Retail uses for Google data

Retailers may track future demand for specific products through Google

[SAGuy]

Have you ever wondered when Google might start selling its data to retailers? One of the biggest challenges facing merchandisers employed by large national retailers has been where to locate stock, especially high volume seasonal goods. Imagine if you could know what people in a particular geographic area where thinking of buying before they went looking for it in the store. If you knew that then you could simply rush those items to stores in that area or shift stock from one distribution center to another located closer to the anticipated demand. It would be like having a window into the mind of the American consumer. After all with Google now by far the largest search engine used by Americans Google is that window into the American consumers mind.

When a user makes a search on Google the majority expose their IP address to Google. Google in the mean time could and may already have entered into agreements with the large ISP's to have access to their proxy information and thus the exact geographical IP location of those users performing Google searches on their network. Suddenly a merchandiser would have knowledge of what the American consumer is thinking about buying before they even leave the house. Add the geographical IP information provided by the ISP's and Google knows geographically where they are looking for it. Imagine what a large national retailer would pay for that information.

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this concept.

[lazerzubb]

Not a bad suggestion i just don't think it would work for Google.

There is already a lot of companies that does these kind of things (Normal Research companies).

I wondered how the users would react to it, i think it's walking a fine line with Privacy, i would fine it very hard to see that the ISP's would give Google the regional preferences for the different ip's using Google.

They could probably make money from it, but i just can't see it happening in the near future.

[SAGuy]

In response read this article from the New York Times regarding Googles predictive ability? I think and again this is only my two cents worth that it would be short sighted to underestimate Googles long term financial goals or the lengths that large corporations will go to maximize their potential ROI. In a world dominated by quarterly returns I think you might find more than one buyer for Google's information. Time will tell.

[nytimes.com...]