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If you live in the Columbus, OH area and are looking for something fun to do with the family this holiday season, then today’s inaugural Google Offer is for you: $5 for one admission to the Wildlights holiday light display (up to $14 value) at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

For the past 24 years, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has been spreading holiday cheer with its annual Wildlights holiday light display and festival. From the millions of holiday LED lights, to the Magical Tabernacle Forest Chorus, the Wildlights event is a holiday tradition for locals. This year’s festival features live music and a new attraction called ‘Global Celebrations’, which is a newly designed eight-minute music and light show on Conservation Lake. Today’s Google Offer for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also includes general admission to see the zoo’s 700+ wildlife species and exhibits.


To subscribe to Google Offers in these cities and other locations across the U.S., please visit: www.google.com/offers. You can also find and buy great deals with the free Google Offers app for Android.

Posted by Eric Rosenblum, Director of Product Management, Google Offers

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog)

Today, on Cyber Monday—the biggest online shopping day of the year—digi-savvy shoppers will take to the web to get ahead on their holiday shopping. You’ve managed to avoid the Black Friday crowds, but are your online shopping skills up to snuff? Just in the nick of time, here are five tips on how to use Google tools to save time and money this holiday shopping season.

Tip #1. Avoid the lines and parking nightmares—shop from your couch with Google Catalogs
Today we’re announcing a version of Google Catalogs for Android tablets, available for free in Android Market. Now shoppers can browse Google Catalogs on both iOS and Android tablets. With over 125 of your favorite brands and 400 issues across a myriad of categories, Google Catalogs puts all your favorite print catalogs right at your fingertips. You’ll find pages of gift and decorating ideas and get a head start on your holiday shopping list.


Tip #2. Let Google Product Search do your research for you
With so many brands, models and features to choose from, sometimes finding the perfect gift—especially when it comes to electronics and gadgets—can be overwhelming. Google Product Search gives you detailed product information, reviews and price comparisons for all the gifts on your list.

We recently launched a new comparison feature for electronics that lets you quickly see how a particular product stacks up against other similar models and brands. For example, on the Nikon D3100 product page, you can now see—at a glance—feature comparisons between the D3100 and other Nikon models as well as cameras from other brands. Read more about other recent Product Search updates on the Google Commerce blog.


Tip #3. Bring Google Shopper along as your mobile shopping assistant
Have you ever found yourself standing in a store, trying to decide between, say, two blenders, and wishing you could consult an expert? Google Shopper can help. Wherever you are, this free mobile app for Android and iPhone lets you scan a barcode or search by voice or text to get detailed product information, read reviews and compare prices online and at local stores. You can also use Google Shopper to see if a product is in stock nearby.


Tip #4. Take advantage of holiday savings with Google Offers
Before you hit main street for a shopping extravaganza, check out Google Offers for great deals and save 50% or more on local places to eat, shop and play. Google Offers has teamed up with a number of great retailers this holiday season, making it easy to save while you shop. You can also find and buy great deals from Google Offers with the free Android app.

Tip #5. Simplify your online and offline shopping experience with Google Wallet
Save time and money by shopping with Google Wallet — a smart, virtual wallet that stores your payment cards, offers and more on your phone and online. When you shop with merchants that accept Google Wallet online just use your Google Wallet username and password to complete your purchase—there’s no need to pull out your credit card or enter your shipping address with every transaction. If you’re at the register at stores like American Eagle, Macy’s, Gap, Inc or any of our other merchant partners, take a minute to try the Google Wallet app, available on Nexus S 4G for Sprint, to tap, pay and save.

I hope these tips and Google tools help to make your shopping experience a little easier (and fun!) this Cyber Monday, and throughout the holiday season.

Posted by Stephanie Tilenius, Vice President of Commerce

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve made a number of improvements to Google Product Search that make it easier for you to find the products you want and feel confident in your purchases.

‘Best match’ for specific products

Sometimes you may visit Google Product Search with a specific product in mind. With our new ‘Best match” feature, we highlight the product we think you’re looking for even faster. When you search PowerShot SD1400, for example, you’ll see a ‘Best match’ product at the top of the page.



‘Popular products’ appearing for more searches

Let’s say you’re in the market for a netbook this year, but you’re just starting your research. When you search for a general term like ‘netbook,’ you’ll see a list of products ranked in order of popularity, which can help you quickly focus your search on a few models. We’ll also give suggestions on how you can refine your search, in this case by brand and operating system. Over the past few months, we’ve added popularity ranking to more search results pages, like wireless routers, heart rate monitors, vacuum cleaners, toddler car seats, and many more.



More rich information to help you with your research

When you click on a product that catches your eye, you’ll be taken to a product page containing product spec, reviews, prices, and local availability. We’ve updated the ‘Product Features’ section of the product page (ex: Samsung Chromebook) to help you interpret detailed product specs. You’ll also see a product info bar at the top of the page that contains basic information about the product you’re viewing and remains in place as you scroll down the page.



Additionally, the product page now also displays the date that the product first appeared on Google Product Search, so it’s easy to tell if you’re viewing a newer or older product model. Of course, our pages still let you read reviews, compare prices, and find items in stock nearby.

Improving the apparel shopping experience

Back in September, we introduced the first of our efforts to improve the apparel shopping experience on Google Product Search, incorporating the most popular features from Boutiques.com. We’ve now expanded this experience to include shoes (ex: platform pumps), displaying larger product images and giving you more ways to refine your search by brand, color, style, and other criteria.



As with dresses, when you click on a particular shoe, the product page displays visually similar styles giving you more products to browse and consider as you shop.



Browse for gift ideas on the new curated Mobile Product Search homepage

This holiday season, many of us will be using our smartphones to research products when we’re out and about. With the mobile version of Google Product Search, you can get instant access to detailed product information, reviews, and prices wherever you are.

If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands in line at the mall or simply need more gift ideas, get inspired by browsing the new curated homepage for Mobile Product Search. To access the page, open the Google Search app and select the ‘Shopping’ tab. We update this page regularly, so check back frequently for seasonal gift ideas, fashion trends, and more.



Posted by Andrew Poon, Senior Product Manager, Google Shopping team

What do Detroit, Indianapolis, Ft. Worth, Long Beach, Sacramento and St. Louis have in common? You guessed it! As of today, they are the newest cities to provide awesome personalized deals to local city dwellers and visitors via Google Offers.

Now for the good stuff. Here are the details behind the first deals in our new cities:

Detroit: $6 for one ticket to North American International Auto Show (up to $12 value)
If you call your car your “baby” and love all things on four wheels, consider the third week in
January 2012 your new favorite holiday. Stay ahead of the road-riding curve and check out the
latest and greatest developments in automotive technology, design and engineering at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

Indianapolis: $4 for $9 of Cajun cuisine at Papa Roux
Serving up a delicious Cajun menu, Papa Roux is a local gem offering over 10 different varieties of po-boy (think pulled pork, grilled onion, roast chicken) served on fresh French bread delivered daily. Today’s Google Offer is good for both Papa Roux locations at Eastside and City Market, so you can get an authentic taste of Nola without leaving Indy.

Ft. Worth: $5 for one adult ticket to ‘Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome’ at the Kimbell Art Museum ($14 value)
We may not remember a lot from 8th grade art class, but wherever paintings have bold contrasts of light and dark, Caravaggio’s dramatic “chiaroscuro” technique comes rushing to mind. See the major influence this great artist made on the 17th-century Roman art scene at the second largest North American display of the Italian artist’s work, Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome, which features more than 50 paintings and places the master’s influential works next to pieces by some of the artists he inspired.

Long Beach: $2 for $12 of comfort food & drinks at At Last Cafe
It’s easy to see why At Last Cafe is beloved by locals. This quaint neighborhood eatery elevates the art of homestyle cooking while keeping prices low. The renowned chef, John McLaughlin, brings a passion for comfort food infused with fresh, local ingredients to the kitchen. In fact, many dishes feature fruit from his very own backyard.

Sacramento: $5 for $15 of burgers, sandwiches, salads and more at Hamburger Patties
The days of ‘50s diners may be long gone, but you can still get a great burger, fries and shake in Sacramento at Hamburger Patties. With 18 different burger offerings, 16 sandwiches, weekend brunch, a separate menu for vegetarians and mighty meal choices for kids, Hamburger Patties is a go-to spot for River City residents.

St. Louis: $12 for $25 of Italian fare and drinks at Zia’s “On the Hill”
Founded by two brothers, this neighborhood favorite features homemade Italian fare, plus a long list of red, white and sparkling wines. Sample such delicious plates as the Portabella Asparagi—jumbo ravioli stuffed with Portobello mushrooms and dusted with fontinella cheese $11.50). No matter what dish you decide, rest assured you’re feasting on fare fit for any Italian zia.



To subscribe to Google Offers in these cities and other locations across the U.S., please visit: www.google.com/offers. You can also find and buy great deals with the free Google Offers app for Android.

The world’s holiday shopping capital now has more holiday cheer.

Since we introduced a larger selection of personalized deals in San Francisco a few weeks ago, we’ve received great feedback from our merchant partners and also from our customers--who are enjoying access to our expanded collection of 30+ daily deals for foodies, adventure seekers, families and more. There’s no doubt that people love getting personalized offers and merchants benefit from connecting with the right customers.

That’s why we’re happy to announce that we’re expanding deals from our partners to Google Offers subscribers in New York City. Starting today, New Yorkers can also find a greater selection of offers and receive multiple deals that match their personal interests all in one place, and accessible through the web, in email, or on their mobile device.

Today we’re also expanding our roster of partners to include CityLikes, Dealster, Eversave, and Weforia. We’ve also enhanced the Google Offers site design to make our expanded inventory of offers more easily discoverable and personalized to subscribers interests.

In the coming months, we’ll continue to roll out our growing inventory of deals to more markets where Google Offers is available.

You can subscribe to receive deals that match your interests and learn more about Google Offers at www.google.com/offers. Also, you can always find deals from Google Offers on the go with the Google Offers app on Android.

If you’re a deal provider and are interested in working with Google Offers, please contact us via this form.

Posted by Abhishek Rajgarhia, Software Engineer, Google Offers

Earlier today we announced that Google Checkout is transitioning to Google Wallet. And now, we’re expanding the Google Wallet online service with a new and easy integration option for merchants. This solution is first available and optimized for the mobile web, where shoppers often abandon their carts when faced with lengthy checkout forms. With this solution, online merchants can retain control over their payment processing and provide a more streamlined experience for shoppers, without additional fees.

Starting today, we’re rolling out this new service on the mobile websites of Fandango and MovieTickets.com. When consumers visit these sites from an Android phone, BlackBerry or iPhone, they will have the option to make a purchase using Google Wallet, without the need to fill out multiple forms or leave the merchant’s site.

At this time, we’re offering this new service to select merchants in the U.S. If you’re a merchant and interested in learning more, please request contact from a Google representative here.

Posted by Divya Agarwalla, Product Manager, Google Wallet

As you know, we’re big fans of keeping your shopping experience easy -- especially now that the holiday shopping season is here. Today, we’re starting to take all the great functionality and ease-of-use you’ve come to know with Google Checkout and merge it with Google Wallet to create a single wallet, whether you’re buying online or in-store. We’re also starting to integrate Google Wallet as the payment method on Android Market, YouTube, Google+ Games and many other Google sites.

For consumers: save time with Google Wallet online
For all you busy holiday shoppers, Google Wallet provides a simple and safe way to make online purchases. When you shop with merchants that accept Google Wallet or Google Checkout, just use your Google Wallet username and password to complete your purchase -- there’s no need to pull out your credit card or enter your shipping address with every transaction. Starting tomorrow, if you add a Citi MasterCard to the Google Wallet mobile app, it will also be available for use when you shop with Google Wallet online.

If you’re a current user of Google Checkout you can automatically transition your account to Google Wallet the next time you sign in or make a purchase online. All users can now access online purchase history and payment information at wallet.google.com/manage.

For merchants: no changes necessary
We're committed to upgrading our payment solutions for merchants while ensuring they’re able to process payments without interruption during the holidays -- so shoppers using Google Wallet will be able to make purchases seamlessly on merchant sites that accept Google Checkout. Early next year, we will work closely with our merchant partners to switch to the Google Wallet logo and share details on new and upcoming features.

If you have questions about this transition, please visit our Help Center to learn more. If you are looking for more information, you can visit google.com/wallet.

Posted by Ben Lee, Product Manager, Google Wallet

Good news Bay Area shoppers! We’re excited to announce that Gap, Inc. is our newest SingleTap merchant. Now shoppers can use Google Wallet to tap, pay and save at over 65 Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Stores and Gap Outlet stores across the Bay Area. For additional details, check out what our friends at Gap Inc. have to say:

http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/blog/2011/11/gap_inc_introduces.html

Posted by Robyn Katzman, Strategic Partner Development Manager, Google Wallet

Today we’re keeping the Google Offers momentum going with expansion into three new markets: Phoenix, Orlando and Salt Lake City. Check out our debut deals in these fantastic cities:

Phoenix: Up to 65% off at the Phoenix Zoo
Experience the sights and sounds of the Borneo rainforests or take an adventure in the lively tropics of South America with our first deal in Phoenix: $6 for one admission to the Phoenix Zoo (up to $18 value). The non-profit Phoenix Zoo features more than 1,300 exotic animals and exciting exhibits like the new Orang-Hutan: "People of the Forest,” where you can get up close and personal with a family of Bornean orangutans.



Orlando: 80% off at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
Celebrate 15 years of Jeremiah’s Italian Ice with today’s Google Offer: $1 for $5 of ice-cold sweets. The frozen treat shop serves up more than forty flavors of Italian Ice, three flavors of soft ice cream, or you can create your own Gelati--a creamy combination of the two. Are you a fan of tropical treats? Try vanilla soft ice cream layered with Mango or Bahama Freeze Italian Ice. Today’s deal is good at any one of Jeremiah’s four locations: Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs and UCF.



Salt Lake City: Up to 50% off at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum
Take a family field trip with our first Google Offer in Salt Lake City where $4.25 gets you one ticket to the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum (up to $8.50 value). Kids will enjoy exploring a 30-foot metal beehive, testing their pilot skills in a real helicopter (located on the roof) and delivering a weather report in the green screen-equipped Media Zone. With more than 140 exhibits to explore, Discovery Gateway is the perfect family activity for indoor winter fun.



To subscribe to Google Offers in these cities and other locations across the U.S., please visit: www.google.com/offers. You can also find and buy great deals with the free Google Offers app for Android, available for download in the Android Market.

Posted by Eric Rosenblum, Director of Product Management, Google Offers

Over the past five years, CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute has honored everyday people across the globe who are making extraordinary contributions to improve the lives of people in their communities. Each year Heroes are nominated by CNN viewers who are inspired by the hard work and commitment of these individuals. The 2011 Top 10 honorees were revealed recently by CNN's Anderson Cooper.

Today we’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with CNN to provide the donation functionality, through Google Checkout, for all contributions made to the causes championed by the Heroes. All donations are tax deductible. Google will cover the cost of the transaction fee to ensure that 100% of all donations go to the chosen organizations.

Explore the 2011 Top Ten Heroes’ stories in the video and show your support for their causes by donating now. You can donate as many times and to as many of the non-profit organizations as you’d like from now through December 31, 2011.

Want to learn even more about the Heroes? Read on!



Eddie Canales
Eddie Canales’ group, Gridiron Heroes, provides support to teenagers who suffered spinal cord injuries while playing football. Donate to Gridiron Heroes








Taryn Davis
Taryn Davis created the American Widow Project, which has provided support to more than 900 military widows since 2007. Donate to the American Widow Project







Sal Dimiceli
Through his newspaper column and his nonprofit, Sal Dimiceli helps about 500 people a year with food, rent and other necessities. Donate to Time Is Now







Derreck Kayongo
Derreck Kayongo's Global Soap Project recycles partially used hotel soap to save lives in impoverished countries. Donate to Global Soap Project







Diane Latiker
Surrounded by gang violence, Diane Latiker opened her Chicago home to area youth and started a program called Kids Off the Block. Donate to Kids Off the Block







Robin Lim
Since 2003, Robin Lim and her team have helped thousands of low-income women have a healthy birthing experience. Donate to Yayasan Bumi Sehat







Patrice Millet
Since being diagnosed with cancer, Patrice Millet has dedicated his life to helping Haitian kids through his youth soccer program. Donate to FONDAPS







Bruno Serato
Since 2005, Bruno Serato has been serving free pasta dinners to children, many of whom are poor and live in motels. Donate to Caterina's Club







Richard St. Denis
Since 2008, Richard St. Denis and World Access Project have provided hundreds of wheelchairs to people in rural Mexico. Donate to World Access Project







Amy Stokes
Using the Internet, Amy Stokes' nonprofit connects hundreds of South African kids with mentors from all over the world. Donate to Infinite Family






Posted by Jessica Smallman, Product Marketing, Google Commerce

Whether you’re North or South, East or West, a city with great deals from Google isn’t far away! We’re excited to announce that Google Offers beta is available in five new cities. Now, people in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Brooklyn, New York can get personalized deals for the places they love to eat, shop and play. We’re kicking it off in these new locations with some awesome local merchants, including:

Atlanta:
$7 for one full access ticket to the esteemed High Museum of Art (up to an $18 value)
With more than 12,000 permanent works on display, the High Museum of Art in Midtown is
the leading arts center in the southeastern United States. Wander through the museum’s vast and varied collection, including current and upcoming exhibitions such as “Picasso to Warhol: 14 Modern Masters” and “The Art of Golf.” With Friday Jazz, poetry slams and family-friendly events, the High Museum of Art is keeping Atlanta’s hunger for an art scene alive and vibrant.

Brooklyn, New York:
$4 for one general admission ticket to the New York Aquarium (up to $14.95 value)
Explore the bizarre beauties of the deep in Alien Stingers, see penguins, seals, otters, and walruses at the Sea Cliffs exhibit, and get underwater views of the amazing wildlife that inhabits our oceans at the New York Aquarium, located just off the Coney Island boardwalk.

Chicago:
$10 for $20 of craft beer and bar fare at Goose Island’s Wrigleyville brewpub
Beer buffs credit Goose Island with helming the craft beer renaissance in the Windy City. More than 20 years later, taste the ongoing innovation in the brewery’s award-winning creations. Try the Mild Winter, a malty match made in irony, while proud Chi-towners will enjoy a nod to their numbers in the mainstay brew: 312. Pair your ale with a delicious fare from the brewpub’s extensive menu.

Houston:
$10 for $20 of Southern-style breakfast at the Zagat-rated the breakfast klub
Hungry Houstonians have been lining up for 10 years to savor the breakfast klub’s one-of-a-kind Southern specialties, including “wings and waffles,” “katfish & grits” and “buttery biskits.” With jazz and gospel melodies filling the air, colorful walls and a husband-and-wife team who love chatting with their customers, it’s no wonder the breakfast klub is Houston Press’ 2011 Readers’ Choice for “Best Breakfast Restaurant,” My Table’s Culinary Award winner for “Favorite Breakfast” and “Best of City Search Winner” for 2011.

Los Angeles:
$14 for two movie tickets & a large popcorn at the world famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre or Chinese 6 Theatres (up to $39 value)
Since its debut in 1927, the inimitable Grauman's Chinese Theatre has been a celebrated Hollywood landmark. Boasting a spot on the Walk of Fame, this iconic theater has housed Academy Awards shows and star-studded premieres. While you’re at Grauman’s, be sure to visit the costume exhibit on display, the Hollywood Legends Collection. Check out the duds from such films as Gone with the Wind and Terminator 2 and then discover the famous hands (and feet) imprinted in the theater’s courtyard.



To subscribe to Google Offers in these cities, as well as other locations across the U.S., visit: www.google.com/offers. You can also find and buy great deals while you’re on the go with our new mobile app for Android. You can download the Google Offers app from Android Market.

Posted by Eric Rosenblum, Director of Product Management, Google Offers

Since our launch in August, we’ve been hard at work to bring more great content to Google Catalogs. Today we're excited to announce that we’ve doubled our collection of catalogs to include more than 100 brands and 300 individual issues from the catalogs you love, like Williams-Sonoma, Sephora and Nordstrom.

Thanks to our ever-growing list of partners, we’ve expanded the app to include six new catalog categories for you to shop. Love gadgets or the great outdoors? Looking for that perfect holiday treat to send to a friend? Well, look no further than our newly launched catalogs and categories:

• Gourmet: Dean & Deluca, Mrs. Fields, Wolferman’s, Harry & David, The Swiss Colony, La Tienda, Lobster Gram, Cushman’s, GiftTree, King Arthur Flour and Fairytale Brownies
• Intimates & Loungewear: Bare Necessities, Fredericks of Hollywood, Spanx and Hanes
• Athletic & Sports: Nike, Athleta, Gaiam, Champion and Tennis Express
• Outdoor Adventure: REI, Moosejaw, Patagonia, Merrell, Eddie Bauer Outdoor, Sierra Trading Post and L.L. Bean Outdoor Gear
• Gadgets: Sharper Image, ThinkGeek and SkyMall
• Toys: One Step Ahead, Right Start, The Land of Nod, Sears and Kmart

Google Catalogs lets you create a collage of your favorite items from across many catalogs. You can even share your collages with friends and family - a visual way to show them what’s on your list this holiday season!

We’ve also added a number of great brands to our existing categories, including: Barneys, Tory Burch and Trina Turk (Fashion & Apparel); BeautyBar (Beauty); Blu Dot, FLOR, and Ballard Designs (Home); Hanna Andersson, CWDkids, and Serena & Lily (Kids); and Garnet Hill, Uncommon Goods, and Wine Enthusiast (Gifts).

In the mood to kick off your holiday shopping? Visit the App Store to download the free Google Catalogs app for iPad.

Posted by Abigail Holtz, Business Product Manager, Google Catalogs Team

Today we’re running our very first national Google Offer and it’s with my favorite national outdoor retailer, REI. If you enjoy hiking, biking, running, and sleeping under the stars then you’ll love our deal with REI -- the brand that’s outfitted and inspired adventurers since 1938. We’re also releasing our first Google Offers mobile app that’s now available for free in Android Market. At last, you can discover, purchase and redeem great offers even when you’re on the road.

Purchase today’s REI deal and you’ll get $25 to spend on top-notch gear for $15, so you’re ready for your next encounter in the great outdoors. This deal can be used to shop online at REI.com, or at one of their 120 stores nationwide.

On the heels of our last update, the REI deal marks an important achievement for us in the growth of Google Offers by creating a truly national platform where businesses can connect with new customers whether they’re in San Francisco, Dallas, New York or Boston. And the sky’s the limit from here. We’re committed to growing the Google Offers platform to make it a global extension of our advertising tools for merchants, as well as the go-to spot for quality, easily accessible, and personalized deals for you.

With our new mobile app you can discover, buy and redeem your favorite deals on the go. The free app will notify you about all the great offers that match your interests. You can purchase offers in just a few clicks and even redeem paperlessly with select merchants. If you’re out and about be sure to pick up today’s offer for REI with the Google Offers app. You can download the app from Android Market.


Check out www.google.com/offers to learn more and subscribe to Google Offers in your city to be among the first to know about the latest and greatest national and local deals, relevant to you.

Posted by Eric Rosenblum, Director of Product Management, Google Offers

Last week, we hosted a live webinar for Google Product Search merchants, ‘Keeping your product data fresh using Google’s Content API for Shopping.’ The recorded webinar is now available on YouTube. If you’re looking for a more scalable and flexible way to update your product data on Google Product Search, we encourage you to take a look to learn more about the following topics:

• The Content API for Shopping
• Google Shopping data freshness policy
• Using Feeds vs. using the API
• Available support for the API
• Implementing and using the Content API for Shopping

Posted by Danny Hermes, Developer Programs Engineer, Google Commerce Team