Dive Brief:
- Tapestry is allowing shoppers to purchase products from its Coach and Kate Spade inventories directly from Google Search, including AI mode and the Gemini app, according to a company press release.
- When consumers shop with Gemini or AI mode and find a Kate Spade or Coach product, they can pay for the item with Google Pay without being redirected to another website. Each transaction requires consumer approval.
- The company uses the Universal Commerce Protocol to enable agentic commerce. The protocol checkout is available in the U.S., and the company plans to expand into other markets in the future.
Dive Insight:
Tapestry is leveraging AI to create another pathway to reach customers, adding to its existing channels like its stores and website.
“Our goal is for shoppers to find and engage with our brands at the moment when inspiration strikes, whether it be when a consumer passes by one of our stores, peruses our websites, or chats with AI,” Joanne Crevoiserat, chief executive officer of Tapestry, said in a statement.
Google has been building out its AI shopping offerings in recent years to appeal to consumers and retailers. Last year, the tech giant debuted its AI Mode, which merges Gemini and Shopping Graph to let shoppers virtually try on products, find the lowest prices and receive product recommendations.
Tapestry isn’t alone in its Google collaboration. Similarly, Ulta Beauty also added its product assortment to Google’s AI Mode and the Gemini app, enabling shoppers to view product recommendations, compare multiple products and buy items through Google. Walmart also enabled shoppers to discover and purchase merchandise from Walmart and Sam’s Club through the Gemini app.
As more retailers integrate their inventory into AI platforms, some experts warn that doing so widens the distance between retailers and their customers. Without that connection, retailers risk losing data and direct interaction with shoppers.
Still, there isn’t a substantial change in the data Tapestry receives from customers shopping via Google’s AI platforms, Chief Information and Data Officer Yang Lu said in an email to Retail Dive. Because consumers are placing orders through Tapestry’s brands, the company receives the same data it would receive if a customer had shopped on its e-commerce sites, per Lu.
“Tapestry’s launch of UCP is about staying close to the consumer and building an infrastructure that is flexible and ready for wherever our customers are discovering and shopping for products,” Yu said.
In its most recent earnings, Tapestry’s fourth quarter revenue rose 9% year over year to $1.9 billion. The company reported a net income of $347.8 million, compared to a loss of $517.1 million in the year-ago quarter. Coach’s Q4 revenue jumped 15% from a year prior to $1.6 billion, while Kate Spade reported a 7% drop to $235 million.
