Come Nov. 25, shoppers will be better off using the Google Maps as they go through their Christmas wish list. And through hordes of shoppers - with a few violent ones - for that matter.

Google Maps is now capable of determining how busy a place is. Actually, the app has been able to do so for around year now. The Popular Times feature of Google Maps was introduced last year. This feature will tell the user if a certain restaurant, for example, is too busy to accommodate more people. This allows the user to make a decision on where to go for coffee, a meal, or a few drinks.

Popular Times also applies to shops. During the much-awaited Black Friday Sale, which will be just a few days from now, Google Maps can tell shoppers if a place is too filled up or too busy. While the long queue in front of stores will be inevitable, at least the user can know how long the line will be. The user can then decide whether he or she should proceed to that certain shop.

Google Maps can also tell how long people stay in the place. By knowing the average stay at a certain location, the user can figure out his or her schedule a little better. To make the shopping experience even better, Google Maps will inform the user of the opening hours of not only the store but even the departments within the store.

One can access the Popular Times feature by simply typing the name of a certain store in Google Search or in Google Maps. The app will determine the status of the place by anonymizing location data and searches.

Google is known to act according to the times. During the election fever, Google found ways to remind voters to vote. The company even utilized Google Maps to help voters find their way. This time, Google is helping people have a better shopping experience.