OpenAI just announced that ChatGPT users in the United States will be able to buy from ecommerce merchants by using an Instant Checkout feature in the chat. Today, we’re talking about how it works, what this new feature means for merchants and advertisers, and what’s next for OpenAI.
When a user asks ChatGPT about gift ideas, product ideas, or something else related to shopping, the chatbot will respond with relevant products sourced from across the internet. According to OpenAI, these products are not sponsored, and will show based on relevance to the query and user. Other factors, like availability, cost, and quality will also be considered.
Among these results will be products from merchants who have integrated with Instant Checkout. These products will be available for purchase within ChatGPT. Users will be able to provide payment and shipping details and confirm their order without leaving the chat.
ChatGPT is taking the first steps toward “agentic commerce,” where AI can find and present a curated list of products for users, and even execute transactions on a user’s behalf. This evolution of ChatGPT is powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open-source technology co-developed with Stripe that will allow developers to begin building their own integrations.
It is now easier than ever to shop using ChatGPT. If this method of shopping catches on, it will change the way marketers and business owners promote their products, and will require even more emphasis on optimizing business websites for ChatGPT using GEO tactics. Merchants can expect to see more purchases originating from the chatbot, and fewer from the traditional discovery-to-conversion funnels.
There is a small catch for merchants who wish to use Instant Checkout: although the service is free for ChatGPT users, sellers are required to pay a small fee when a purchase is completed.
As of today, Etsy is the only platform with Instant Checkout available. But soon, over a million Shopify merchants will have Instant Checkout capabilities. The feature is also expected to expand to other regions around the globe.
As for OpenAI’s next ecommerce endeavors, users can expect to see features like multi-item carts become available in the coming weeks.
Interested in Instant Checkout? Merchants who are interested in making their products available on ChatGPT need only apply here.
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