Hajra Naz
Google has started testing a new shopping feature in India. Shoppers can now buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through Gemini and AI Mode. This shows Google looking to expand its AI services. It wants to move beyond product discovery and into actual transactions.
Users in the test see a “Buy” button on select Flipkart product listings. These appear in Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. Tapping the button takes users straight to a Flipkart checkout flow. They don’t have to leave the AI interface. This is according to people familiar with the matter and an experience reviewed directly.
This early test is limited in scope. Only some users can access it. It also covers a small selection of products. That includes smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories. Other users still see regular Flipkart product listings in Gemini and AI Mode. They just don’t get the option to buy directly from the AI interface.
Google plans to roll out this experience more broadly later in October. That timing comes ahead of India’s festive shopping season. It’s one of the biggest shopping periods of the year there, according to one person familiar with the plans.
Read More: OpenAI and Perplexity are launching AI shopping assistants, while startups stay confident
This test comes as Google and its rivals add commerce features to their AI products. That includes OpenAI. These companies want to do more than answer shopping questions or recommend products. They’re aiming for a more direct role in online purchases.
A Google spokesperson commented on the Flipkart test. The company is “always testing new features and experiences to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily.” The spokesperson added that Google regularly runs experiments. No further details were available.
Google has also been building separate technology for AI-powered purchases. Earlier this year, it introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). This is an open standard. It lets AI agents interact with retailers across the whole shopping journey, including checkout. Google said at the time that shoppers could buy eligible products through Gemini and AI Mode. That would use a Google-hosted checkout experience. The company has since expanded UCP with new capabilities. That includes letting shoppers transfer items to a retailer’s site to finish a purchase.
The Flipkart test looks different from Google’s earlier demonstration. Earlier, the company showed a Google-hosted checkout experience. In this test, tapping Buy brings up a Flipkart-branded checkout flow instead. It’s unclear what technology powers the test.
Earlier this month, Google said something related. Flipkart is among the merchants partnering with it. Together, they’re bringing “agentic” shopping experiences to consumers in India. Still, Google hadn’t shared details about the test or its rollout timeline.
Notably, Google has a financial relationship with Flipkart. This exists alongside their technology partnership. Google invested about $350 million in Flipkart back in 2024. That came as part of a funding round led by the U.S. retailer. Google took a minority stake in the company.
Read More: New Study Finds 82% of Pakistani Consumers Use AI for Online Shopping
India is the world’s second-largest internet market. It has more than a billion internet subscribers. Flipkart and Amazon compete fiercely there for online shoppers. That competition grows even stronger during the festive season. E-commerce companies roll out some of their biggest sales and promotions then.
For now, the Buy option doesn’t appear across all retailers. Google’s AI services surface listings from other stores too. In the experience reviewed, listings from rivals like Amazon appeared next to Flipkart products. Still, those listings didn’t offer the option to purchase directly through the AI interface.
