Google Street View to let you walk into shops soon?

Apparently a small-time business in NYC called "Oh Nuts" claims Google paid them a visit and asked to take photos inside the store every six feet (that's every two meters for the rest of us), a-la Street View. They took photos of the aisles and of actual products.

Google say they're just experimenting and are not making any statements (how surprising), but still, it's an interesting prospect. If implemented on a broad scale, will it mean shopkeepers would have to keep their shelves super-neat until the Street View team comes along?

What if they decide to stop carrying a product? And if they've changed things around and decide they want the photos taken again?

I think the only way this can work is as a paid advertising service, with Google hiring out their photographers -- but then it would probably only be available in major cities. Still, I kind of like the idea because it sounds like something which could give the small guys a better chance and some exposure in their perpetual fight against big-time retailers.

[Via: Search Engine Land]

Tags: google, street view, street view maps, street view privacy, streetview, StreetViewMaps, StreetViewPrivacy