Headless Checkout for AI Agents: The API Contract Merchants Need
Designing purchase flows that agents can actually complete
Why Checkout Breaks for Agents
Traditional checkout assumes a human in a browser. Agents operate through APIs, need deterministic responses, and can't solve CAPTCHAs or pay with one-time links.
Without a headless flow, legitimate agent orders are forced into manual review or blocked entirely.
What Headless Checkout Enables
Headless checkout gives agents a predictable API contract while preserving merchant controls. It combines delegated authority, transaction guardrails, and clear order state transitions.
Delegated wallet authorization
Agents present proof of spending authority with scoped limits.
Clear order states
Create, confirm, fulfill, and refund states are machine-readable.
Payment adapter abstraction
Merchants can support multiple rails (Stripe ACP, AP2, TAP) without changing agent flows.
A Minimal Agent Checkout Flow
The flow is deliberately short so agents can succeed quickly:
- Agent creates a checkout session with inventory + amount.
- Merchant evaluates the Agent Trust Certificate and transaction guardrails.
- Agent confirms payment with delegated wallet proof.
- Merchant returns a finalized order + fulfillment instructions.
A headless contract reduces abandoned agent carts and preserves merchant policy.
The Merchant Payoff
Headless checkout isn't just developer convenience—it is the on-ramp for real agent revenue. Merchants can accept verified agent orders, keep disputes lower, and expand to API-first channels.
Offer Agent-Ready Checkout
We can help you design headless flows that verified agents can complete end-to-end.
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