“Even before Ugadi or Diwali, people coming to my shop had gone down almost 70 per cent,” he says.
However, Google Inc, with its new Maps technology, is offering traders like Kotian a solution. The search engine giant’s Indoor Google Maps will help them set up virtual stores, which will allow consumers to search online for products in their physical stores. The map will also give exact directions to the consumer to reach shops.
“Small businesses have to move beyond just setting up their websites and hoping that shoppers walk in, which is passé,” according to Suren Ruhela, Director and Product Manager, India Google Maps. Once a business has signed up, Google’s partners will help it to integrate its software with that of Google’s.
Industry watchers say this technology will help Indian businesses have a web presence in a way some malls in the US like VirtualEshopping set up online presence back in 2011. Indoor Google Maps are like having an indoor directory in the palm of your hand with detailed map data. It will come up on the Maps app on iOS and Android, added Ruhela. This intersection of finding information and commerce is being pursued by other companies, too. Last month, real estate portal PropTiger.com launched an innovative search based on heat maps, showing price variations and ready-to-occupy property in a visual and slightly more accurate manner.
According to Prashan Agarwal, co-founder, PropTiger.com, pilot searches in the website using this feature helped cut search time by 50 per cent. Business Line
