Google Business Profiles Guidelines Updated: Storefronts Required For Minimum Age Products

Nov 29, 2024 - 7:31 am 0 by
Filed Under Google Maps

Google Liquor Store Man

Google has updated its Google Business Profiles guidelines to say that businesses associated with products or services that require the customer to be a certain minimum age are not permitted as service-area businesses without a storefront.

Google wrote:

Businesses associated with products or services that require the customer to be a certain minimum age, like alcohol, cannabis, or weapons, aren’t permitted as service-area businesses without a storefront.

Stefan Somborac, who is a hawk with these local guidelines, spotted this on Wednesday and wrote on X, "Google actually uses the phrase "Businesses associated with..." not "Businesses selling...", which significantly broadens how this new change can be applied."

So selling these products require these businesses to have an actual physical store that customers can walk into and buy things from. A store employee must verify the age of the customer before selling products or services that require minimum age verification.

I do wonder if this also includes cigarettes - I would think so.

Here is a screenshot of the guidelines addition - yellow was added:

Google Business Profiles Guidelines Minimum Age Update

Forum discussion at X.

 

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