Google Gemini Tests Direct Flipkart Purchases Through AI Mode Ahead of Festive Shopping Season

Google Gemini Introduces Direct Buying Option on Flipkart

Google has started testing a feature that allows users in India to purchase products directly from Walmart-owned Flipkart through Google Gemini and AI Mode, marking a shift from product discovery to actual in-AI-interface transactions1

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. Select users participating in the test see a Buy button on certain Flipkart product listings appearing in Gemini and AI Mode2

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. Tapping this button takes them directly to a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface3

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The early test is limited to some users and a small selection of products, including smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories1

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. Other users continue to see regular product listings from Flipkart in Gemini and AI Mode without the option to purchase products directly through AI2

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. Google plans to roll out the AI-enabled shopping feature more broadly later in October, strategically positioning the launch ahead of India's festive shopping season1

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Timing Targets Big Billion Days and Festive Season

The rollout timeline aligns with Flipkart's Big Billion Days Sale 2026, which opens to all customers on October 9, with Plus, Black, and eligible Flipkart Credit Card users getting early access from October 82

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. India's festive shopping season represents one of the biggest sales periods of the year, when e-commerce companies roll out their most aggressive promotions1

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. In India, the world's second-largest internet market with more than a billion internet subscribers, Flipkart and Amazon compete fiercely for online shoppers1

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The AI-driven shopping feature in India comes as Google and rivals including OpenAI are adding commerce capabilities to their AI offerings, striving to move beyond answering shopping queries and recommending products to playing a more direct role in online purchases1

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Universal Commerce Protocol and Technical Questions

Google has separately been building technology aimed at making purchases possible through its AI services. Earlier this year, it introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) as an open standard designed to let AI agents interact with retailers across the shopping journey, including checkout1

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. Google said at the time that the technology would allow shoppers to buy eligible products through Gemini and AI Mode using a Google-hosted checkout experience2

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. The company has since expanded UCP with other capabilities, including allowing shoppers to transfer items to a retailer's site to complete a purchase1

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The Flipkart test appears different from the Google-hosted checkout experience the company demonstrated earlier. It brings up a Flipkart-branded checkout flow when a user taps the Buy button1

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. It remains unclear what technology powers the test and whether it runs on UCP5

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. Earlier this month, Google said Flipkart was among the merchants partnering with it to bring what it calls agentic shopping experiences to consumers in India, but it had not disclosed details of the test or its rollout timeline1

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Google's $350 Million Investment in Flipkart

Notably, Google has a financial relationship with Flipkart alongside its technology partnership with the e-commerce company. It invested about $350 million in the e-commerce company in 2024 as part of a funding round led by the U.S. retailer, taking a minority stake1

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. This financial connection raises questions about commercial terms between Google and Flipkart, including any fee or commission structure5

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Amazon Excluded from Direct Purchase Option

For now, the Buy option is not appearing across all retailers surfaced by Google's AI services. In the experience reviewed, listings from rivals including Amazon appeared alongside Flipkart products but did not offer the option to purchase products directly through AI1

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. This selective integration could raise competition concerns similar to those faced by OpenAI. In December 2025, IndiaMART approached the Calcutta High Court against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT selectively excluded it from AI-generated responses while surfacing rival B2B marketplaces5

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What Remains Unknown About AI Shopping

Several critical questions remain unanswered about this AI shopping test. The commercial terms of the test or any Google-Flipkart arrangement have not been disclosed, leaving unclear whether Gemini or AI Mode will charge users, Flipkart, or businesses for purchases made through it5

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. For context, OpenAI had planned to charge merchants up to 4% on completed purchases through Instant Checkout, roughly 7% once you include card fees and taxes5

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The mode of payment remains unclear, and it's unknown whether the checkout happens entirely inside Gemini or AI Mode or sends the user to Flipkart's site or app5

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A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch the company is "always testing new features and experiences to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily," adding that the company regularly runs experiments and has no further details to share1

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. Flipkart did not immediately respond to requests for comment1

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