When searching on Google Maps, users will now see “Products Nearby” alongside the usual assortment of business locations. This is an even more direct way to show consumers the exact items they’re looking for, rather than just leading them to a business that carries those products. According to Google:

“Now, you can search in Google Maps for items like pickleball rackets, board games, ice cream makers, and more to find nearby stores that have them in stock so you can pick up what you need, stat.”

This new feature is enabled for businesses that upload their inventory to Google’s Merchant Center. This integration provides Maps with real-time inventory checks, ensuring accurate information for users. Customers can enter a specific product name into the Maps search bar, and instead of merely returning businesses that might carry the product, it will display businesses confirmed to have it in stock, directing customers to purchase it online for nearby pickup. This feature has been observed to impact everything from home goods and electronics to apparel and grocery store items.

With this update rolling out just before the holiday season, any business that has not yet adopted Google Merchant Center must act quickly. With more customers than usual searching for specific items—likely with very high intent given the gift-buying season—any ranking advantage during this time of year could yield significantly higher returns than average. These new results won’t just appear on Google Shopping but also on Maps, putting them in front of even more consumers and taking over increasingly valuable online real estate.