Google-owned company Pointy is offering Irish SMEs its titular device free of charge to help them display their in-store products online. The promotion also includes €100 ad credit to trial Pointy’s product ads feature if retailers sign up within the next six months.

Pointy works by using a small box that connects to a store’s barcode scanner and POS or cash register. Scanned products in-store will then appear automatically on a Pointy webpage and in local Google search results, which can help attract shoppers in the locality to the store.

The Pointy box has its own internal connection to the internet via mobile phone network. Qualifying businesses using Pointy will also have their store location, opening hours and contact details displayed in Google search results.

Mark Cummins, general manager with Pointy, noted that being visible online can be a challenge for smaller retailers who may not have the resources to build and maintain an e-commerce platform. “Pointy creates an online presence for these retailers automatically, to help them showcase their product offering.”

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According to Google, there was a 100% increase in searches for ‘available near me’ since last year. “Helping online shoppers find the products they need in their area is a new way for businesses to connect with their customers and boost their visibility in an ever-competitive digital marketplace,” said Lorraine Higgins, secretary general of Digital Business Ireland, a non-profit representative body set up in 2019 by digital businesses in Ireland.

Pointy was founded by Dubliner Mark Cummins and Essex native Charles Bibby in 2014. The business was acquired by Google in January 2020, in a deal reportedly worth $160m.

To sign up for the Pointy promotion, visit pointy.com/ireland.

Photo: Pointy founders Mark Cummins (left) and Charles Bibby