Google is enhancing retail with agentic commerce, where AI assists shoppers. They introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard for seamless shopping, co-developed with major retailers. UCP will enable a new checkout feature on Google product listings. The Business Agent allows direct interaction with brands on Search. New attributes in Merchant Center will improve product discovery, and Direct Offers will provide exclusive discounts to boost sales.
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Facebook Marketplace is launching its first Holiday Shop for the 2024 season, featuring unique and affordable gifts curated by real people. Young adults are increasingly searching for items like fashion and electronics. The shop includes collections such as Gametime Gifts, Family Finds, Tech Collection, and Vintage Gems. Users can access the Holiday Shop by searching in the Marketplace tab of the Facebook app and ensuring their app is updated.
OpenAI's new shopping research feature in ChatGPT helps users find products by asking questions, researching online, and providing personalized buyer’s guides. Available on all plans, it works well for detailed categories like electronics and home goods. Users can guide the research and get comparisons, deals, and gift ideas. Powered by GPT-5 mini, it cites reliable sources but may have some errors. Future updates will improve personalization and direct purchasing.
Copilot is enhancing its AI search by adding prominent, clickable citations and an aggregated source view to build trust and transparency. The new dedicated search experience within Copilot offers precise, adaptive responses with easy navigation links for quick access to relevant sites. These updates aim to balance trust, freedom, and control while supporting a healthy web ecosystem by highlighting publisher sources clearly and accessibly.
Pinterest has launched Pinterest Assistant, an AI-powered, visual-first tool that enhances online shopping by offering personalized, proactive recommendations based on users' tastes and saved content. It uses a multimodal AI model to deliver relevant shopping suggestions through voice, text, and images. Currently in beta for U.S. users 18+, it aims to make discovery and shopping seamless and personalized.
Snapchat has launched a new integration with WooCommerce, enabling small and medium e-commerce merchants to connect with Snapchat users and boost sales. WooCommerce merchants can create dynamic ads, sync product catalogs, and use Snap Pixel and Conversions API for better targeting. Snapchat users are highly engaged shoppers, making this integration valuable for reaching a broad, active audience during the holiday season.
OpenAI is integrating ChatGPT with Etsy and Shopify to enable direct purchases within chat using Instant Checkout, powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol and Stripe. U.S. users can buy single items from Etsy and soon Shopify merchants. The open-source protocol allows merchants to maintain control over payments and customer relations while ChatGPT acts as a secure AI shopping assistant. This marks a step toward seamless AI-driven commerce.
The new store widget from Google helps online shoppers by providing key information on a merchant's website, addressing visibility and legitimacy issues. Businesses using the widget have seen up to 8% higher sales in 90 days. It can be embedded on any page and shows store ratings, shipping policies, and reviews. There are three tiers based on eligibility, and retailers can learn how to participate through the Google Merchant Center.
Shoppers are more deliberate, with U.S. impulse buys dropping from 30% to 26%. Retailers can connect with consumers by using Google’s AI tools for discovery and advertising. AI in Search helps answer complex queries, while omnichannel offerings optimize sales. New insights in Google Merchant Center and expanded creative features enhance performance. Personalized loyalty programs are essential for retention, helping retailers succeed this holiday season.
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