E-commerce and digital marketing

Grow your business in digital era

Author: Dan Virtopeanu

A premium product package on a digital pedestal surrounded by glowing holographic trust signals and 5-star review badges, being analyzed by an AI scanner to illustrate structured value in Agentic Commerce.

Beyond Price Wars: How Quality-Focused Merchants Win in the Age of AI Agents

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On January 14, 2026

In Articles, Resources

The biggest fear surrounding Google’s new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is simple: “Will this turn e-commerce into a race to the bottom?”

It is a valid concern. When an AI agent (like Gemini) takes over the shopping process, the visual allure of your brand—your beautiful logo, your lifestyle photography, your carefully crafted “About Us” page—seems to disappear. If the AI is just comparing rows in a database, surely the store with the lowest price and fastest shipping wins, right?

Wrong.

The reality of Agentic Commerce is more nuanced. AI agents are programmed to be risk-averse, not just cost-conscious. If an AI recommends a cheap product that arrives late, broken, or is counterfeit, the user loses trust in the AI. Therefore, the algorithm places a massive premium on trust, reliability, and specific value.

Here is how you can optimize your store for UCP without slashing your prices, by leveraging Structured Value, Reputation, and Reviews.

The Myth: AI Only Buys the Cheapest Item

In the traditional search era, a user might gamble on a shady website to save $10. In the UCP era, the AI agent makes the selection.

  • The AI’s Goal: To fulfill the user’s intent with the highest probability of satisfaction.
  • The Reality: An agent will often choose a product that costs 15% more if the data shows a 99% probability of on-time delivery and a “hassle-free” return policy, compared to a cheaper vendor with spotty history.

To win, you don’t need to be the cheapest; you need to be the safest bet. Here is a quick plan in 4 steps how to become the “High-Definition” Merchant without slashing your prices.

Step 1: Speak the Robot’s Language (Structured Value)

If you sell a premium product, you know why it costs more (better materials, ethical sourcing, better warranty). But does the AI know?

In UCP, marketing fluff is ignored. “High quality” is a meaningless phrase to a robot. You must convert your value proposition into Structured Data within Google Merchant Center.

  • Attributes are King: Don’t just put “Wool Sweater” in the title. Populate specific attributes: Material: Merino Wool, Thread Count: High, Origin: Italy. When a user asks for “a high-quality natural sweater,” the AI filters out the cheap synthetic options instantly.
  • Certifications: Use the certification fields to tag your products with Eco-Friendly, Fair Trade, or Handmade. These are hard filters for AI agents looking for ethical products.
  • Service as a Spec: Your return window (e.g., “60 Days”) and handling time are now technical specs. A generous return policy is read by the AI as a “Quality Signal,” justifying a higher price point.

Step 2: The New SEO – Why “Merchant Authority” Matters More Than Keywords

Search Engine Optimization has shifted from Keywords to Entities. Google’s Knowledge Graph needs to understand that your store is a distinct, authoritative entity, not just a dropshipping site.

Niche Authority: If you sell coffee machines, your blog content still matters. If Google perceives your domain as an authority on “Barista Equipment,” the AI is more likely to trust your store for a high-ticket purchase over a generalist marketplace.

Merchant Quality Score: This is the new “Domain Authority.” Google assigns your store a score based on shipping consistency, stock accuracy, and defect rate. A high score effectively boosts your visibility to agents, even if your prices are higher.

Step 3: Reviews Are No Longer Optional – They Are Fuel

This is the most critical factor for premium brands. In a text-based buying experience, reviews are the proxy for “touching and feeling” the product.

  • Semantic Analysis: AI doesn’t just count stars; it reads the text. If customers consistently mention “Beautiful packaging” or “Customer support solved my issue in 5 minutes,” the AI tags your store with High Service Quality.
  • The “Responsive” Tag: You must respond to reviews. An active owner response signals to the AI that the merchant is alive, responsive, and accountable. This reduces the perceived risk of the transaction.
  • Action Item: Enable Google Customer Reviews in your Merchant Center immediately. These verified post-purchase reviews are the “gold standard” data source for Gemini.

Step 4: Technical Trust: Why “Out of Stock” is the New 404

Whether you are on Shopify (which handles UCP natively) or a custom stack (requiring API integration), the technical foundation must be solid.

  • Real-Time Inventory: Premium service means never cancelling an order. Ensure your stock levels are synced in real-time.
  • Accurate Shipping: If you promise delivery by Friday, it must arrive by Friday. Consistently missing deadlines destroys your Merchant Quality Score faster than high prices ever could.

Conclusion: The “High-Definition” Merchant Wins

The Universal Commerce Protocol doesn’t kill branding; it forces branding to become data-driven.

The winners of this new era won’t be the bargain basements. The winners will be the merchants who can translate their premium service, superior materials, and brand reputation into the structured language that AI understands.

Don’t lower your prices. Raise your data quality.

Robotic hand reaching out of a digital search bar to pick up a product box, representing the shift to AI-powered actions.

Beyond the Search Bar: How to Prepare Your Online Store for Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)

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On January 13, 2026

In Articles, Resources

The way we shop online is undergoing its biggest shift since the invention of the shopping cart.

For the last (almost) three decades, e-commerce has followed a predictable pattern: we (humans) search for a product, click a link, visit a store, and manually check out. As of January 2026, Google has disrupted this loop with the launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP).

The era of “Search” is evolving into the era of “Agentic Commerce.” In this new world, AI agents (like Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT) don’t just recommend products—they execute the purchase.

If you own an online store, the question isn’t if you should adapt, but how. Here is your guide to unlocking this new sales channel.

What is the Universal Commerce Protocol?

Think of UCP as a universal language that allows AI agents to speak directly to your online store’s backend.

Previously, an AI chatbot could tell a user, “Here is a nice pair of running shoes.” It was up to the user to do the rest. With UCP, the AI can check your real-time stock, negotiate a personalized price (if applicable), add the item to a cart, and securely process the payment using the user’s stored credentials—often without the user ever leaving the chat interface.

For merchants, this means a drastic reduction in friction and cart abandonment. Good news: is pretty simple to get on board no matter what e-commerce platform you are using.

Scenario A: You Use Shopify (The Easy Path)

If your store is built on Shopify, you are in luck. As a launch partner for UCP, Shopify has done the heavy lifting for you. You don’t need to hire a developer to rewrite your code.

Your Action Plan:

  1. Update the Google Channel: Go to your Shopify Admin and navigate to the “Google & YouTube” sales channel.
  2. Enable Agentic Commerce: Look for the new setting labeled “AI & Agentic Commerce” or “Allow Google Assistant purchases.” Enable this feature.
  3. Review Shipping Settings: AI agents rely heavily on accurate data. Ensure your shipping zones and rates are crystal clear in Shopify settings so the AI can calculate total costs instantly.

Once enabled, Shopify handles the API handshakes, security verification, and inventory syncing automatically.

Scenario B: You Use a Custom Platform (The Custom Path)

If you are running on Magento, WooCommerce, Prestashop or a custom-built solution, the integration requires a hands-on technical approach. You are effectively building a bridge between Google’s AI and your server.

Your Tech Team’s Checklist:

  1. Implement the UCP API: Your server needs to expose specific endpoints (RESTful API) that allow Google to create a checkout-session.
  2. Handle Webhooks: You need to listen for real-time updates. When an agent finalizes a purchase, your system must capture the order instantly via a webhook.
  3. Server-Side Tracking: Since these transactions happen server-to-server (bypassing the user’s browser pixel), you must implement Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol. This ensures you can track the source as google_agent and attribute revenue correctly.

The “Secret Sauce”: Data Hygiene

Regardless of your platform, UCP will not work if your product data is messy. AI agents are literal; they cannot “guess” what a product is by looking at a banner image.

To win in the age of AI commerce, you must optimize your Google Merchant Center feed:

  • GTIN/EAN is King: Barcodes are the primary identifier. If your products lack GTINs, AI agents will likely ignore them.
  • Structured Data: Ensure your product descriptions are detailed and attributes (color, size, material) are standardized.
  • Return Policies: Your return policy must be structured data in Merchant Center, not just a PDF on your site. The AI needs to be able to read it to answer the customer’s question: “Can I return this if it doesn’t fit?”

How to Measure Success

Once you are live, you need to know if it’s working. Do not treat these orders as Direct Traffic, be sure you track separately orders made by AI agents. Shopify Users: just check your “Sales by Channel” reports. Look for the “Google” segment. For other platforms ensure your developers are tagging orders with utm_source=google_agent.

The Agentic Landscape: Google vs. Claude vs. ChatGPT

While Google is making headlines with the Universal Commerce Protocol in 2026, they are not the only players in the “Agentic” arena. The battle for who gets to be your customer’s personal shopper is heating up.

Claude (Anthropic): The Visual Shopper Last year, Anthropic revolutionized the field by launching Claude’s “Computer Use” capability. Unlike Google’s UCP, which relies on structured data and APIs, Claude was designed to act more like a human. It can literally “look” at a screen, move a cursor, and click buttons on a website.

  • The difference: Claude can buy from any website, even those without APIs, but it is slower and prone to UI glitches. Google UCP is built for speed and reliability, bypassing the visual interface entirely.

ChatGPT (OpenAI): The “Operator” OpenAI has also been aggressively rolling out its autonomous capabilities, often referred to as “Operator” agents. Through deep integrations and “Actions,” ChatGPT is moving away from simple chat towards executing complex multi-step tasks. While they haven’t released an open standard like UCP yet, their massive user base means millions of shoppers are already trying to use ChatGPT as their primary shopping assistant.

Why UCP Matters More for Merchants While Claude and ChatGPT are impressive, Google’s UCP is the first attempt to create a standardized language for commerce. It shifts the power dynamic from “hacking” a website (visual navigation) to “communicating” with it directly (server-to-server). For store owners, supporting UCP is the safest way to ensure all these future bots can buy from you without errors.

Don’t Miss Part 2: How to Win Without Lowering Your Prices

Preparing your store technically is only half the battle. The other half is strategy.

Are you worried that AI agents will ignore your premium products in favor of cheaper alternatives? In my next article, I’ll reveal the “Quality Signals” that AI algorithms actually look for—and how to optimize your store’s reputation to dominate the results without engaging in a price war.

Digital Markets Act (DMA) impact on mobile browsers market share in Europe

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On March 30, 2024

In Articles

Mobile browsers market share quick overview in the EU

Why do we care about mobile browsers market share? As internet traffic has switch to mobile devices (many websites have 4 out of 5 visits from mobile phones) is important for a digital marketer to know what the main browsers are used to access his websites. Market is dominated by Google Chrome and Apple’s Safari, 9 out of 10 EU users being fans of those browsers. Despite both browsers perform same action, there are differences in how they display a website or even how they track users, so we need to know what our audience technology is to improve the experience provided.

DMA will hit Apple more than Google

What requires DMA enforcement? Theoretically from March 2024 any update on iPhones or Google Android devices will prompt EU users with choice of their browser from a predefined list. The list of browsers is made upon availability and that will make a difference.

Going back to the process of choosing the browser there is no specific order to list the options, all are random displayed and does not have Safari listed. There is no official Apple Safari app listed on Google Play, there is a so-called iOS browser Safari app being listed by an unknown developer.

Random browser selection for Android Phones

On the Apple side we have Google Chrome as one of the top-rated apps. Even many iPhone users stick with Safari as they are very familiar with, there were already others that preferred downloading Chrome and make it default browser (against Apple warnings). Now Apple will be forced to provide at first update the choice of browser and disable Safari as a default one. On iOS, despite Opera enthusiasm, we will see more people picking Chrome, that will improve his market share against Safari.

The other difference in mobile browsers market share will be made by EU Commission decision to not include Samsung Internet Browser as a dominant player. We will keep seeing Samsung smartphones delivered with this browser default, as well as for other Android brands that did not pick Chrome as default browser (like Xiaomi).  This will preserve Samsung Internet browser market share around 6,5% as it was in last 12 months.

Opera and Firefox may see some increase in their market share especially from Android users, less from iPhone users. Even this increase will be 100%, we won’t see major changes in terms of market share, probably over 2% for Opera, close to 2% for Firefox.

Chrome will keep going, Safari will keep losing market share on mobile devices

My estimate for next year is that Chrome will keep improving maybe up to 65% (last 12 months went to 61,35% from 58,52%).  Safari will drop at under 25%, probably 22-23% (last 12 months went to 28,66% from 31,61%). Samsung will stick at 6,5% and other browser versions will be small to count for. A detailed report of mobile browsers market share in Europe for the past 12 months is here.

Bottom line, Chrome and Safari will still be used by about 9 of 10 Europeans. Some two thirds of all European mobile internet users will use Chrome and less than one quarter will use Safari (two years ago was at his peak with one third of users).

As for the default search engine where DMA imposes same rule of free choice, we don’t have a real competitor for Google in the EU. However, there are AI tools that already have an impact over number of usual searches and the way searching process is evolving. That’s another topic to discuss.

Random displayed search engine selection for Android phones

How to track Facebook and Instagram ad spending on politics

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On March 20, 2024

In Resources

If you are digital marketer that starts his first politics campaigns on Meta platform or just a citizen curious about ad spending made by some candidates on Facebook and Instagram you should know that there in an online public tool that allows tracking political ads. You can find data starting from 2018 for the United States or starting from 2019 in case of Romania or even more recently for other countries.

Meta Ad Library Report provides an overview with total ads and total amount spent for elections, politics or social issues and let you generate reports for a specific advertiser for a chosen period, as well as a list with all advertisers for last day, last week, last 30 days, last 90 days or all time. There is also a spending report per location, with top 10 spenders for each location. The data has 4 days delays, so any interval cannot be fresh than 4 days before the current one (most likely to protect server infrastructure when updating with new data and let queries flow from users).

As any data reported by Meta you should be aware about the disclaimer that numbers reported may differ slightly from numbers counted by Meta Ads Manager. In other words, no final numbers to consider, still a very good source to see different advertisers spending share for a period.

The main benefit of this reporting in my opinion is the access to all the ads used by an advertiser. Traditional media has a limited number of ads and creatives and is easy to collect all of it.  Digital media involves a lot of ads and creative and chasing around the internet takes time and makes impossible to gather all of it, so having all the collection stored by Meta is an excellent opportunity to analyze competitor creatives in depth.

As Romania is preparing for full election year I made a capture with top spenders on the last 30 days.

Meta elections ad spending Romania 16th Feb 16th March

Few comments:

  • Marcel Ciolacu, the current Prime Minister is leading the spending, even for now he has not opted for a specific position in the upcoming elections.
  • Nicusor Dan, the current Mayor of Bucharest is in the second position as he is running to win a second term. Strange that he spent 95% of budget in Bucharest, I would expect to see it full in this area. Could be a targeting error or a mismatch in Meta data?
  • European Parliament and European Commission are on the third and fifth spot. While the marketers from Parliament seem to know their job with 56 ads, those from the Commission don’t care too much about the spending with only 10 ads.

Grab the popcorn and enjoy the election race!

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