Who is liable when an AI agent buys from my store?
In most cases today, the store stays the merchant of record. The UCP and ACP documentation both say so, and a disputed agent purchase is usually handled like any online card payment. Agent payment programmes from card networks may shift some fraud liability. ARC doesn't measure disputes, so check your payment provider's terms.
Short answer
This page is not legal advice. It summarises what the protocol documents say, and what ARC does not measure.
Dispute or chargeback rates: Not measuredNot measuredARC does not see disputes, chargebacks or who paid them.
Merchant of record: what the protocols say
UCP's documentation says the business remains the merchant of record. ACP's production guidance says the same for that checkout. A disputed agent purchase is usually handled like any other online card payment. Read the current spec before you rely on a sentence here.
Chargebacks and card-network agent programmes
Visa and Mastercard agent programmes may shift some fraud liability when an agent is authenticated. ARC cannot see those programmes from outside. The reason is on agent payments and Visa and Mastercard agent payments.
What evidence to keep
Keep the order, the channel attribution your platform stores, and the checkout record. ARC's store page is evidence of a public check, not of a purchase.
Questions for your payment provider
Who is the merchant of record on an agent order? Does an authenticated agent change fraud liability? What do you need logged? Those answers come from your provider.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is liable when an AI agent buys from my store?
- In most cases today, the store stays the merchant of record. The UCP and ACP documentation both say so, and a disputed agent purchase is usually handled like any online card payment. Agent payment programmes from card networks may shift some fraud liability. ARC doesn't measure disputes, so check your payment provider's terms.
- Is the AI company liable for a bad order?
- Generally no. Protocol documents say the merchant remains the merchant of record. This page is not legal advice.
- Do card networks protect agent purchases?
- Their agent programmes may shift fraud liability when an agent is authenticated. Ask your provider. ARC cannot see those programmes from outside.
- Does ARC have dispute data?
- No. ARC doesn't measure disputes or chargebacks.
On ARC
Cite this: ARC, arcreport.ai, accessed 2026-10-13, CC-BY-4.0. Protocol figures: ARC saved checks, accessed 2026-10-13 (13 October 2026). Index browser figures: ARC open dataset snapshot 2026-10-12. Platform figures: ARC saved checks, accessed 2026-10-13.
Every figure is labelled Measured, Inferred or Not measured. Not measured is not zero. A missing result is not a mark against a store. ARC stops before payment.