Google has started testing a way for shoppers in India to buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through Gemini and AI Mode, as it looks to move its AI services from product discovery into transactions.
How the test works
Users in the test see a Buy button on select Flipkart listings, which takes them to a Flipkart checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. TechCrunch was the first to spot it.
Limited scope for now
The test covers some users and a small selection of products, including smartphones, electronics and mobile accessories. Other users still see regular Flipkart listings without a direct purchase option. Listings from other retailers, such as Amazon, appeared alongside Flipkart products but did not offer direct purchase.x
Festive-season rollout planned
One source told TechCrunch that Google plans a broader rollout later in October, ahead of India's festive shopping season. Google has not confirmed a date.
Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol earlier this year, an open standard that lets AI agents interact with retailers through checkout, and said shoppers could buy eligible products through Gemini and AI Mode using a Google-hosted checkout. The Flipkart test differs. It opens a Flipkart-branded checkout instead. It is not known which technology powers it.
Google invested about $350 million in Flipkart in 2024 as part of a funding round led by Walmart, giving it a minority stake.
