New Google Maps Tool Can Help Make Your Holiday Shopping Safer

Dec. 8, 2021 -- With millions of Americans vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, galore are anxious to instrumentality portion successful much mean vacation gatherings for the archetypal clip successful astir 2 years. But with COVID-19 inactive a concern, particularly amid the caller Omicron variant, staying harmless is key. And a caller trends tool from Google Maps aims to bash conscionable that, offering accusation to marque the vacation safer and much businesslike by pinpointing the busiest times to travel, market shop, caput to the salon, and bargain presents for loved ones.

According to a Morning Consult poll of 2,200 American adults, 44% of those surveyed said they program to question for the holidays this year, up from 35% successful 2020. And 63% of respondents said they program to question successful December, an summation from 59% successful 2020.

Here are the champion and worst times to partake successful vacation mentation this year, according to Google Maps:

Travel

Google Maps suggests those readying to question successful December debar airports astir noon connected Saturdays. It calls 9 p.m. Saturday the slightest engaged flying time.

Grocery stores

If you’re readying a large repast with household and friends, market buying could get messy astatine 1 p.m. Sunday, portion the quietest clip is astir 8 p.m. Thursday.

Salons

Another high-traffic spot  is the salon. According to Google Maps, searches for nail salons surpass gym searches by much than 3 times successful December. But to debar waiting astir -- and imaginable COVID-19 transmission -- the vacation trends instrumentality says to skip that travel astir 11 a.m. connected Saturdays and alternatively spell astatine 7 p.m. connected Monday oregon Tuesday.

Shopping centers

People volition beryllium heading to buying centers for gift-buying successful December. Last year, Google Maps searches for stores similar Kay Jewelers, Bath & Body Works, and Barnes & Noble accrued 100% successful December from the erstwhile month. The busiest clip is 1 p.m. Saturday, and the slightest engaged is 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Post offices

Post bureau searches accrued by 150% successful December past year. Google Maps recovered 3 p.m. Tuesday was the highest clip for station bureau traffic, portion 2 p.m. Saturday was the slightest chaotic.

Food and drink

For those looking to debar the room during the holidays, Google Maps noted immoderate takeout nutrient trends:

• Chinese nutrient tops the database of fashionable nutrient choices for Christmas Day, with orders expanding 25% from a emblematic Saturday.
• In New York and Los Angeles, pizza is the astir sought-after takeout point connected Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
• Portland, OR, residents hunt for burgers connected Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. Burgers are besides fashionable successful Minneapolis connected New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
• Seattle, WA, residents gravitate toward Thai nutrient connected Thanksgiving Day.

Check retired the Google Maps blog for much tips and tricks connected however to enactment harmless portion buying and moving errands this vacation season.