AI Steps Into the Store and Cuts the Middleman

OpenAI has added a new AI shopping assistant to ChatGPT called Shopping Research. It helps users find and compare products inside the chat. When someone asks a shopping question in ChatGPT, the system will suggest or open Shopping Research automatically. You describe what you need – for example, “quiet stick vacuum under $300” or “three Bluetooth speakers for a $200 budget.” ChatGPT then asks follow-up questions about your priorities (size, features, budget, etc.). You answer a few quick questions to guide the search.

Shopping Research gathers real-time data from the web. It pulls prices, specs, images, reviews, and availability from trusted retailers. Products appear one by one in the interface. You mark each item as “Not interested” or “More like this” to give feedback. Think of it like swiping right or left on items you see. The tool adapts your results in real time as you give feedback.

After a short time (often a few minutes), ChatGPT returns a personalized buyer’s guide. This guide lists the top product picks, explains key differences and trade-offs, and includes links to shops. It does the comparing and summarizing for you. OpenAI says this guide saves a lot of effort compared to checking dozens of sites yourself.

This feature is meant for more complex shopping questions. If you want a quick fact (like one price or feature), the normal ChatGPT response will suffice. But for in-depth questions with many options and constraints, Shopping Research “takes a few minutes to give a more detailed, well-researched answer”. For example, it works well for electronics, home goods, sports gear and other spec-heavy items.

Behind the scenes, Shopping Research uses a specialized GPT-5 model trained on shopping tasks. It reads product pages and reviews from high-quality sites, not ads. This means it treats items neutrally. OpenAI also notes it never shares your chat data with retailers.

The feature is available now to all logged-in ChatGPT users (free or paid) on web and mobile. To help shoppers during holidays, OpenAI will offer nearly unlimited Shopping Research access for all plans through the end of the year.

What this means for your brand: The new shopping assistant might change how customers find products online. On the plus side, it might drive more targeted traffic to your site. If your products fit what a user is searching for, Shopping Research might include them in its guide. A user will then click through to your site to buy. This is a new channel outside of Google or Amazon. In fact, one analysis (from TechCrunch) argues that ChatGPT’s new shopping features could challenge traditional e-commerce discovery models.

On the risk side, you have to ensure your products are visible and competitive. Shopping Research focuses purely on features and value, so products might feel commoditized. If you have weak or missing product data online, ChatGPT might skip your items or compare them unfavorably. To show up in results, your product pages need clear, accurate details (specs, pricing, photos) and ideally positive reviews. The AI will use whatever it finds on the web. The official OpenAI help page on using Shopping Research even advises that merchants follow an allowlisting process to make their products available.

Double-check all product data on your site. Make sure prices and stock are current. Update pages with specs and features buyers care about. This ensures ChatGPT’s research finds accurate data.

If you sell products online, look into OpenAI’s merchant allowlist. Being on that list helps your chances of appearing.

Consider using OpenAI’s Instant Checkout (if available) to let shoppers buy without leaving the chat.

Try it yourself: use Shopping Research on ChatGPT with queries for your products. See which competitors appear. Use this test to find gaps or strengths in your listings.

Keep in mind ChatGPT isn’t perfect. It still makes mistakes on prices or availability. For example, one test found it reported a lower price than what was available. OpenAI advises users to always confirm details on the retailer’s site. As a brand owner, make sure your site shows the final price and stock clearly to avoid confusion.

Privacy is built in. Your conversations with ChatGPT stay private; the system does not share chat details with retailers. The shopping results are generated from public data on the web. OpenAI says results “are organic and based on publicly available retail sites”. In other words, no one is paying ChatGPT to promote products. This helps keep recommendations unbiased. It also means you should maintain a strong public web presence for your products.

For brand owners, prepare to adapt your e-commerce strategy. AI shopping assistants might become a new norm for product search. One analysis suggests these tools might act like new search engines for buying decisions. More customers might start their shopping journey by chatting with AI. The key is to ensure your products are found and stand out. Use the same best practices: clear SEO-friendly pages, solid product descriptions, and up-to-date info.

This new Shopping Research in ChatGPT means your brand might get new exposure if you’re ready for it. Keep product data current and complete. Follow OpenAI’s merchant guidance. Watch how AI tools recommend products in your niche. By staying visible on these AI-powered platforms, you protect and grow your sales as online shopping evolves.