Selling on Google AI Mode and Gemini
The Google AI Mode and Gemini channel lets customers complete their purchases in a Shopify-powered direct checkout without having to leave their chat conversation.
Purchasing in direct checkouts is activated by default for eligible stores, but you can deactivate direct checkout and have customers complete their purchase on your online store instead. Products are made available to Google AI Mode and Gemini through the Google & YouTube sales channel or Google Merchant Center.
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Requirements for selling on Google AI Mode and Gemini
Review the following eligibility requirements for selling on Google AI Mode and Gemini with direct checkout:
- Your store must be based in the United States and you must sell to customers in the United States.
- You must have a valid Google Merchant Center account, and you must meet all Google requirements in Google Merchant Center. Learn more about Google's eligibility and requirements for free product listings and setting up return policies for Shopping ads and free listings.
- Your products must be available in Google Merchant Center. You can do this in any of the following ways:
- Use the Google & YouTube sales channel, with the Automatically sync products and Automatically sync shipping information settings activated in the Product feed section of the sales channel.
- Connect to Google Merchant Center directly through a third-party feed provider or manual upload.
- Your products must be eligible for Shopify Catalog.
- You must read and agree to the Shopify Agentic Storefronts Supplemental Terms of Service.
- You must have your Terms of service, Privacy policy, and Return and refund policy completed in Settings > Policies in your Shopify admin. Learn more about adding store policies.
Considerations for selling on Google AI Mode and Gemini
Review the following considerations for selling on Google AI Mode and Gemini:
- Product discovery is powered by Google Merchant Center:
- If you don’t have a Google Merchant Center account, then you can create one by installing the Google & YouTube sales channel and syncing your products automatically.
- If you use the Google & YouTube sales channel, then keep product syncing activated so that your data stays current. Keep your product data and store policies, including your return and refund policy, up to date so that the information in Google Merchant Center matches your online store.
- When your store is eligible, purchasing through Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout is active by default in your Shopify admin, and it has to remain active for your products to be directly bought by customers in Google AI Mode and Gemini.
- If you deactivate direct checkout for Google AI Mode and Gemini, then customers using Google AI Mode and Gemini can still discover your products, but they're redirected to your online store to complete their purchase.
- Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout is displayed only to customers based in the United States. Customers based elsewhere can still discover your products, but they're redirected to your online store to complete their purchase.
- Certain features of Shopify, such as custom pixels or product bundles, aren't supported in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. Learn more about unsupported features for direct selling with Google AI Mode and Gemini.
- Shopify Functions, such as shipping, discount, and cart and checkout validation functions, are supported or run in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout.
- Any automatic discounts or discount codes that you set up are supported in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout.
- Ensure that your product descriptions include any relevant legal disclosures in the first 6,000 characters.
- There are no fees associated with selling in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. You pay only your standard payment processing fees.
Unsupported features for Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout
The following features are unsupported for direct selling in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout:
Some checkout blocks, such as those for custom fields, upsells, or specific validations, might not display in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. Your customer can still complete the checkout, but the on-screen checkout experience might display differently than your online store checkout. If you rely on an app to display important information or collect input during checkout, then that experience might not be available in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. Learn more about checkout blocks considerations in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout.
Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout supports a subset of accelerated checkout options activated on your store.
The following types of products aren't supported in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout:
Google Analytics and custom pixels won't fire in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. The checkout fires only server-to-server pixels (started, completed), so none of the standard or custom client side pixels fire.
Local delivery, pickup in store, and pickup points aren't supported as delivery methods in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout.
You can't require customers to sign in to their account before checkout.
Checkout blocks considerations in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout
The Google AI Mode and Gemini agentic storefront might render its customer checkout differently than your online store checkout. To help ensure customers can complete their purchase, Shopify loads only the checkout blocks that are essential to completing checkout. Some checkout customization blocks, such as those for custom fields, upsells, or specific validations, might not display in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout.
In Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout, only customizations that support blocking checkout, and have checkout blocking enabled in their settings, are eligible to load. Learn more about managing your app's behavior controls.
Meeting this requirement doesn't guarantee that a block will load in Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout. Some checkout blocks might not be available, including, but not limited to, the following block types:
- Blocks that change what the customer is purchasing, for example, changing quantities, adding or removing items, offering add-ons or upsells, or adding surcharges or other additional charges.
- Loyalty or rewards experiences.
- Address autocomplete and client-side validation.
- Blocks that collect customer consent during checkout for data usage and communication preferences.
- Chat or messaging experiences.
- Blocks that are placed in the checkout header, footer, or payment method section.
- Informational-only blocks, for example, trust badges, reviews, or terms or disclaimer text.
This experience preserves consistency and continuity for customers checking out directly in the Google AI Mode and Gemini agentic storefront, and also ensures that orders are valid for Shopify merchants.
Managing the Google AI Mode and Gemini channel
Product discovery for Google AI Mode and Gemini is powered by Google Merchant Center. Your products must be available in Google Merchant Center to be discoverable. You can make your products available in Google Merchant center by installing the Google & YouTube sales channel, which syncs your product and store information to Google Merchant Center.
If you use the Google & YouTube sales channel, then activate the following options in the Product feed section of the channel's settings:
- Automatically sync products, so that your product information flows from Shopify to Google Merchant Center. Learn more about syncing products with the Google & YouTube sales channel.
- Automatically sync shipping information, so that your shipping settings are reflected in Google Merchant Center.
If you connect to Google Merchant Center through a third-party feed provider or manual upload, then no additional setup is required in Shopify.
If you don’t have a Google Merchant Center account, then you can create one by installing the Google & YouTube sales channel.
To help ensure that customers get accurate information, keep your product data and store policies, including your return and refund policy, up to date in Shopify so that they match what's in Google Merchant Center.
Opt in or out of direct checkout on Google AI Mode and Gemini
Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout is active by default for eligible stores, to let customers buy your products directly in Google AI Mode and Gemini. You can manage your settings and decide whether customers can check out directly in Google AI Mode and Gemini, or whether they're redirected to your online store to complete their purchase.
If you opt out of direct checkout with Google AI Mode and Gemini, then your products can still be discovered and included in Google AI Mode and Gemini's search results through Google Merchant Center, but they can't be purchased through a direct checkout.
Steps:
From your Shopify admin, go to Sales channels > Agentic.
Deactivate Allow Shopify to manage for me.
Click Google AI Mode and Gemini.
Activate or deactivate Direct checkout.
Click Save.
How customers complete their orders
If you have Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout activated, then customers can click Buy directly in the Google AI Mode and Gemini interface. Customers can fill out their shipping and payment details in Google AI Mode and Gemini's Shopify-powered direct checkout, and then complete their purchase without visiting your online store by clicking a Pay now button and paying with a credit card or debit card.
If you have Google AI Mode and Gemini's direct checkout deactivated, then customers can still find your product in Google AI Mode and Gemini, but if they want to complete a purchase, then they're redirected to your online store where they can add the product to the cart and complete their order.