Google Maps To Start Photographing Inside Buildings?

Search Engine Land have an article discussing a possible new extension for Google Maps/Street View – in building photography!

Apparently they’ve been contacted by a New York shop called “Oh Nuts” who told them that representatives of Google took photographs of all angles around the store for a product named “Google Store Views”.

You could come to a number of conclusions here:

1)  This is a very good viral marketing campaign by a small NY store!

2) This is a smart shoplifter planning a future theft*

3) Google are indeed experimenting with taking Street View further

I hate to imagine how long and complicated a process this would become, and also whether it’s really to the retailer’s benefit to allow potential customers to browse around the store.    Will Google blank out pricing as they do with faces to protect the retailer from price changes?  

*A smart shoplifter until you see him photographing the shop CCTV whilst looking directly at it?

Here’s the full article with photos and a Street View of the shop at Search Engine Land