OpenAI just announced that shoppers can checkout in-app from Etsy and Shopify merchants. It is exactly the integration we knew was in the works. This is not agentic commerce – people still need to click around and make decisions – but two things have been true for a while.
First, people are using ChatGPT and other AI tools a lot. Second, they use them to sometimes ask shopping related questions. Of course ChatGPT was going to build around that. (Almost a year ago Perplexity did the same with Buy with Pro, announced with Shopify too. Though it didn’t seem to have progressed much since)
“Merchants pay a small fee on completed purchases, but the service is free for users, doesn’t affect their prices, and doesn’t influence ChatGPT’s product results. Instant Checkout items are not preferred in product results.” All subject to change. Leaves a door open to introduce ads/sponsored listings too.
ChatGPT just became the hottest club to get into as a retailer, assuming you want in. Amazon is not going to be part of this. Walmart probably not either. Etsy+Shopify plus retailers to come gets a lot of selection but with some obvious gaps.
