What We Know About Google's Flipkart Buy Test in Gemini AI

Google has started testing a feature that lets shoppers in India buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly inside Gemini and AI Mode, according to people familiar with the matter cited by TechCrunch. The test is limited to select users and a small slate of products, with a broader push planned for October ahead of India's festive shopping season.

What does the Flipkart 'Buy' button do in Gemini and AI Mode?

Users included in the test see a "Buy" button on select Flipkart product listings inside Gemini and Google's AI Mode. Tapping it opens a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface, per an experience reviewed by TechCrunch. Other users continue to see standard Flipkart listings with no direct purchase option, indicating the rollout is staged rather than universal.

Which products are included in the early test?

The pilot currently covers a narrow set of categories: smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories, according to people familiar with the matter. TechCrunch reports it is not clear what technology powers the checkout flow shown to test users.

When will Google expand the feature nationwide?

One person familiar with the plans told TechCrunch that Google intends to roll the experience out more broadly in October, timed to India's festive shopping season — a period that typically drives a surge in online retail activity across the country.

How is this different from Google's Universal Commerce Protocol?

Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) earlier this year as an open standard meant to let AI agents interact with retailers throughout the shopping journey, including checkout, using a Google-hosted checkout experience. The Flipkart test appears distinct: it routes users to a Flipkart-branded checkout rather than a Google-hosted one. Google has separately expanded UCP to let shoppers transfer items to a retailer's own site to finish a purchase.

"[Google is] always testing new features and experiences to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily," a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch, adding that the company runs regular experiments and had no further details to share.

What is Google's financial stake in Flipkart?

Google has both a technology partnership and a financial relationship with Flipkart. The company invested about $350 million in the e-commerce firm, according to TechCrunch. Earlier this month, Google named Flipkart among merchants partnering with it to bring what it calls "agentic" shopping experiences to Indian consumers, though it had not previously disclosed the specifics of this test or its timeline.

By the numbers

• $350 million — Google's prior investment in Flipkart, per TechCrunch
• October 2026 — targeted month for a wider rollout, ahead of India's festive shopping season

The move places Google alongside OpenAI and other AI developers racing to move beyond product recommendations and into direct transactions, as chat-based interfaces compete for a role in online retail's checkout step.

For the original reporting and additional context, see TechCrunch's account.