Google just launched a new feature on the mobile version of Google Product Search which could take local shopping search startup Milo out at the knees. Whenever you do a Google product search from a mobile phone, blue dots will appear next to items which are in-stock at nearby stores. The image at right is from a search I just did for “HDTVs.” The blue dots are subtle, but they certainly distinguish those results. Google has partnerships with Best Buy, Sears, Williams-http://www.crunchbase.com/widgetSonoma, Pottery Barn, and West Elm to show local inventory, and it is inviting other merchants to apply to participate as well. Google VP of engineering Vic Gundotra previewed the local product search last December, but it is now live.
Highlighting local inventory in product search results is exactly what Milo does, although it works on the Web as well as mobile. Milo will have to try to keep one step ahead of Google now that its business has been targeted as a feature of Google Product search.
The good news for Milo is that nobody really uses Google Product Search. It is not even highlighted as one of the products on the Google iPhone app, for instance. Maybe that will change, now that it has a geo-enabled set of results.
When you are looking for stuff to buy, it always helps to know where you can buy an item nearby. The vast majority of people who shop on the Web actually just use it for research, and then go local to buy.
Milo co-founder Ted Dziuba responds via a Tweet:
Google Product Search has availability for 5 retailers vs. Milo’s 49. Super cool web service, bro.
How long before Google closes that gap?
Google Product Search has availability for 5 retailers vs. Milo’s 49. Super cool web service, bro.
My bet is still on Milo because it’s a one-trick pony. I have to wade through all of Goog’s other features if I want local product search. Typing “milo.com” takes a lot less time than going to Goog and finding their product search features.
I believe TheFind is also doing something in this space and they have a more comprehensive user experience.
Yeah, I immediately thought of thefind also. Never heard of milo.
Regardless, I’m a fan and if this leads to Internet prices in retail locations, I’ll be happy..though I know that’s the death of something. But what?!
I wouldn’t be this optimistic. Now that the big brother has his eye on this feature, if it is a big enough market, I am sure the big G won’t let anyone else to have a big bite because the big G can certainly excel here easily.
This reminds us how dangerously trying something close to what the big brother does best. They can let you go free for a few months and come back with something better easily.
It’s not like they weren’t warned. Google mentioned this briefly at their real-time search event.
I’d never heard of Milo and it sounded cool at the time.
Also, I may have to tap through a few things on my android to get to this, but I’m one of those people who live in the Google ecosystem, so it doesn’t matter to me. Rather that than have to go to some other site to get the information that I need.
Though I am in the UK, so I won’t matter(to either company, in this respect) for a while.
Yes the Google “warning” every web 2.0 startup’s worse nightmare.
“All your bases are belong to us.”
Sincerely,
Google
Warned? Google warned literally EVERYBODY with almost any kind of web site that they were competing with them (look at their SEC filings, “competition”). Does that mean that the web as a whole just has to pack the bags, go home and let Google run everything?
While the iPhone app may not highlight product search, the android app does highlight the product search pretty well. Several apps, including the inlcuded goggles, shopper, and many other extremely popular droid apps all use google product search. And with Android making huge gains in the market, as evidenced by the november-january sales marketshare growing 4% while the iphone remained stagnant, this could spell huge trouble for milo.
Slifter is another company in this space – http://www.slifter.com/pc/
That’s not the worst domain name I’ve ever heard. Oh wait, yes it is.
Not every product that Google puts out exactly ‘destroys’ the competition. They’ve been second place behind Yahoo on most properties for ages, for example.
I think TechCrunch, and especially Arrington, is still butt-sore over how Ted Dziuba owned you guys with the Uncov blog. His personal blog is still funny as hell, especially when he points out how TechCrunch is staffed with pundits who know little to nothing about actually building technology. Unless failing to get CrunchPad out the door for certain destruction by the iPad and other devices is experience.
Sure Google does mess up at times but they have a bottomless money pit fueled by 10$ a click ads. No VC is going to fund if your product is competing with Google, I would bet Milo would eventually run out of funds even if its a better product.
Yep, sitting on a pile of cash makes is certain that you win in technology products. It’s why Microsoft did so well in the last decade with their tens of billions in cash, right?
Every MSN product, with the exception of Bing (that was based on poached Yahoo search team members) is at most number 3, with all that cash. Not to mention what a huge hit Microsoft mobile OS, Zune, etc have been.
Same rule applies to Google.
Hopefully Google acquires them instead of destroying them.
I think Google is trying to destroy Milo just to piss off Ted Dziuba.
This market is big enough for two.
Sure it is, but Milo(unless another company was doing this, but I hadn’t even heard of them) just went from colon capital D to colon capital O and totally freaked-out.
Their investors’ $4.95m funding(according to crunch base) just went from ‘we could do really well here’ to ‘God, please don’t let Google put us out of business entirely. There’s room enough for two in this market. Right?’
“What happens when Google does this?” is first question VCs & pro angels ask. Look at that list of investors again. I’m pretty sure Goog’s release was not a surprise.
Wake. Up
I’m assuming that your big message is that Google routinely kills company and is therefore evil.
Frankly, I don’t care. I like Google offering me tons of information and interesting features.
I’m very pro big companies don’t mind how many poor little start-ups get crushed by the Googles of this world.
Plus, I can remove my data at any time and take it elsewhere. That’s why Google will ultimately win and Microsoft just doesn’t get it.
Nobody cares about what you don’t care about. Going by the way you have been placing your opinions by replying to almost every comment here, I thought maybe I’d burst your small little bubble.
Problem?
Not at all. The internet allows everyone to express that they care or not. I don’t expect you to care one bit about me not caring.
To be perfectly correct though, I care that I don’t care, meaning someone does care.
Me too, I am so looking forward to the day when Internet is (c) Google.
/s
The question is, will anyone believe the price Best Buy lists online for the local sale will be available in reality? Partnering with Best Buy discredits the whole show. Score one point for Milo.
Some would call this market validation
If this takes off, there will be a lot of companies interested in the technology and Milo may be in a stronger position to syndicate the offering
For Bilski’s sake!
Maybe Milo should have applied for a patent for “Method for optimizing online purchases through geolocation for mobile devices.”
Hey, it works for Google, Amazon, and Facebook.
Doesnt this just make them acquisition bait for Bing or Yahoo?
Yeah, google has a lot going on.
My guess is that there is a high probability that Milo does just fine, and as it looks like others are pointig out here, google has some competitors that might want this kind of thing.
Google will become distracted the next time facebook does anything unique. Milo is fine.
i like google ‘s products
Fanboiiiii
It would be great if Google Product Search could add a barcode scanner for its iPhone-bearing visitors, like it did for Android.
There is already a free iPhone app that allows it, called pic2shop. It reads UPCs quickly on all iPhone models (even without autofocus), and it can be made to search any web site.
See the live demo to search Google Products at: http://www.pic2shop.com/demo/scan.html
There is also another company that I have been tracking doing the same sort of thing in the U.K.
Check out: http://www.udozi.com/udozi/animation
Could be an interesting and competitive market!
wow…….really nice…..