Boost In-Store Sales with Local Inventory Ads

By now, marketers know the significance of the ‘near me’ search term, and how it has shaped the way consumers discover and engage with local businesses. Over the last 2 years alone, mobile searches containing “Can I/to buy” + “near me” have grown 6x, solidifying this powerful trend that retailers can no longer ignore. So how does a business capitalize on the new consumer buying habits? By ensuring a presence both online and offline for the omnichannel shoppers… enter Local Inventory Ads! Lets dive in more on how you can boost in-store sales with Local Inventory Ads.

 

WHAT are Local Inventory Ads?

Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) are a type of Google Shopping ad that hyper-targets nearby shoppers. When users search for products, LIAs display relevant items available for purchase or pickup at local stores. These ads help retailers bridge the gap between online and offline shopping by showcasing in-store inventory. LIAs combine elements and functionality from Shopping, Organic Search, and Listings to leverage online awareness that in turn influences offline goals.

They are similarly placed as Shopping Ads across multiple Google surfaces including top of page search results, the shopping tab, and within image search. However they differ with their purpose. Where Shopping ads are designed for e-commerce and drive online purchases, LIAs are designed for brick and mortar locations, to drive store visits and in-store purchases, showcasing local inventory during a users research. A consumer can notice the variances on the SERPs with LIA tags showing “In store,” “Pick up today,” and “Pick up tomorrow” labels to differentiate from standard Product Listing Ads (PLAs) and Shopping listings.

WHY are Local Inventory Ads Important?

With consumers becoming increasingly difficult to reach, marketers need to ensure a brands exposure over multiple touchpoints, and omnichannel retailers have an advantage. According to a recent Google study, 90% of global shoppers who visited a store in the last week said they used online search prior to going in-store.

Here are some key benefits of LIAs:

• Promote In-Store Inventory – Inform local shoppers that your store has the products they’re searching for.
• Bring Your Store Online – Use Google-hosted local storefronts or your own website to create a digital local shopping experience.
• Drive Store Traffic – Encourage store visits by showcasing products available for same-day, curbside or next-day pickup.
• Measure Performance – Monitor the impact of your digital ads on both online and in-store goals
• Increased ROAS – On average, LIA reports 15-21% higher omnichannel ROAS than an online Shopping Ad
• SERPs Real Estate – Optimized product listings will be awarded higher placement in both standard product searches as well as ‘near me’ searches.
• Local Listing Enhancement – Google Local Inventory product listings will display in your Business Listings “See what’s in-store” knowledge panel feature

HOW Well do Local Inventory Ads Perform?

LIAs have proven effective in driving offline visits and sales for retail businesses by putting the most relevant and timely information in shoppers’ hands. In fact, over 70% of consumers prefer a BOPIS option when shopping online– making local availability one of the most important variables influencing purchasing decisions.

• SportCheck reported 108% more shop visits and over two times more revenue from store traffic driven by LIAs.
• Big 5 Sporting Goods saw success with LIAs, connecting online and in-store experiences.
• Adidas Japan implemented local inventory ads which improved store visit rate from digital efforts by 42%

 

WHO is Eligible to Run Local Inventory Ads?

LIAs are currently available in 40+ countries, including the US and Canada, to retailers that have physical storefronts and meet the following requirements:

• Have a brick-and-mortar store that people can visit to view and buy products
• Not make purchases contingent upon customers becoming members of your club
• Protect your customers’ personally identifiable information (PII)
• Physically sell goods in the country you’re targeting with your ads
• Agree to participate in potential inventory verifications

WHERE to Get Started With Local Inventory Ads?

There is a little bit of setup for activating LIAs. A business will need the following components in place:

• Google Merchant Centre
• Google Ads account
• Google Business Profile

If you already run Shopping campaigns via product listings ads (PLAs), you’re already set up with Google Ads and Google Merchant Centre. Regardless, there is no need to be overwhelmed on where to start. Our team at Location3 is here to help! Our digital strategists and marketing technology team are able to support you throughout the whole process, from set up to implementation, strategy building and ongoing optimizations, reach out to us to learn more on how to boost in-store sales with Local Inventory Ads.