tablet devices than from their desktop computer or smartphone. This is likely due to the combination of the large screen and portability of the device that enables consumers to use it more often and in more places. Consumers are carrying tablets with them to the couch, while in the kitchen, and even to bed.

Not surprisingly, more consumers used their smartphones to contact a retailer. With the natural calling ability of phones and many click-to-call phone numbers on websites and in ads, smartphones make it easy to contact retailers, whether to see if the store has the product in stock, get directions or find store hours.

While the 2011 holiday season is now firmly behind us, it’s clear that smartphones and tablets are only going to become a bigger part of the consumer shopping experience. Among consumers that used their devices to shop last year, 80% of smartphone shoppers and 70% of tablet users said they used their device more frequently this year.

To stay ahead of this shift in consumer behavior, advertisers need to make sure they have a mobile optimized site, make it easy for customers to reach them with click-to-call and deliver a seamless experience between online and offline in-store. It’s the advertisers who engage with their customers across all three devices that will have a distinct advantage in 2012.

To learn more about consumer shopping behavior across the desktop computer, smartphone and tablet and view a full report on Post Holiday Learnings for 2012.

Posted by Dai Pham, Google Mobile Ads Marketing

Protecting your payments with Google Wallet

2012-02-10T21:47:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days we've received questions and concerns about issues related to the security of Google Wallet. People are asking if Google Wallet is safe enough for mobile phone payments. The simple answer to this question is yes. In fact, Google Wallet offers advantages over the plastic cards and folded wallets in use today.

First, Google Wallet is protected by a PIN — as well as the phone’s lock screen, if a user sets that option. But sometimes users choose to disable important security mechanisms in order to gain system-level “root” access to their phone; we strongly discourage doing so if you plan to use Google Wallet because the product is not supported on rooted phones. That’s why in most cases, rooting your phone will cause your Google Wallet data to be automatically wiped from the device.

Second, we also take concrete actions to help protect our users. For example, to address an issue that could have allowed unauthorized use of an existing prepaid card balance if someone recovered a lost phone without a screen lock, tonight we temporarily disabled provisioning of prepaid cards. We took this step as a precaution until we issue a permanent fix soon.

And just like with any other credit card, you can get support when you need it. We provide toll-free assistance in case you lose your phone or someone manages to make an unauthorized transaction.

Mobile payments are going to become more common in the coming years, and we will learn much more as we continue to develop Google Wallet. In the meantime, you can be confident that the digital wallet you carry provides defenses that plastic and leather simply don’t.

Update [February 14, 2012 / 8:30 pm PST]:

Yesterday afternoon, we restored the ability to issue new prepaid cards to the Wallet. In addition, we issued a fix that prevents an existing prepaid card from being re-provisioned to another user. While we’re not aware of any abuse of prepaid cards or the Wallet PIN resulting from these recent reports, we took this step as a precaution to ensure the security of our Wallet customers. If you are unable to access your previous prepaid card balance for any reason, please contact our toll-free support for assistance.

Posted by Osama Bedier, Vice President, Google Wallet and Payments