Google is expanding its AI-powered shopping capabilities in Canada, allowing consumers to purchase products directly through Google Search and the Gemini app as the technology company moves further into agentic commerce.
The new direct checkout experience, powered by Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), is rolling out to Canadian shoppers starting Nov. 4 and will initially include lululemon, select Shopify merchants, Shoppers Drug Mart and Simons. The initiative is designed to let consumers move from product discovery to purchase without leaving Google’s AI-powered shopping environments.
The launch represents a new approach to online retail, with Google positioning artificial intelligence as a tool that can help consumers research products, compare prices and features, and complete purchases through conversational interactions. Retailers participating in the initiative will remain the sellers of record.
AI increasingly influencing Canadian shopping behaviour
Google says Canadian consumers are increasingly incorporating AI tools into their shopping decisions, creating opportunities for retailers to connect with customers at different stages of the purchasing process.
According to research conducted by Google and Angus Reid in October 2026, 59 per cent of Canadian holiday shoppers plan to use an AI tool to help them shop this season. The research surveyed 1,057 Canadians.
Consumers are using AI for more than product recommendations, including finding new products, generating ideas, narrowing choices, comparing features and prices, identifying deals and addressing post-purchase needs such as product setup and installation.
Google said traditional online shopping can involve navigating multiple websites, applications and search engines, creating friction for consumers and potentially contributing to abandoned shopping carts.
The company sees agentic commerce as a way to address some of those challenges by allowing AI systems to help consumers complete tasks on their behalf, with their permission.
“Shopping has always started with discovery. What’s changing is where and how that discovery happens. Conversational AI is increasingly becoming part of how Canadians explore, get inspired and make decisions. Our job is to evolve with our customers, so when they’re ready to move from discovery to purchase, we’re there. We’re excited to be one of the first in Canada to bring that experience to life with Google,” said Lauren Steinberg, chief digital officer of Loblaw Companies.
Retailers to integrate checkout through Universal Commerce Protocol
The Canadian rollout builds on Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard developed with industry partners to support agentic commerce across different retail platforms and payment providers.
Introduced earlier this year, UCP establishes a common framework allowing AI agents and business systems to communicate throughout the shopping process, including product discovery, purchasing and post-purchase support.
Google said the protocol is intended to reduce the need for separate technical connections between individual systems, making it easier for retailers and technology platforms to work together.
Through the new direct checkout feature, consumers researching products in AI Mode in Google Search or the Gemini app can purchase from participating retailers without having to navigate to a separate shopping destination.
For retailers, the system is intended to provide another sales channel while reducing the potential for customers to abandon purchases during the transition between product discovery and checkout.
Google plans to expand access to the technology beginning next year by introducing simplified UCP integration directly within Merchant Center. This will allow retailers to activate direct checkout and other capabilities for their product listings across Gemini and AI Mode in Google Search through their accounts.
The company also plans to work with retailers to introduce additional functions in the coming months, including the ability to apply loyalty rewards during purchases.
lululemon, Simons and Shopify outline retail opportunities
Participating retailers say the integration provides an opportunity to explore how AI-driven product discovery can connect with their existing digital shopping experiences.
For lululemon, the collaboration builds on an established relationship with Google and provides an opportunity to assess how conversational shopping can support customer engagement and purchasing.
“lululemon and Google have a long history of partnering on new guest experiences, and UCP is a natural extension of that. Bringing discovery and checkout into AI Mode in Search and Gemini lets us understand how agentic commerce can actually serve our guests. Our focus is on being where our guests are and making it easier for them to get what they want from lululemon, wherever that journey starts,” said Nick Engel, senior vice-president of global digital experience at lululemon.
Simons is also participating in the initiative, with the retailer describing the integration as an opportunity to introduce AI into its customer experience while maintaining its existing approach to product selection and service.
“For more than 180 years, Simons has been about bringing great style and genuine service to Canadians. This collaboration with Google allows us to reimagine that experience through AI—offering seamless discovery and effortless checkout without compromising the curation and care our customers trust,” said Frederick Lecoq, chief digital and marketing officer at Simons.
Shopify’s participation will extend the experience to merchants selling into Canada through its platform, allowing eligible businesses to have their products discovered and purchased directly through Google’s AI-powered services.
Payment security and retailer control
Google said the checkout experience will use Google Pay, allowing shoppers to complete transactions using payment methods and shipping information already saved in Google Wallet.
Retailers will continue to serve as the seller of record and will have the ability to customize their integration according to their individual business requirements.
The arrangement is intended to allow merchants to participate in AI-powered shopping while retaining responsibility for the sale and maintaining control over aspects of the customer transaction.
Mani Fazeli, vice-president of product at Shopify, said the integration will allow eligible merchants to participate in the emerging shopping model without additional work to support the experience.
“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.”
Google said it will continue working with Canadian retailers as it expands the capabilities of agentic commerce, with the longer-term objective of connecting consumers with retailers through its AI-powered platforms.
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