Google Merchant Center Auto Enables Native Checkout: Buy On AI Mode & Gemini

Google is automatically enabling native checkout for eligible Google Merchant Center products whose Shopify storefronts support the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), letting customers buy directly in AI Mode on Google Search and in Gemini using Google Pay. Google began notifying affected merchants by email, stating "Eligible products are automatically included. There's nothing for you to set up," and merchants who want purchases to stay on their own sites must turn off native checkout in their Shopify admin under Sales channels > Agentic. UCP-powered checkout launched in February and was pushed out to more retailers last Friday.

Google is sending email notifications to Google Merchant Center users if their e-commerce platform supports Universal Commerce Protocol UCP and if so, telling them that "your products are now eligible for native checkout." This means that your eligible products are automatically included, so if you don't want people buying directly on Google, and you want them to buy on your site, then you need to turn it off. UCP-powered checkout launched in February https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ucp-powered-checkout-in-ai-mode-40922.html but last Friday, Google pushed it out more https://www.seroundtable.com/google-merchant-center-ai-updates-42095.html to more retailers. UCP-powered checkout lets searchers buy directly in Google Search using AI Mode or on Gemini, using Google Pay and the UCP integration https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-mode-direct-offers-ads-ucp-40738.html :~:text=codes%20you%20upload.-,Universal%20Commerce%20Protocol,-The%20big%20news that was announced in January. According to an email received by Menachem Ani that he posted on X https://x.com/MenachemAni/status/2102390750172328149 - it says, "To be eligible, your products must be published on your Shopify storefront and available in Merchant Center. Eligible products are automatically included. There's nothing for you to set up." He got one because of a client or several have their e-commerce sites powered on Shopify and Shopify has UCP integrated built in. The email says: Your products are now eligible for native checkout Your Shopify store was matched to your Merchant Center, enabling native checkout on Google Al Mode and Gemini. Customers can now buy your products in Al Mode on Google Search, Gemini, and more. This seamless checkout feature is powered by the Universal Commerce Protocol UCP . If you do not want to let customers purchase directly on Google and you only want them to buy it from your website, then you have to disable it - because Google is enabling it by default. Google wrote: You manage and retain full ownership of your customer relationships, data, and sales. If you'd rather have buyers complete their purchases on your online store instead, you can turn off native checkout in your Shopify admin under Sales channels Agentic. Here is a screenshot of the email: @nic mcdonough https://x.com/nic mcdonough/status/2102265147020709906 posted this morning seeing this live - but again, it has been available on limited merchants since February. Here are the steps in a screenshot, from left to right: Forum discussion at X https://x.com/MenachemAni/status/2102390750172328149 .