Howdy.

So, here are my thoughts and findings.

The discrepancy starts in Google Search itself. So it's either algorithmical/calculational bug or there are other metrics used. And i'm inclined to believe the second version.

Here is my idea - they use sessions or clicks as a metric together with avg position. As far as I know they use this system in other metrics as well. So, here is data for our website, which checks out with all the reports:

I got a page https://www.regexseo.com/luxury-websites-houston.php and the avg position reported is 22. If i look at the breakdown, it's got 96% of traffic going to desktop and 22 avg position, 2% to mobile with 15 avg position and 0.05% tablet with 14 avg position.

So, the report checks out, if you think about it like this:
If to 96% of users your page is ranking #22, and to 2% of users it ranks in #15, wouldn't it make sense to say that on average your page is ranked #22.

I guess it's more like a weighed avg position then pure avg position.

Hope it makes sense

I believe they do get indexed, don't have any physical proof as of the moment. The easy way is to simply set it up on a test landing page, then request manual recrawl through Google Search Console of that page. and see if it gets indexed.

Howdy.

I might be very much mistaken, but as far as I understand, when you use "find my nearest" tool you do not "track, collect or upload any data that...", since everything is happening on a client's side of interaction. If you are, indeed, tempering with data when users are doing something on your website (eg.: if you use sniffers or other recording techniques), then yes, that would be against their policy.

Hi there.

Google won't penalize you for that, it simply won't display it, if it's against their rules.