Google and NearSt tie up to push local high street sales

The retail technology start-up has embedded its technology onto Google’s search platform, allowing shoppers to find the availability, price and distance of products they have searched for in high street stores near their home.

NearSt, which was founded in 2015, takes data from retailers’ point-of-sale systems to give customers up-to-date information on shops near them that have what they would like to buy, rather than having to buy online.

The start-up originally hosted this data on its own website, but this partnership will mean UK customers will see this information when they use Google’s search engine directly.

Co-founder Nick Brackenbury said: “We effectively moved from being a car-maker to an engine-maker, which works far better for both ourselves and where shoppers are actually searching – on Google.

“We’re working towards a future where this live inventory information is universally available in any site, app or service where it would be useful.”

The start-up, which has raised £1.3m to date from investors including YYX Capital and True, is planning a £2m funding round to expand into the US.

Google’s global head of local shopping Nathalie Walton said: “NearSt has some fantastic technology which we are leveraging to make it as easy to shop locally as it is online.

“It gives small retailers the ability to compete effectively in the online world, without needing any of the technical and financial firepower of their online competitors.”