Omnichannel gains new breakthrough with Google

Multichannel, or omnichannel, sales are gaining weight to bring more options to the Brazilian consumer. According to this week's report by Valor Econômico (only for subscribers), Google is closing a partnership with Brazilian retailers so that their users know which stores have a certain product in stock and, in certain cases, they can even reserve the product to pick it up at the store on the same day .

The idea is simple: interested in a product, the consumer searches on Google, which provides in its results the stock level of the merchandise sought, giving preference to the stores closest to the user. Project pilots have already taken place in other countries, and Brazil is next on the list of the North American company, which already has Leroy Merlin, Magazine Luiza and Saraiva and Cultura bookstores as partners.

Google's intention is clear: to attract even more consumers to its search engine and guarantee it as a fundamental part of the purchase process. Although Google has more than 90% of the world search engine market share, giants like Amazon have been the direct preference of many consumers when it comes to shopping, especially in large markets such as the United States.

For retail companies, breaking a paradigm, exposing their inventory level to other companies, brings clear and subliminal advantages. Without major investments, they manage to access a growing number of consumers interested in purchasing a product at any time and having it in their hands at the time and place that suits them.

This is the clear advantage for companies. The other, less explicit, and difficult to prove, is that, possibly, these companies will have an extra force in the search engine results. Leaving conspiracy theories aside and thinking only coldly: Google says it seeks to offer the best to its user. Which is better: displaying the link to a particular product in the first positions in the store where the consumer is sure it will be served or in any store where that item may be out of stock?

However, to take advantage of these benefits, companies will need to do their homework, ensuring the accuracy of the information. Activities such as demand planning and inventory management should receive increased attention, to avoid the risk of out-of-stocks or, worse, a customer arriving at the store with the certainty of having the product and being disappointed with the lack of it. After all, worse than losing the sale is, in addition to losing it, leaving a potential customer dissatisfied.