Google has updated its Business Profile rules for service-area businesses that sell age-restricted products.
Now, businesses selling alcohol, cannabis, weapons, and similar items must have a physical storefront to maintain their Google Business Profile.
We were alerted to this update by Stefan Somborac on X:
Google actually uses the phrase "Businesses associated with…" not "Businesses selling…", which significantly broadens how this new change can be applied.
2/3 pic.twitter.com/FD31fUmm94
— Stefan Somborac (@StefanSomborac) November 27, 2024
Google has updated its guidelines to prevent businesses that sell age-restricted products from operating only as service-area businesses.
The updated guidelines state:
“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.”
This is a notable change in how Google handles business listings for delivery and mobile services.
The policy outlines two main types of businesses:
Google maintains its existing restrictions on service areas, including:
This update affects certain types of businesses:
The new rules require these businesses to have a physical storefront to keep their Google Business Profiles.
This change aims to ensure proper age checks and compliance with sensitive product and service regulations.
The policy update addresses concerns about selling age-restricted products through delivery-only businesses.
This change mainly impacts new delivery services for cannabis and alcohol, which have grown in some cities.
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