Google and industry partners announced new updates to the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) an open standard designed to make AI-powered online shopping more seamless and connected.
Key updates
Cart capability: AI agents can now add or save multiple items from a single retailer into a shopping cart, making the experience closer to how people normally shop.
Catalog capability: Agents can access real-time product details such as variants, pricing, and inventory directly from retailer catalogs.
Identity linking: Shoppers can receive loyalty benefits (like member pricing or free shipping) across UCP-enabled platforms when logged in, improving continuity across websites.
Custom adoption: Retailers can choose which UCP features to implement.
Google’s plans
Google will expand UCP features across its AI shopping experiences, including AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app.
A simplified onboarding process in Google Merchant Center will help more retailers adopt UCP.
Platforms like Commerce Inc, Salesforce, and Stripe plan to implement UCP soon, aiming to scale “agentic commerce” and improve online shopping for both businesses and consumers.
