3 Google tools to use for last-minute holiday shopping

Has holiday shopping procrastination caught up with you? Don’t stress: We’ve collected a few tips for crossing everything off your list under a tight timeline — while still getting a good price (unless you’d rather be among the 38% of last-minute shoppers who opt for the universal last resort: a gift card).

1. Come up with better gift ideas, faster

Bad case of gifter’s block? AI can help take the hard work out of gifting — especially for people who are hard to buy for. For example, shoppers in the U.S. who don’t know what to buy their sporty nephew can search “gifts for an 11-year-old boy who loves soccer“ and an AI Overview will offer a wide variety of gifting ideas — like books about famous athletes, new soccer gear or even things like one-on-one coaching experiences.

2. Narrow your search to gifts you can actually get in time

Twenty-eight percent of people say they rely on fast shipping or same-day pickup when shopping for last-minute gifts. If you’re among them, use the “Get it fast” filter on Search and Google Shopping to only see the gifts you can get in time, whether that’s because they’re in stock in stores near you or they’ll ship quickly. As we get closer to the holiday, this filter will also show you gifts you can get by December 24. It’s available on mobile or desktop in the U.S.

3. Be a smarter in-store shopper

Seventy-six percent of holiday shoppers go to local stores for last-minute gifts. If this sounds like you, or if you just love the nostalgia of holiday shopping in person, Google Lens can quickly show you product insights tailored to the store you’re in. Just snap a photo to find product information, price comparisons across stores, similar products in-stock and reviews. This is available for beauty products, toys and electronics for Lens users in the U.S. who have opted in to sharing their precise location.

And make a plan before you head out: Save yourself some stress by searching for specific products in Google Maps to see what stores in your neighborhood carry them.

4. Keep an eye on updates with package tracking in Gmail

Easily keep track of when your order will arrive in Gmail by opting into package tracking. Users in the U.S. with this setting turned on will get delivery updates clearly labeled on shopping emails in their inbox — and keep an eye out for our new summary cards for purchases, which make it easier to view order details at a glance.

Best of luck out there, shoppers.