Google aims to connect online ads to real-world sales

Google already monitors your online shopping - but now it's also keeping an eye on what you're buying in real-world stores as part of its latest effort to sell more digital advertising. The offline tracking scans most credit and debit card transactions to help Google automatically inform merchants when their digital ads translate into sales at a brick-and-mortar store. Google believes the data will show a cause-and-effect relationship between online ads and offline sales. Google is keeping an eye on what you're buying offline in addition to monitoring your online shopping in its latest attempt to sell more digital advertising. The offline tracking of most credit and debit card transactions will help Google to automatically inform merchants when digital ads appearing on its vast marketing network translate into sales at a brick-and-mortar store.