Google Froogle

NYTimes

E-Commerce Report
Is That Item Sold Out? Know Before You Go


By BOB TEDESCHI
Published: December 12, 2005
FORGET about shopping in your underwear. The Web's brighter promise could be how it will change the way you shop in your overcoat.

Take the latest innovation from Google, which has become Silicon Valley's answer to Willy Wonka. The search engine's shopping service, Froogle, began testing a feature late last month that allows you to check whether certain local stores have particular items in stock, saving you a wasted trip if they do not. . . .