A new way to shop: Introducing a more intuitive, agentic shopping experience for consumers and retailers in Canada
Every day, Canadians shop online, but the process can often be tedious and fragmented. Shoppers frequently find themselves juggling dozens of tabs, comparing product specs, and jumping between apps, search engines, and physical stores just to find the right item or the best deal. While this gives retailers countless touchpoints to connect, it also increases friction. When the journey gets overly complicated, cart abandonment spikes and shoppers walk away.
As shopping behaviours evolve, our research shows that AI is no longer a future concept, it's becoming a practical shopping companion for Canadians. In fact, 59% of holiday shoppers in Canada plan to use an AI tool to help them shop this season. Canadians are using it throughout the entire shopping process – from the initial spark of inspiration to well after their purchase. They're using it to find new products or ideas, narrow down options, compare features, prices, and deals, and even to help with post-purchase needs like setup or installation.
Unlocking new growth for the Canadian retail industry
As Canadians use AI tools to discover new products, the natural next step is helping shoppers take action in the moment. This is the foundation of agentic commerce — where AI doesn't just help you find what you need, but actively helps you complete tasks on your behalf, with your permission. We see agentic commerce as the next major shift for retail, creating a more effortless experience for shoppers while helping Canadian retailers connect with customers at the exact moment of intent.
Making agentic shopping work across various storefronts and surfaces requires deep industry collaboration. That’s why earlier this year, together with industry leaders we launched the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard for agentic commerce. UCP works across the entire shopping journey — from discovery and buying to post-purchase support. It establishes a common language for agents and systems to operate together across consumer surfaces, businesses and payment providers. So instead of requiring unique connections for every part, UCP enables all of the systems and agents to interact easily.
A new agentic shopping experience for Canadian shoppers
Rolling out starting today, direct checkout, powered by UCP, is expanding to Canadian shoppers on AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app. This feature allows shoppers to purchase directly from eligible Canadian retailers— including lululemon, select Shopify merchants, Shoppers Drug Mart and Simons — as they’re researching on Google.
Starting next year, we’ll begin broadening access by making simplified UCP integration available directly within Merchant Center. This will allow retailers to enable direct checkout and other capabilities for their product listings across the Gemini app and AI Mode in Google Search easily from their accounts.
Buy directly from eligible retailers on Google’s AI surfaces.
Built with trust and security at the core
The feature is built with security at its core: shoppers can buy confidently with Google Pay using payment methods and shipping info already saved in Google Wallet. Retailers remain the seller of record, with the ability to customize the integration to their specific needs, all while helping to capture sales and avoid abandoned carts. In the coming months, we’ll work with retailers to add more capabilities, like applying loyalty rewards.
For over two decades, Google has helped Canadian retailers navigate major technological shifts. We have always believed that technology serves as a powerful catalyst for retail growth. As we build the future of agentic commerce together, our mission remains clear: directly connect shoppers with the brands they love. We’re excited to embark on this next chapter with Canadian retailers and consumers alike.
