SEO is No Longer Enough
Search Engine Optimisation remains important, but your Shopify website now needs to be ready for the massive changes in how people are interacting with online shopping. We help your Shopify store lead the way in the new era of AI-driven, agentic commerce.
At Perfidious Albert, we don’t just build websites; we build revenue engines. The launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) by Google and Shopify represents the biggest shift in online retail since the smartphone. It allows AI agents—like Gemini—to not only find your products but to complete the purchase on behalf of the customer, right within the chat interface.
As a technical agency headed by a software developer (Ruairi studied AI and wrote a thesis on the future of AI way back in the year 2000) Perfidious Albert is the partner you need to understand this new protocol and to get your products selling through AI.
What is UCP and why do you care?
AI has been able to “read” and understand your website for a long time, and it can give recommendations and refer people to your online store, but it couldn’t close the deal. Now it can – a consumer can now finish the sale without ever leaving their preferred AI interface. AI is no longer a source of referrals; it is now potentially your biggest customer.
UCP is a standard framework (i.e. a set of protocols and agreed terms) that exist to allow AI and your store “speak” to each other. It facilitates the following…
- Native AI Checkout: Customers can buy your products directly within Google Search or the Gemini app using GPay, without ever visiting your storefront.
- Business Agents: We can implement "Virtual Sales Associates" that answer product questions in your brand’s specific voice and guide users to a transaction.
- Direct Offers in AI Mode: Present exclusive discounts and bundles specifically to high-intent shoppers who are researching in AI Mode.
Perfidious Albert can make your company AI ready.
There is a common misconception that AI is "fluffy" technology built on buzzwords. It isn't. AI is at the cutting edge of computer science. Making a machine act with human intelligence requires a deep understanding of algorithms and data structures.
For Agentic Commerce, that technical depth must be combined with a mastery of e-commerce psychology. We provide both:
- Merchant Center Optimisation: We configure your Google Merchant Center with the new native_commerce attributes and supplemental feeds required for agentic checkout eligibility.
- Shopify Protocol Integration: As Shopify experts, we implement the necessary API connections to ensure the UCP "handshake" is seamless, handling everything from inventory sync to complex VAT rules.
- AI Data Structuring: We clean and structure your product data—including compatible accessories, substitutes, and "Business Agent" training data—so AI agents understand exactly what you sell and why it's the best choice.
- Strategic Handoffs: Not every sale is simple. We configure "Embedded Checkout" paths for complex orders that require human intervention, ensuring you never lose a lead when the AI reaches its limit.
It is possible to ignore AI commerce for another year, but your competitors won't. We focus on the technical coalface of UCP so your business remains profitable while the technology evolves.
Why Perfidious Albert?
We have been at the technical forefront of e-commerce for over 25 years. We don't care about "likes" or "impressions"—we care about conversions and margin.
Implementing UCP is a technical challenge that requires a deep understanding of both Shopify’s liquid/API structure and Google’s merchant ecosystem. We are one of the few consultancies in Ireland with the computer science background and the retail experience to bridge that gap.
We work with owner-operated businesses turning over €500k+ who are ready to evolve. If you want a partner who understands the "under the hood" mechanics of the Universal Commerce Protocol, you’re in the right place. Click below for a free consultation.
We Want to Work With You
This is what we do, and we love it. We drive sales, push down costs, and create profit in the middle. We want to work with you and bring our expertise to your brand.
