Google Supports Curbside Pickup For Retailers; ANA Releases Data Buyer’s Guide

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Curb Appeal

Google introduced curbside pickup sales for retailers. The tool is in beta, so stores must sign up for Google’s “store pickup” program, run live local inventory ads and have items guaranteed in stock. Stores can still have text saying they offer curbside pickup in Google displays, but the Google feature has a live feed of available items and can process purchases directly. “Searches for ‘in-stock’ grew more than 70% globally from the week of March 28 to April 4, as consumers sought to avoid ecommerce shipping delays,” writes Google product management VP Darshan Kantak in a blog post. There’s a mad rush in retail tech and media to create curbside pickup and delivery alternatives, from ecommerce players such as Shopify to the biggest retailers, where they’re learning to love BOPIS.

Data Do’s & Don’ts

Data needs to pass the sniff test – just like the tubs of stay-at-home leftovers stacked in your fridge right now. Advertisers spend billions of dollars on third-party audience data and related solutions every year, and yet the supply chain is … less than transparent. On Monday, the Association of National Advertisers released a report with advice for buyers trying to make sense of the murky data ecosystem. Pro tip: Ask questions. “Buyers require transparency about the sources, methodologies and processes used by their data vendors,” said ANA CEO Bob Liodice. MediaPost has more.

Changing Of The Guard

Stephen Allan is stepping down as MediaCom’s worldwide chairman and CEO after 12 years. Allan spent 38 years at the agency, where he started as a teenager when it was an independent media shop and grew it to the fourth-largest global media network, Campaign reports. MediaCom has 8,000 employees and represents clients including Adidas, Mars, Procter & Gamble, Sky and Tesco. Global Chief Operating Officer and longtime lieutenant Nick Lawson will take his place starting July 1, as Allan moves on to “a new challenge.” More.

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