Where checkout changed
Google Shopping introduced Universal Cart as part of an AI shopping experience that moves from discovery and comparison toward cart and checkout preparation.
Brands and product pages need to help AI systems read price, inventory, shipping, and return information before a recommendation can become a purchase.
Do not trust one conversion number
The useful question is no longer whether a purchase happened; it is which step created the hesitation, missing fact, or measurement gap.
Check the event model
- Audit core product pages for price, inventory, shipping, returns, and support entry points
- Keep the test narrow: one priority product or checkout flow before expanding recommendation, authorization, payment, and support work
What still needs proof
Incomplete product facts can produce recommendations that cannot support a buying decision. Keep the original source open so the announcement, the evidence, and this site's interpretation stay separate.