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Google Launches Universal Commerce Protocol for AI‑Driven Shopping

Co‑developed with major retailers, the open standard underpins native checkout on Google’s AI surfaces alongside branded chat for merchants.

Overview

  • Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol at NRF as an open standard for agentic commerce across discovery, purchasing and post‑purchase support.
  • UCP was co‑developed with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target and Walmart, with endorsements from more than 20 partners including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Best Buy and The Home Depot.
  • Native checkout is rolling out soon in AI Mode and the Gemini app for eligible U.S. retailers using Google Pay, with PayPal support coming, while retailers remain the seller of record.
  • Business Agent, a branded virtual sales associate on Search, launches today with early partners including Lowe’s, Michaels, Poshmark and Reebok.
  • Google is piloting Direct Offers to surface exclusive discounts in AI Mode and introducing new Merchant Center attributes to improve product discovery on conversational surfaces.