Just Google it and disintermediation

Steve Lohr at the New York Times reports that fear of disintermediation by Google is hitting retailers as powerful as Wal-Mart:

In Google, Wal-Mart sees both a technology pioneer and the seed of a threat ... The worry is that by making information available everywhere, Google might soon be able to tell Wal-Mart shoppers if better bargains are available nearby.

Google is pretty close to that already. In a retail store, when you're looking at something on the store shelf, try using your cell phone to send a text message to Google SMS with the word "price" and the UPC code or a brief description. Google will get back to you in a few seconds with what online retailers are charging for that item. Fun stuff.

[Found on Findory]