Google launches Universal Cart for US users in Search and Gemini
The AI-powered shopping tool lets users save items from multiple retailers, track price drops, and manage payments in one place.
Key points
- Universal Cart is now available in the US across Google Search and the Gemini app.
- The tool aggregates products from various retailers into a single unified digital cart.
- Users receive notifications for price reductions and restocks of saved items.
Google launched Universal Cart in the United States on Thursday, making the AI-assisted shopping tool available through Google Search and the Gemini app. The company first previewed this feature at its I/O event in May, and it is now rolling out to users ahead of the holiday shopping season.
The service allows shoppers to save products from multiple retailers into one centralized location. Instead of managing separate carts on different websites, users can add items via the Gemini app or Google Search AI Mode. All saved products appear in the same universal space, simplifying the process of comparing and tracking potential purchases across various merchants.
Features and functionality
Universal Cart automates monitoring for price changes and inventory updates. According to TechCrunch, the tool sends notifications when a saved product’s price drops or when an out-of-stock item becomes available again. This functionality spares users from manually checking individual retailer websites. The system also surfaces relevant promotional codes for items in the cart, aiming to help shoppers save money during their online browsing sessions.
Checkout options include paying directly through Google Wallet or transferring the items to the merchant’s own cart for direct retailer checkout. When using Google Wallet, the tool analyzes perks associated with saved credit cards to suggest the best payment method. This integration helps users maximize rewards and benefits without manually comparing card terms for each transaction.
Market context and competition
The launch coincides with increasing competition in the AI-assisted shopping sector. According to The Verge, rivals such as OpenAI and Meta have launched agentic AI assistants capable of shopping on behalf of users. Shopify recently announced plans to open its platform to more AI agents, allowing them to browse and purchase from its listings. These moves indicate a broader industry shift toward automated, agent-driven commerce experiences.
Google’s Universal Cart builds on its existing investments in AI-powered shopping features. It joins other tools like conversational product discovery in Search’s AI Mode and the “Let Google Call” feature, which uses an AI agent to check local store inventory. The checkout process relies on the Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard Google introduced earlier this year to facilitate cooperation between AI agents and retailers.
What should you do?
Users interested in this tool should update the Gemini app and check Google Search settings to access Universal Cart. Those who use the feature should review the privacy implications of storing shopping data across multiple retailers in a single Google-managed hub. Shoppers should also verify that their preferred payment methods are linked to Google Wallet to utilize the credit card perk analysis feature effectively.
What to do and how to stay safe: Google
- Update the Gemini app and enable AI Mode in Google Search to access the Universal Cart feature.
- Review which retailers are supported and test saving items to ensure the cart syncs correctly across devices.
- Link your preferred credit cards to Google Wallet to utilize the automatic perk analysis and payment suggestions.
- Monitor notification settings to ensure you receive alerts for price drops and restocks without being overwhelmed.
Step-by-step guide: Mobile Device Security: How to Protect Data Beyond Passwords
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Is Universal Cart available outside the United States?
No, according to TechCrunch, the tool is currently available only to U.S. users across Google Search and the Gemini app.
Can I use Universal Cart with Gmail or YouTube?
Google has plans to integrate Universal Cart with Gmail and YouTube, but no timeline for that integration has been announced yet.
How does Universal Cart handle checkout?
Users can pay using Google Wallet, which analyzes credit card perks, or transfer items to the merchant’s cart to checkout directly with the retailer.
