Tech start-up partners with Google to boost UK high street

London-based retail tech start-up NearSt has partnered with Google to make it easier for customers to know what’s in stock at their local stores.

With the new service, customers will be able to search an item on Google and instead of simply seeing where it is sold, they will be given a selection of nearby stores which currently stock the searched item.

Founded three years ago by Max Kreijn and Nick Brackenbury, NearSt hopes to offer a more detailed, extensive and up-to-date picture of what is available on the UK high street.

The technology works by connecting to retailers’ point of sale systems, extracting the rough inventory data and then showing in real time who locally stocks what. The technology aligns with Google's focus on adding more local product availability directly into search results.

“NearSt has some fantastic technology which we are leveraging to make it as easy to shop locally as it is online,” said Nathalie Walton, global head of local shopping at Google Shopping, in a statement. “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.”