Google Experiments with Shopping from Walmart’s Flipkart via Gemini and AI Mode in India
Google is currently experimenting with a feature that allows shoppers in India to purchase items directly from Flipkart, which is owned by Walmart, through its Gemini and AI Mode platforms. This move is part of Google’s efforts to broaden its AI capabilities from merely helping with product searches to facilitating actual transactions.
Participants in the trial are able to see a “Buy” button on selected Flipkart product listings within Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. Clicking this button takes them straight to Flipkart’s checkout process while remaining within the AI interface, as reported by sources familiar with the initiative and an experience reviewed by TechCrunch.
This initial trial is limited to certain users and a select range of items, such as smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories. Other users interacting with Gemini and AI Mode continue to view standard product listings from Flipkart but lack the direct purchase option.
Google aims to expand this feature more widely in late October, coinciding with India’s festive shopping season, according to insights from involved sources.
This testing phase aligns with ongoing efforts by Google and competitors like OpenAI to enhance their AI services with e-commerce functionalities, transitioning from merely responding to shopping queries to a more hands-on role in facilitating online transactions.
In response to inquiries about the Flipkart initiative, a Google representative stated that the company is continuously testing innovative features to simplify the discovery and connection between users and businesses. The spokesperson noted that while they regularly conduct trials, no additional details about this specific test were available.
Additionally, Google has been developing technology designed to enable purchases through its AI services. Earlier this year, it unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard intended to allow AI agents to engage with retailers throughout the shopping experience, including during checkout. Google previously indicated that this technology would facilitate purchases of eligible products via Gemini and AI Mode through a checkout experience hosted by Google itself, and it has since added more capabilities, including transferring items to a retailer’s site for finalizing purchases.
The Flipkart trial seen by TechCrunch is distinct from the Google-hosted checkout experience previously demonstrated by the company. Instead, it directs users to a checkout flow branded by Flipkart when they click the Buy button. The underlying technology powering this particular test remains unclear.
Recently, Google announced that Flipkart is one of its cooperating merchants in delivering what it describes as “agentic” shopping experiences in India, though specifics of the trial and its timeline have not been disclosed.
It is important to note that Google holds a financial stake in Flipkart, alongside its technology partnership with the e-commerce platform. Earlier this year, Google invested approximately $350 million in Flipkart during a funding round led by a U.S. retailer, acquiring a minority interest.
As the second-largest internet market globally, India boasts over a billion internet users, with Flipkart and Amazon competing vigorously for online shoppers. The stakes are heightened during the festive season, when e-commerce firms typically launch some of their largest sales and promotional events of the year.
Currently, the option to buy is not universally available for all retailers showcased by Google’s AI services. In the experience observed by TechCrunch, listings from competitors like Amazon were displayed alongside Flipkart’s offerings, but they did not include the direct purchase feature through the AI interface.
Flipkart has yet to provide a response to a request for comment regarding this initiative.
