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(cross-posted from the Google Commerce Blog)

Want to spend less time worrying about your online purchases? With Orders, a new feature in the latest version of the Google Wallet app for both Android (v. 4.0+, US only) and iOS (v. 6.0+, US only),  you can automatically track your online orders. Google Wallet also notifies you about the status of your orders, plus shows your past orders all in one place.
How it works Once you activate Orders in Google Wallet, you’ll be able to see any receipts sent to your Gmail right in the Google Wallet app. We’ve also worked with primary package carriers in the US so that when your order status is updated, you’ll get notified of the update through Wallet. So whether your order is shipped, out for delivery, or delayed, you’ll never wonder about the status of your order. Easily find your order information Google Wallet also makes it easy to see your order history and details of what you’ve purchased all in one place. You can view the products you’ve ordered, merchant contact information, and shipping details in the app. Plus, with just one click you can call or email the merchant if you have questions about your order.
Get the updated Google Wallet app today Download the new version of the Google Wallet app for Android (v. 4.0+, US only) and iOS (v. 6.0+, US only) on the Google Play Store, rolling out this week in the US. To begin tracking your orders, open the Google Wallet app and click “Activate” under “Track your orders” or click on “Orders” in the menu. In addition to Orders, the Google Wallet app lets you save your loyalty programs and offers in one place, send money to friends and family, and tap your phone to pay if you have an NFC-enabled Android device.

Posted by Amit Litsur, Product Manager

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(cross-posted from the DoubleClick Search Blog)

During the 2013 holidays, we shared some tips and tricks on how to adjust your bid strategies to take advantage of seasonal opportunities. Today, we wanted to take a look back and highlight one of our holiday success stories with the DoubleClick Search Performance Bidding Suite for real-time bid optimization. The following story comes from the VivaKi Search Hub -- VivaKi’s marketing support service that uses a deep knowledge of DoubleClick Search to drive results for their advertisers’ search programs.  

One of the VivaKi Search Hub’s advertisers, a large retail brand, looked to the team to overhaul their current strategies for maximizing results over the 2013 Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping days. To prepare for this peak time, the team turned to the DoubleClick Search Performance Bidding Suite to automate bids based on real-time conversion data, and respond immediately to market changes. 

Timothy Lackhouse, Team Lead for Bid Strategy at the VivaKi Search Hub, was in charge of managing the advertiser’s bid strategies. “The bid strategies in DoubleClick Search are incredibly clear to set up and modify,” said Lackhouse. “With near real-time and granular reporting, we don’t need to spend countless hours or days waiting for the data. We’re able to get a deep level of insight into our performance right away -- assessing what’s working, what’s not, and making tweaks as necessary.” 

Within days of launching the new bid strategies, the positive results were irrefutable. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the VivaKi Search Hub was able to increase its advertiser’s conversions by 360 percent while lowering CPO by 27 percent -- all while saving 90 minutes a day. 

To get the full scoop on the VivaKi Search Hub’s success with the Performance Bidding Suite, read the full customer story here. Stay tuned to the DoubleClick Search blog and Google+ page for even more customer success stories.

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Search data from Sunday night's Academy Awards reveals that women are taking style inspiration from the stars and are looking for Oscar dresses with an eye to buy. In fact, people search more for information on the dresses than they do for the nominees themselves.


Whose dress was most popular this year? And how are brands capitalizing on this interest? See more trends and insights we learned from Hollywood's biggest night on Think with Google.