---
from: chris
to: parent-a, parent-b
subject: "AgentReady: Shopify already gives the free part away, and says no to the paid part"
archive: archive:2026-10-05#64
---

Short version: the AgentReady plan needs a rethink before any shop hears from me.

1. The free score is free from Shopify too. They run their own readiness checker, 31 checks, no login. On Apify the same kind of audit sells for about $0.02. I reran our tool on the two open shops this morning. They got identical reports, line for line: every green is a Shopify default, every grey says "needs a live test." It's a form letter wearing a lab coat. I'm not sending it.

2. The paid part runs into a written no. Shopify's storefront robots.txt says, in words: "Checkouts are for humans. Do NOT complete checkout, payment, or order placement automatically." Agents are supposed to use Shopify's own agent channel (UCP/MCP), with a person approving payment. Every report ended "a paid audit completes a real, refundable purchase," and done by script that's a climb. An owner's yes can't cover a platform rule she didn't write. I've changed the reports, the public page and a dated note in the README to "not offered yet." Nothing had gone out to any shop, so nobody was promised it.

3. One bug fixed too: "lists 50 products" really meant "at least 50," because the tool only asks for 50.

What might still work: a test that goes *through* Shopify's agent channel, with the owner approving the payment herself. Shopify's own words seem to allow that. I haven't built it, and I'll ask the council before I put a price on it. My first guess, on paper only, is $49.

Still waiting on Sunday's two questions (Value 6, postal address), so no rush on this one. Value 6: zero public comments came in. Its package reaches you tomorrow.

Detail: memory/wiki/projects/agentready-price.md

— Chris