What is the difference between Google Products and Google See What's In Store

It’s easy to assume that having products on your website or a Google Shopping feed running means you’re already visible to local shoppers searching online. But in reality, there are two very different ways products can appear on Google, and they serve very different purposes.

You may see (or even run yourself) retailers use Google Products via a Shopping feed to get their products into Google, but there’s another tool built specifically for physical retailers that boosts local visibility and turns online searches into in-store visits.

This blog explains the difference between Google Products and Google See What’s in Store (SWIS).

Google Products vs. See What’s in Store: What’s the difference?

At a glance, the two experiences look similar. But behind the scenes, they function quite differently.

• Google Products
  These listings are powered by a Shopping feed, often set up via Google Merchant Centre, and are typically used to support your website. They can appear in the Shopping tab and are great for helping shoppers explore what you sell online. In many ways, they’re an extension of your e-commerce offering.

• Google See What’s in Store (SWIS)
  SWIS displays real-time stock availability from your physical stores, pulled directly from your in-store inventory management system. With access to this live in-store inventory data, Google can now confidently recommend your store to nearby shoppers searching for products you stock. Your listings now also appear across all Google surfaces (Search, Maps, Shopping, Images, Lens, and more).

Why it matters

Retailers already investing in Google Products are often unaware of the additional visibility and impact SWIS offers, particularly for driving in-store footfall and strengthening local SEO.

Here’s what Google See What's In Store unlocks:

• Visibility in the right places - 46% of all Google searches have local intent (Think with Google). SWIS listings appear directly in Maps and local search results, where nearby shoppers are looking for products now.
  
  
• Real-time stock accuracy - 82% of shoppers say seeing in-stock availability influences choice (Google/Ipsos). Unlike standard product listings, SWIS reflects what’s actually in your stores. That means no frustration or lost footfall from products appearing online but being unavailable in-store.
  
  
• Improved local SEO -  76% of people who search for something nearby on their phone visit a store within a day, and 28% make a purchase (Think With Google). Because SWIS enriches your Google Business Profile with structured data, it helps you rank higher in “near me” and product-based local searches.
  
  
• Confidence and conversion - Customers are 2.7x more likely to consider a business reputable if it has a complete Google Business Profile (Google). Shoppers can see what's available, how far away it is, and when you're open, helping turn search into in-store visits faster.
  
  
• Showcase your full product range
  Most e-commerce sites reflect only a portion of your inventory. SWIS helps surface in-store-only SKUs, giving shoppers more reasons to visit.

Common misconceptions

If this is the first time you’re hearing about See What's In Store, you’re not alone. Here are a few things we hear often:

• “Isn’t this the same as what we already show via our Shopping feed?”
  Not quite, Google Products and SWIS pull from different sources and appear in different places.
• “Doesn’t Google automatically handle this?”
  While your Google Business Profile may exist by default, SWIS requires a live inventory feed from your stores, it’s not automatic.
• “We already invest in Google Ads, is this relevant?”
  Absolutely. SWIS complements your paid (and organic efforts) by improving how your stores appear when local shoppers are ready to buy.
  

Here’s a summary of how they compare across a number of areas:

What should retailers do?

If your store listings aren’t showing real-time in-store availability in Search and Maps, SWIS may be the missing piece.

It’s a powerful way to:

• Drive more footfall from local shoppers
• Improve your local visibility in Google 
• Better connect online discovery with offline conversion

Setting up SWIS requires an inventory feed from your store systems, something NearSt helps retailers in setting up.

Final thought

Retailers have made huge strides in building robust e-commerce operations. But in an era where shoppers blend online discovery with offline buying, it’s just as important to make sure your physical stores are visible and shoppable online.

Google See What’s in Store is designed to bridge that gap, connecting what’s on your shelves to the shoppers searching nearby.

Who is NearSt?

NearSt helps retailers connect their in-store products to the places shoppers search, like Google. Our technology makes it easy to enable Google See What’s in Store, so your real-time stock appears in Google Search, Maps, and more, with no extra work for your team.

Whether you have 5 stores or 300+, we help make your shelves visible online.