Google brings direct checkout to AI Mode and Gemini in Canada

TORONTO, Nov 4 — Google announced on November 4 that direct checkout is rolling out to Canadian shoppers starting today. Consumers researching products in AI Mode in Google Search or the Gemini app can now buy directly from eligible Canadian retailers without jumping to a separate store website. The first retailers on board include lululemon, select Shopify merchants, Shoppers Drug Mart and Simons.

How it works: buy in the conversation, pay with Google Pay

Sabrina Geremia, vice president and country managing director of Google Canada, wrote in the company's blog post that the feature is powered by the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard Google launched with industry partners earlier this year covering discovery, buying and post-purchase support. Payments run through Google Pay, using cards and shipping details already saved in Google Wallet. Retailers remain the seller of record, handling the transaction, shipping and returns; Google itself does not sell the goods.

Limits at launch

Lululemon says its initial release supports single-item checkout only, with multi-item support coming soon and no specific date given. Participation is limited to eligible sellers, so not every store a shopper might encounter offers checkout inside the AI experience. Starting in 2027, Google plans to offer simplified UCP integration directly within Merchant Center so more retailers can enable direct checkout from their own accounts.

Why now

The Canadian rollout follows similar launches in the United States and Australia earlier this year, as Google pushes further into agentic commerce. Research by Google and Angus Reid in October 2026, surveying 1,057 Canadians, found 59 per cent of Canadian holiday shoppers plan to use an AI tool to help them shop this season. Google Canada's retail chief also noted that AI Mode in Canada carries advertising, while the Gemini app currently does not.

(Sources: Google Canada blog, November 4, 2026; lululemon and Retail Insider coverage. Photo: file image illustrating the Gemini app.)