Google launches its ‘universal’ online shopping cart ahead of the holidays
Save all of the products you’re browsing in one place. | Image: Google Google's intelligent AI shopping cart is finally here, and just in time to tempt users into Black Friday and seasonal holiday spending. The Universal Cart tool Google previewed at its I/O event in May is now rolling out in the US across the Gemini app and Google Search, with the aim of making it easier to stay organized and save money when…
Key points
- Google has launched its Universal Cart tool in the US across the Gemini app and Google Search.
- The cart saves products from multiple retailers in one place and sends alerts about price drops and restocks.
- Google plans to add Gmail and YouTube integration but has not announced a timeline.
Google has launched its Universal Cart, an AI shopping tool first previewed at its I/O event in May, in the US across the Gemini app and Google Search. The timing puts it ahead of Black Friday and the seasonal holiday shopping period.
The tool lets users save products from multiple retailers in one unified cart that works across Google platforms. Products added through the Gemini app and Google Search AI Mode are stored in the same cart.
How the cart works
Google will send notifications about price drops and restocks for saved items, so users do not have to check each retailer's site separately. The cart can also show relevant promotional codes alongside saved products.
Shoppers can pay through Google Wallet or move items to the merchant's own cart to check out with the retailer directly. Working with Google Wallet, Universal Cart can review the perks on saved credit cards and help pick the best payment method.
the future of online shopping involves having a robot do most of the work for you
— The Verge
Planned integrations and competition
Google plans to bring Universal Cart to Gmail and YouTube, but has not announced a timeline for those integrations.
The launch comes as AI-assisted shopping competition grows. Google rivals OpenAI and Meta have released agentic AI assistants that shop online for users, and Shopify recently said it is opening its platform to let more AI agents browse and buy from its listings.
