Calling all South Bay residents: we are piloting a new payment app and would love your feedback!

First, some background. Since we launched Android Pay, we've averaged 1.5 million new registrations each month in the US alone and there are now over 2 million locations that accept tap and pay. But we’re not stopping there—we're busy working to bring the convenience of Android Pay to more countries and a growing list of stores and apps.

At the same time, we also wanted to explore what the future of mobile payments could look like. Imagine if you could rush through a drive-thru without reaching for your wallet, or pick up a hot dog at the ballpark without fumbling to pass coins or your credit card to the cashier. This prompted us to build a pilot app called Hands Free that we’re now in the early stages of testing. It lets you pay in stores quickly, easily, and completely hands-free.

Whether you need to restock your pantry, get some ingredients for tonight’s dinner, or just need some help carrying the heavier stuff -- all you have to do is place your order, and we'll take care of the rest. Fresh grocery deliveries start at $2.99 for members and $4.99 for everyone else, and you can choose when you want them delivered in two-hour windows, available every day. While you’re going about your day, your groceries are kept fresh and cold from the grocery store all the way to your doorstep.

If you’re new to Google Express, sign up now to get a free 3-month trial membership.* Enjoy $15 off your first purchase by entering code TRYGROCERY at checkout.**

We’re always working to make Google Express better, and we hope that fresh groceries make the service even more useful for you.              

No email? No problem! Now you can send money to anyone in your contact list using just a phone number.



When you send money to a phone number, the recipient will get a text message with a secure link. They can simply enter their debit card to claim the money and it will be available in their bank account within minutes.



To start using this feature, look for a new version of the Google Wallet app on Google Play or in the App Store in the next few days.


Keep the feedback coming
We’re thrilled with the great feedback we’ve received on the new Google Wallet app, and we’re working hard to make the experience even better.



In recent weeks, we’ve released a number of updates, including:

• Improved contact suggestions, so you see the people you send money to most often first 
• A security feature that lets you lock the Google Wallet app with the tap of a button 
• The ability to link a second bank account 

We’d love to hear more about what features you want to see in Google Wallet. Share your feedback with us in the app or on our Twitter or Google+ accounts.



The Google Wallet Team
   

Every year, there’s a joyous feeling in the air as excitement builds to that special holiday moment with friends and family. Leading up to the holiday break, though, we know you have loads to do, like shop for gifts, pick up holiday decor, and (of course) bake cookies for Santa. Last year, folks from Boston, Chicago, DC, Manhattan, West LA and the Bay Area trusted Google Express to get their holiday must-haves delivered — whether it was the gingerbread cookies in the nick of time for the holiday party, festive lights for the home, toys for the kiddos, or an epic ugly sweater for the company contest. This year, we’re thrilled to reach more than 95 million people (nearly 1/3 of the US — hurrah!) with massive new coverage across most of the Midwest and all of California.

Give me s’more, you say? To help with your to-dos, we’re pleased to work with more of your favorite stores so you can relax and do all your holiday shopping in one place — the palm of your hand.
Last year, we noticed that average searches for ‘tableware’ grew three times in December compared to the rest of the year, while searches for ‘baking’ related items peaked a week before Christmas. So, to help with your holiday meal prep, we’re delighted to bring you Bed Bath & Beyond and Sur La Table, where you can find bakeware and festive dinnerware perfect for your holiday gatherings.
In the Bay Area, we saw four times the number of searches for ‘Christmas tree’ right after Thanksgiving, while searches for ‘holiday decor’ tripled the week after. This year, we’re thrilled to work with Orchard Supply Hardware and Balsam Hill to have beautiful trees, home decor and so much more, delivered right to your door.

If you haven’t already, sign up for Google Express and get a free 3-month membership trial* to see how we can make your holidays all the merrier. And for a limited time, enjoy $15 off your first purchase by entering code REINDEER15 at checkout.**

Happy shopping and happy holidays!
The Google Express Team

*3-month trial offer expires Jan. 31, 2017. After free trial, membership auto-renews. Cancel at any time.

Today, we’re delighted to launch Google Express to over 25 million more people, with overnight delivery in the Midwest—across six different states and the Greater Chicagoland area. That’s right, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin: we’re coming to a doorstep near you.

Since launching Google Express just under two years ago, we’ve made many shoppers very happy, alongside our wonderful stores. Whether same-day in our seven metro areas or overnight in Northern California, it’s been a pleasure to see the service become part of people’s lives.

One thing is especially clear: people love saving time with us. That’s what we’re really about. Think back-to-school shopping that gives back those last moments of summer. Or family shopping that leaves more time for the family.

In the Midwest, we’re delighted to offer Google Express with the following wonderful stores. Deep breath... Ace Hardware, Barnes & Noble, Costco, Fry’s Electronics, Kohl’s, L’Occitane en Provence, Moosejaw, PetSmart, Road Runner Sports, Staples, Toys “R” Us & Babies “R” Us, Treasure Island Foods, Ulta Beauty, The Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens and Wrigleyville Sports. Phew!

So, we hope you enjoy easy, convenient and speedy shopping, Midwesterners. We’re certainly going to enjoy being in your part of the world—getting things you need delivered from stores you love.

Posted by Brian Elliott, General Manager, Google Express

With Google Shopping, finding the right customers starts with creating a good product data feed: the better your feed, the more easily we can connect you with online shoppers, searching for what you sell. Key to creating a complete feed is clearly and accurately specifying which products you have for sale.

For most products, the manufacturer will provide a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) to uniquely and completely identify a product in the global marketplace. We’ve found that providing GTINs in your product data feed increases the likelihood that your offers are matched to the Google Shopping product catalog. This helps us surface relevant, accurate results on Google Shopping; in fact, early experiments indicate that offers matched to the catalog receive up to 40% more user clicks than those that do not¹.

That’s why, as part of the 2015 update to the Google Shopping Products Feed Specification shared in June, we refined our guiding principles and requirements around GTINs. Starting September 15, we’ll require Google Shopping feeds targeting Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States to submit valid ‘gtin’ and ‘brand’ for all products when the ‘brand’ is a designated brand and the ‘condition’ is ‘new’. At that time, we’ll disapprove offers that do not meet this requirement or are submitted with invalid GTINs.

If you don’t already have correct, complete GTINs in your data feed, here’s how you can easily find them:

• Find GTINs individually. Look for the 12 or 13 digit number printed below the barcode on your product’s packaging. For example, the ASUS Flip C100PA DB01 10.1″ Touchscreen Chromebook should be submitted with a ‘gtin’ as 00889349062166 and ‘brand’ as ASUS. 
• Find GTINs in bulk. GTINs are used in many warehouse management systems to identify and manage inventory and can often be exported from this in bulk. Check with your IT colleagues to see if they can help you get GTIN data in your feeds. 
• Make sure you’re using the correct brand. Merchants may mistakenly give us the incorrect brand for a product by using ‘brand’ to indicate that a product is compatible with, or an accessory or replacement part for a product from that brand. For example, a mobile phone case that is compatible with an Apple iPhone 6 listing “Apple” as the brand is misleading to shoppers and can result in your ads being disapproved. Instead, it should provide the brand for the product, and use the ‘title’ and ‘description’ fields to explain compatibility information instead.

Note: It’s important to not try to make up a placeholder GTIN or use the same one for multiple, different products, as our systems will detect this and disapprove your offers. Once you’ve updated your data feed with valid, accurate GTINs, you can resubmit your feed for processing and get more of your products on Google Shopping.

Credit cards, debit cards, loyalty cards, cash, coins. Forget fumbling through your wallet next time you’re in a store—what if you could pay with just a tap?

Introducing Android Pay, the simple and secure way to pay with your Android phone.

So when you shop at a store, Android Pay won’t send your actual credit or debit card number with your payment. Instead we’ll use a virtual account number to represent your account information -- providing you with an extra layer of security. And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password or even wipe it clean of your personal information.

Stay Tuned
Android Pay will be available on Google Play for download soon. And when your bank integrates, you could also activate Android Pay directly from your bank app. We are also working with major US mobile carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) to help ensure that when you buy a new Android phone, you can walk out the door ready to use Android Pay.

Look forward to sharing more in the coming months.

Posted by Pali Bhat, Director, Product Management

After a long day, you're on your way home, phone in hand and click on your favorite app to have food delivered in no-time. Sound familiar? You're not alone. People are ordering food and drinks through their smartphones more and more, everyday. But having to type all your credit card information through that tiny keyboard can be a hassle. So we’ve joined forces with many of your favorite food and beverage brands to add Google Wallet at checkout, allowing you to place orders in as few as two clicks.

This week, we welcome Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless, who have integrated with Google Wallet, bringing fast, convenient and secure checkout to their Android users.

You can get your cravings filled fast by placing your order using Google Wallet on a variety of apps and mobile sites, including:

Posted by Hana Chang, Head of Commerce Platforms