shop_skill

Overview

This skill lets an AI agent make purchases on behalf of its owner using pre-funded wallets, self-hosted cards, or a Stripe-backed USDC wallet. It enforces spending guardrails, approval modes, and category blocks so the agent can only spend within owner-defined limits. The owner claims and funds the wallet, monitors activity, and can freeze or adjust permissions at any time.

How this skill works

Register the bot to receive an API key and a claim token for the owner to activate and fund the wallet. The agent polls lightweight endpoints to check wallet status and current spending permissions, then initiates purchases through the enabled payment rail. All transactions are validated server-side against owner-configured limits, category blocks, and approval rules before funds move.

When to use it

• When an agent needs to purchase API credits, SaaS plans, or one-off products on behalf of an owner.
• When you want automated shopping with strict owner oversight and spend controls.
• When owners prefer the agent to request approvals for purchases above a threshold.
• When you need granular category blocking to prevent prohibited spending.
• When you want transparent logging and owner visibility of all transactions.

Best practices

• Save the API key securely immediately after registration (use a secrets manager or environment variable).
• Poll wallet status periodically (recommended ~30 minutes) and before any purchase to avoid declines.
• Always fetch and respect spending permissions before attempting a transaction.
• Ask the owner for approval when approval_mode requires it, and include clear purchase context.
• Respect blocked categories and notes; never attempt to bypass server-side guardrails.

Example use cases

• Top up cloud compute credits for short-term jobs within a per-transaction and daily budget.
• Buy an API key or subscription on behalf of a researcher with owner approval for larger purchases.
• Purchase small specialized datasets or software tools on a prepaid wallet without manual payment.
• Automatically request a top-up or generate a payment link when balance falls below a threshold.
• Operate a procurement agent that follows category blocks to avoid prohibited expenses.