What is an Agent Skill?
An Agent Skill is a declarative specification (aSKILL.md file) that teaches AI agents how to interact with an API. There’s no executable code — the skill provides instructions, endpoint definitions, and safety guidelines that the agent follows.
Agent Skills use progressive disclosure: at startup only the skill name and description are loaded. The full instructions are read into context only when the agent detects a matching task, keeping your agent fast and focused.
One skill, or one per retailer
The skill comes in two flavors, both from the samezincio/skills catalog:
universal-checkout— the full lifecycle across every supported retailer. Install this for general use.- Per-retailer skills (
amazon-checkout,walmart-checkout,target-checkout, …) — the same lifecycle retargeted for a single store. Handy when an agent only ever buys from one retailer.
Installing several near-identical per-retailer skills in one agent can make
skill triggering ambiguous. If you buy across retailers, install
universal-checkout rather than stacking retailer skills.What Can It Do?
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Discover | Search across retailers (GET /search) and compare best-price offers (Amazon & Walmart) |
| Buy | Place orders by product URL, with variants, condition filters, and a max_price ceiling |
| Track | Check status and the full carrier checkpoint timeline for an order |
| Cancel | Cancel an order while it’s still queued |
| Return | Open a return against a placed order and get prepaid label URLs |
Two ways to pay
The skill supports either authentication method — pick based on how the user wants to pay:| Method | When to use |
|---|---|
API key (ZINC_API_KEY) | Pre-registered users with a funded Zinc account |
| MPP (Machine Payments Protocol) | No Zinc account — pay per request via Stripe (cards/wallets) or Tempo (stablecoins) |
/agent/* endpoints handle both ordering and metered data calls ($0.01/call), so an agent can discover and buy with no account at all. Try it without code at agent.zinc.com.
Supported Platforms
Works with any agent platform that supports the Agent Skills standard, including:- Claude Code
- OpenClaw
- Cursor
- Gemini CLI
- VS Code, GitHub Copilot, and many others
Prerequisites
You’ll need one of:- A Zinc API key (sign up at app.zinc.com) with funds deposited, or
- An MPP payment method — a funded Tempo wallet key (
TEMPO_PRIVATE_KEY) or a Stripe payment method. No Zinc account required.
Next Steps
Setup
Install and configure the skill for your platform.
Usage Guide
Discover products, place orders, track them, and handle returns.