Google has introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) at the National Retail Federation (NRF) conference, a new open standard aimed at enhancing AI agent-based shopping experiences. Collaborating with major retailers like Shopify, Etsy, and Walmart, UCP streamlines various aspects of the customer purchasing journey, from product discovery to post-purchase support. This standard allows businesses to select specific extensions based on their needs, while also integrating with existing protocols like Agent Payments Protocol (A2P). UCP will soon facilitate direct checkout from U.S. retailers using Google Pay and incorporate PayPal as a payment option. Notably, brands can now offer discounts through AI recommendations, enhancing customer engagement. Google also unveiled a Business Agent for merchants, and Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience (CX) to improve shopping and customer service. This initiative reflects a broader trend of integrating AI into retail, significantly driving traffic to seller sites, as reported by Adobe.
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