Google made one of its biggest moves yet in agentic commerce in May when it introduced Universal Cart, a persistent shopping cart that spans Search, Gemini, YouTube, and Gmail. The deep integration allows shoppers to discover, compare, and buy across merchants through Google’s ecosystem.
For consumers, the pitch is convenience. For retailers and brands, the risk is much bigger, as Google moves closer to owning the shopping decision before the consumer ever reaches a retailer’s site.
Anthony Ferry, CEO of Wayvia (formerly PriceSpider), sees Google’s Universal Cart as a major warning sign for brands and retailers. He said it changes who owns the consumer relationship, with Google building another walled garden where consumer decisions occur within its ecosystem, out of sight of brands.
"Retailers face an existential threat. As Google and Amazon win consumer loyalty through sheer convenience, the direct relationship between retailers and customers is crumbling. Retailers that can't command their own audience risk becoming essentially fulfillment centers and low-margin warehouses," Ferry told the E-Commerce Times.
Visibility of Shoppers' Insights at Risk
