Wayfair Inc. (W) announced on Monday that it is a foundational partner that co-developed Google’s (GOOG) (GOOGL) Universal Commerce Protocol, which is described as an open standard designed to enable more seamless, secure interactions between AI agents and retailers’ platforms.
Wayfair’s Chief Technology Officer Fiona Tan said the Universal Commerce Protocol serves as the common language for the new ecosystem that is emerging in e-commerce. The protocol is considered key because it allows agents to bridge the gap between discovery and checkout while ensuring Wayfair (W) remains the merchant of record to guarantee the quality of the service.
The Universal Commerce Protocol is expected to power a new checkout experience on eligible Google product listings in AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app. Notably, the new capability will allow shoppers to check out directly from Wayfair (W) without leaving Google while they are researching. Wayfair (W) noted that it will remain the merchant of record, ensuring consistent pricing, fulfillment, and customer support.
Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) publicly announced the Universal Commerce Protocol on Sunday, January 11, during the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2026 conference in New York.