Google is testing a new way for shoppers in India to buy products from Flipkart directly through its AI tools. The test lets some users complete purchases without leaving Gemini or AI Mode, according to a TechCrunch report.
Flipkart is owned by Walmart. Google also holds a minority stake in the e-commerce company.
How the Flipkart Test Works
Users in the test see a "Buy" button on select Flipkart product listings inside Gemini and AI Mode. Tapping the button opens a Flipkart checkout flow within the AI interface.
The test is limited to some users and a small group of products. These include smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories, people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.
Other users still see regular Flipkart listings in Gemini and AI Mode. Those listings do not offer the option to buy directly from the AI interface.
The Buy option is also not showing up for all retailers. In the experience seen by TechCrunch, Amazon listings appeared next to Flipkart products but did not have a Buy button.
A Google spokesperson said 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 and had no further details to share.
Google's Push Into AI Shopping
Google has been building tools to support purchases through its AI services. Earlier this year, it introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol, or UCP, an open standard meant to let AI agents work with retailers through the shopping process, including checkout.
At the time, Google said the technology would let shoppers buy eligible products in Gemini and AI Mode using a Google-hosted checkout. The company later expanded UCP, including an option for shoppers to move items to a retailer's website to finish a purchase.
The Flipkart test appears different from the Google-hosted checkout shown earlier. It brings up a Flipkart-branded checkout instead. It is not clear what technology powers the test.
Google and rivals such as OpenAI have been adding shopping features to their AI products. The goal is to go beyond answering shopping questions and recommending products to playing a direct role in online purchases.
Earlier this month, Google named Flipkart among the merchants working with it on "agentic" shopping in India. It did not share details about the test or when it would launch.
Google's ties to Flipkart go beyond technology. In 2024, Google invested about $350 million in Flipkart as part of a funding round led by Walmart.
India is the world's second-largest internet market, with more than a billion internet subscribers. Flipkart and Amazon compete closely for online shoppers in the country.
That competition grows stronger during India's festive season. E-commerce companies run some of their largest sales and promotions of the year during this period.
Google plans to roll out the Buy experience more widely later in October, ahead of the festive shopping season, one of the people familiar with the matter said.
