Google said on Thursday that Universal Cart, the shopping tool it first previewed at Google I/O in May, is now available to users in the United States. It works across Google Search and the Gemini app, according to TechCrunch and 9to5Google.
The tool is an "intelligent" cart that goes beyond a single store: users save products they find while browsing or chatting with Gemini, and the cart keeps those items and their shopping progress in one place. The launch lands just ahead of the busy holiday shopping season, and it puts Google squarely against Amazon, OpenAI and other players pushing agentic commerce.
How Google Universal Cart works
Shoppers can add items to Universal Cart from several Google touchpoints. Google says products can be saved through Search and AI Mode, or through conversations with the Gemini app. Items from multiple retailers can sit in the same cart, and Google links back to those retailers for the actual checkout.
Once something is saved, the cart keeps watching it. Google says Universal Cart can send notifications when a saved product's price drops or when an out-of-stock item becomes available again, and it can surface relevant promo codes.
Checkout runs on Google's Universal Commerce Protocol, or UCP, the open standard the company introduced earlier this year to help AI agents and retailers work together across the shopping journey. Google says the cart "puts you in control, helping to organize your shopping, keep track of items you love from across retailers, stay on top of promos, and enjoy effortless checkout powered by the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)."
Universal Cart deals and payment perks
Universal Cart is not just a list. According to 9to5Google, the payment side is powered by Google Wallet, which "understands your card perks and can intelligently help you choose between payment methods." That means the cart can flag cashback offers or other card benefits and suggest switching how you pay if there is a better deal.
