Google Brings UCP Direct Checkout To AI Mode In Canada

Google expanded Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)-powered direct checkout to Canadian shoppers in AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app, Sabrina Geremia, Vice President and Country Managing Director at Google Canada, announced on November 4, 2026. The initial Canadian launch covers four partners and merchant groups — lululemon, select Shopify merchants, Shoppers Drug Mart and Simons — letting shoppers buy without leaving the conversation and pay via Google Pay with details saved in Google Wallet, while retailers remain the seller of record. Google said simplified UCP integration will arrive directly inside Merchant Center starting next year, extending direct checkout to retailers outside the launch group.

Google is expanding direct checkout powered by the Universal Commerce Protocol UCP to shoppers in Canada across AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app. Sabrina Geremia, Vice President and Country Managing Director at Google Canada, announced the rollout https://blog.google/intl/en-ca/products/explore-get-answers/a-new-way-to-shop-introducing-a-more-intuitive-agentic-shopping-experience-for-consumers-and-retailers-in-canada/ on November 4, 2026. The feature allows Canadian shoppers to purchase directly from eligible retailers while researching products on Google’s AI surfaces. Google also announced plans to bring simplified UCP integration directly into Merchant Center starting next year. Here’s what’s changing with the Canadian rollout, how the checkout flow works, and what retailers managing Merchant Center feeds should prepare for. How UCP Direct Checkout Works In Canada According to Google, the initial Canadian launch includes four partners and merchant groups: - lululemon - Select Shopify merchants - Shoppers Drug Mart - Simons These partnerships allow Canadian shoppers to complete purchases inside AI Mode https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-connected-apps-preview-ai-mode-gemini/595268/ in Google Search and the Gemini app without leaving the conversation. During checkout, shoppers pay with Google Pay using the payment methods and shipping details saved in Google Wallet. Google says retailers remain the seller of record and can customize the integration to fit their business needs. In the coming months, Google plans to work with retailers to add more capabilities to the checkout experience, such as applying loyalty rewards. Merchant Center UCP Integration Arrives Next Year For retailers outside the initial launch group, broader access is tied to an upcoming Merchant Center update. Starting next year, Google says it will make simplified UCP integration available directly inside Merchant Center. This update will allow retailers to enable direct checkout and other capabilities for their product listings across AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app directly from their accounts. Google launched UCP https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-expands-ucp-with-cart-catalog-onboarding/570084/ earlier this year alongside industry partners as an open standard for agentic commerce. The protocol creates a shared language so AI agents, consumer surfaces, businesses, and payment providers can work together across product discovery, purchasing, and post-purchase support without building custom connections for every platform. In the announcement, Mani Fazeli, VP of Product at Shopify, stated: Canadians are already asking AI what to buy, and now Shopify merchants selling into Canada can be faithfully represented and bought from directly in AI Mode and the Gemini app, with zero extra work. UCP handles the complexity of agentic commerce underneath, so shoppers can buy what they find without leaving the conversation. While Fazeli notes that Shopify merchants selling into Canada can be bought from directly with zero extra work, Google specifies that the initial rollout applies to select Shopify merchants. Why This Matters For Retailers And Paid Media Teams Direct checkout in AI Mode and the Gemini app keeps more of the transaction inside Google’s interfaces while keeping the merchant as the seller of record. Even before the Merchant Center UCP integration arrives next year, product feed quality remains the foundation for visibility across Google’s shopping and AI surfaces. Google’s generative AI optimization guide https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide optimize-your-local-business-and-ecommerce-details states that generative AI responses can include product listings and product information where appropriate. Using Merchant Center feeds can help products appear in both AI responses and standard Google Search results. For ecommerce teams and agencies managing Canadian accounts, here’s a few suggestions to help you stay ahead of what’s coming: - Audit your Merchant Center product data: Because Google Merchant Center https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/ecommerce/where-ecommerce-data-can-appear-on-google google-shopping-tab feeds support visibility in Google Shopping and AI responses, make sure product titles, descriptions, pricing, and inventory status are accurate. - Check Shopify eligibility in Canada: If you manage a Shopify store selling into Canada, test how your products appear in AI Mode and the Gemini app, since Google notes initial checkout access is limited to select Shopify merchants. - Coordinate with finance and operations teams: Before enabling direct checkout in Merchant Center next year, review how Google Pay transactions and Google Wallet shipping details align with your existing order, tax, and refund workflows. - Account for loyalty program timing: Because loyalty rewards support is planned for the coming months rather than available at launch, factor that into your holiday promotional planning. Keeping your product feeds clean now will make it easier to adopt the Merchant Center UCP settings once they become available. What’s Still Unknown Google hasn’t yet shared a specific release date next year for the simplified UCP integration in Merchant Center, or disclosed eligibility criteria and onboarding steps for Canadian retailers outside the initial launch group. It also remains unclear how UCP direct checkout orders are reported or attributed in Merchant Center and Google Ads, or how direct checkout interacts with paid Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. We’ll update this article as Google shares additional details about Merchant Center rollout timing and broader availability. Featured image: sweet tomato / Shutterstock