Google Assistant Shopping

[lunatic59]

My wife informed me that we needed to order a Google Home Mini for my nephew as his Christmas present. I thought I'd impress her with shopping right from our Google Home. It went something like this ...

"Hey Google, I want to order a Google Home mini."
"Sure, I found charcoal Google Home Mini for $25. Would you like me to add that to your shopping cart?"
"Yes"
"Great. Is there anything else you'd like to order or are you ready to checkout."
"Checkout"
"We don't have a delivery address on file, we just sent a link to your phone to add one."

Here's where it falls apart. Google Home did send me a link, but it was vague and when clicked on took me to a Quora page on how to add an address to Google Maps, not add a delivery address to my account for shopping. After a few frustrating tries, I "googled it" [/irony]. I discovered that I didn't do this in the Google Home app or Google Maps, but by long pressing the home button to open Assistant and then pressing on the compass icon. From there you click the settings menu (three dots, upper right) and choose payments and delivery. If you have a card stored for the play store, you can use that by verifying the security code. Then you can choose your home address as the delivery address.

I then went back to our home and said "Hey Google, checkout."

Assistant told me there were two items in my cart (which was correct, I added a second mini) and let me continue the checkout process up to the point where I needed to confirm the order on my phone. Here we have the same frustrating mess as before. Assistant said it sent a link to my phone to approve the order, but the link was an order summary with no place to approve the order. The only link on the page that said "Approve Order" was simply a search result for how to approve orders in general, not specifically this order. And, it was incomplete and incorrect. When I tried to checkout a second time, Assistant said I could review my order on line or using the Google Express Shopping app. I installed the app and there was the order, and I approved it.

During this process, my wife kept saying "Why don't you just cancel this order and reorder it from your computer?"

"Because I'm a stubborn old S.O.B. That's why!"

 

[KBU2]

Humm technology at its finest, but do you have a Google account with your real name and address.. Because if you do with a some type of payment attached to it, I would assume Google would have used that information to complete your order. I don't have a Home mini but I do have the Amazon assistance thingy that pretty much works the same way.

 

[lunatic59]

if you do with a some type of payment attached to it, I would assume Google would have used that information to complete your order.

I have had a credit card on file with Google since I bought my Nexus One from long before the play store was the play store (you got apps from the "market" then, but I don't remember if they has a cutsie name for their online store for the Nexus line.) I get the whole verification thing to make sure whoever is placing the order is actually the person who is placing the order. I appreciate the extra effort online stores and banks go through to verify my identity. My beef is that the instructions they give to complete each step are completely wrong.

 

[KBU2]

I have had a credit card on file with Google since I bought my Nexus One from long before the play store was the play store (you got apps from the "market" then, but I don't remember if they has a cutsie name for their online store for the Nexus line.) I get the whole verification thing to make sure whoever is placing the order is actually the person who is placing the order. I appreciate the extra effort online stores and banks go through to verify my identity. My beef is that the instructions they give to complete each step are completely wrong.

I would have made sure that I called customer service and told them exactly what I experienced just to get that order placed. Maybe they don't know that that manifestation is in their system and if they found out that it would hinder customers making orders they would fix that ASAP.

 

[lunatic59]

Customer Service at Google? Surely you jest.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

I'm not ready for voice shopping. To many variables arent being addressed. For instance... Does it tell you who your buying from?

 

[KBU2]

Customer Service at Google? Surely you jest.

I always call Google customer service when I have an issue with their products and they seem to fix whatever issues I have immediately, maybe that depends on how much information you got tied up in Google's infrastructure. Me personally I have tons of stuff intertwined in Google's products... Maybe that got something to do with it?

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Way OT: Is there a Google Product Customer Support number? I never got my Chromecast to work right.

 

[KBU2]

I'll call them just let me know what you would like them to know about your experience and let's see what happens?

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Back to shopping...

I asked my nephew last year iff he wanted a Google Home or Mini last year around this time and he said NO! Last week he had the Home in the livingroom laying down beats while he rapped.

The very last thing I bought was a yellow BIC lighter.

 

[lunatic59]

I did go into the support groups looking for a number and ended up chatting online with two folks. They even offered me a $10 credit for the trouble. (I told them to put it toward product development. ) Now they want me to report the whole thing all over again using Assistant.

 

[KBU2]

I did go into the support groups looking for a number and ended up chatting online with two folks. They even offered me a $10 credit for the trouble. (I told them to put it toward product development. ) Now they want me to report the whole thing all over again using Assistant.

Getting their attention was a good start now you got the ball rolling just don't let up off of it.

(1-866-246-6453)

 

[KBU2]

Getting their attention was a good start now you got the ball rolling just don't let up off of it.

(1-866-246-6453)

Putting that S.O.B to work would be my best option

 

[NightAngel79]

Customer Service at Google? Surely you jest.

There actually is a dedicated tream, especially for the 'Made by Google' products. If/When you go to the new support forums (which it sounds like you did) there is a handy chat link and various other helpful items. But you're right, this is far and away the biggest thing needing improvement, though it is slowly getting better.

Fun fact, if you say, "ok google, you suck" your Assistant will prompt you to leave a voice feedback message. I use this frequently and can confirm they definitely get listened to. You can queue up the voice feedback just by saying 'hey google, feedback' as well.

Way OT: Is there a Google Product Customer Support number? I never got my Chromecast to work right.

Usr the number somone posted (i assume it's right, didn't check) or pop over to the Chromecast Google forums where the product experts can help.

 

[lunatic59]

...pop over to the Chromecast Google forums where the product experts can help

I was originally in the Home forums, but the first chat guy handed me off to someone in the Assistant forums. Granted everyone was trying to be helpful, but it's rather confusing even knowing where to begin.

 

[NightAngel79]

I was originally in the Home forums, but the first chat guy handed me off to someone in the Assistant forums. Granted everyone was trying to be helpful, but it's rather confusing even knowing where to begin.

That is the biggest problem, in general. Drive and Photos teams (i'm on the photos team) it gets super confusing as well. They are migrating to new platform, which *might* help. But yea, I can say the 'leadership' on the overall product, "Made by Google" is best place to go. But it all depends on who answers in the forums. Once an 'expert' answers there is less chance of another expert replying to thread (one of the things I hate there).

I would def leave feedback on the Home device though.

 

[lunatic59]

I would def leave feedback on the Home device though.

I certainly did do that, in a rather terse and succinct comment. Is "Google Home SUX!" Constructive?

(i'm on the photos team)

You are? Then I have a very large, mastodon femur-sized bone to pick with you.

https://support.google.com/photos/thread/609377

The reply was less than helpful, and as it stands right now, I have no backup and Sync for photos.

 

[NightAngel79]

I certainly did do that, in a rather terse and succinct comment. Is "Google Home SUX!" Constructive?



You are? Then I have a very large, mastodon femur-sized bone to pick with you.

https://support.google.com/photos/thread/609377

The reply was less than helpful, and as it stands right now, I have no backup and Sync for photos.

Ouch... lol, I'll reply there as well, but def leave feedback in Photos app as well. Part of the problem is convincing Google an issue is actually an issue.

 

[lunatic59]

Thanks fer nuttin', Googz. Did a factory reset today and fixed the Photos sync problem.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Factory reset is our friend.

 

[lunatic59]

You have some strange friends.

 

[NightAngel79]

Thanks fer nuttin', Googz. Did a factory reset today and fixed the Photos sync problem.

I blame the phone

 

[lunatic59]

I blame the phone

I blame those joker's in Google Groups, just because I can.

 

[NightAngel79]

I blame those joker's in Google Groups, just because I can.

I certainly don't trust most of those jokers!