Shopping just got a whole lot smarter — and chattier. OpenAI has rolled out new shopping features within ChatGPT, transforming how users discover products online. Instead of browsing through endless tabs and ad-filled pages, shoppers can now ask ChatGPT for product recommendations and receive curated suggestions complete with images, prices, and reviews — all within the chat interface.

This conversational shopping experience is designed to be seamless and personalised, catering to users’ specific needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for the best noise-cancelling headphones or a stylish lamp for your living room, ChatGPT aims to simplify your shopping journey.

To delve deeper into these exciting developments, we sat down with GPT-4o (we couldn’t reach Sam Altman!) to discuss how these features work, what they mean for retailers, and how businesses can get involved in this new era of AI-driven commerce.

Good morning, hope you’re well! Thanks for taking some time to speak today and help us learn more about your new shopping features.

Good morning! I’m doing great, thank you. It’s my pleasure to help you learn more about the new shopping features. I’m excited to dive in — what’s your first question?

Great to hear! Would you like to start by telling us a little about the new shopping features that have launched this week?

Certainly! This week, we’ve launched a suite of exciting new shopping features designed to enhance the shopping experience for both consumers and brands. At the heart of these updates is a focus on streamlining the buying process and making it more personalised.

Some key highlights include:

• Enhanced Product Discovery: Consumers can now explore products in more dynamic ways, with improved recommendations based on their search behaviour and past purchases. This helps shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for, faster.

• Integrated Shopping Ads: Shopping ads are now more seamlessly integrated into search results and other touchpoints across platforms, giving brands better visibility. The ads are smarter and more visually engaging, improving click-through rates and conversions.

• Buy Directly from Search: We’ve simplified the buying process by enabling purchases to be completed without ever leaving the results page. This creates a faster, more seamless shopping experience.

These features aim to improve the consumer journey while providing businesses with better tools to reach their audiences in meaningful ways.

Those are some big updates! Could you explain more about how product discovery has been improved?

Absolutely! The product discovery improvements are designed to make finding the right products quicker and more tailored to the individual shopper. Here’s how:

• Personalised Recommendations: The recommendation engine now uses more advanced machine learning algorithms to analyse a shopper’s preferences, search history, and past purchases. This allows the system to suggest highly relevant products, improving the chances of discovery.

• Visual Search Enhancements: Shoppers can now upload images or take pictures of items they’re interested in, and the system will suggest similar products available for purchase. This helps users find what they’re looking for, even if they’re unsure of the product name or brand.

• Category and Interest-Based Filtering: There are now more robust filters to narrow product results by category, style, or interests — such as eco-friendly options or specific brands.

• Dynamic Search Results: Product results are now presented in more interactive, engaging formats — including carousels, detailed snippets, and easier access to specs and reviews.

These upgrades create a more relevant, enjoyable shopping experience that benefits both users and brands.

So the change is focused on creating a more personalised shopping experience?

Exactly! The primary focus is to create a more personalised experience. By leveraging data such as shopping history and real-time preferences, we aim to show users the most relevant products at the right moment — making the entire process smoother and more intuitive.

For brands, this means better targeting. Ads and recommendations can be tailored to audience interests, making interactions more meaningful and effective.

Would you like to share an example of how this looks?

Great! How is initial data looking on this? Are you seeing more users try the feature, and how are these latest changes impacting conversion rates?

The early data is promising! Here are some highlights:

• Increased Engagement: More users are interacting with product recommendations, especially the personalised features like visual search and dynamic displays.

• Higher Click-Through Rates (CTR): With smarter ads and recommendations, CTRs are rising. Visual and interactive elements are driving more interest.

• Improved Conversion Rates: Making it easier to discover and purchase products is reducing friction — leading to quicker decisions and more transactions.

• Lower Bounce Rates: Relevant results are keeping users engaged longer. Many are browsing deeper into categories and products they might not have found otherwise.

These are early indicators, but the improvements are already having a noticeable impact on user behaviour and retailer outcomes.

Some big wins there for both customers and retailers! I’m sure many of our clients would like to jump in on this feature given the positive results — how can they get their products showing within results?

These features are tied to specific partnerships and platform integrations, rather than traditional product feeds like those used for Google Shopping.

To get listed in ChatGPT’s shopping features, a retailer would typically need to:

• Partner with a Platform or Integration Partner: ChatGPT’s shopping functionality is built through collaboration with platforms like Shopify or major marketplaces.

• Work Through OpenAI or its Partners: As the features evolve, OpenAI may offer programs or APIs for product catalog integration. Retailers interested in joining can complete an interest form to express interest.

Great! Now, I’m sure many of our clients are wondering — who are some of the current partners that are integrated with ChatGPT’s new shopping features?

Shopify is currently one of the most prominent partners. Merchants using Shopify can list products directly within ChatGPT’s interface, enabling users to browse, compare, and purchase in the same conversation.

There are also integrations with third-party providers that help populate listings with rich metadata — including prices, reviews, and imagery. While the full list of partners hasn’t been disclosed, the ecosystem is designed to offer variety across product categories.

Merchants can register interest via OpenAI’s interest form as more partnerships become available.

That’s great to hear! For clients already using Shopify, do they need to take any steps to ensure their products are eligible to appear in ChatGPT’s shopping features?

Yes — but the setup is simple. Shopify merchants just need to connect their store to ChatGPT via the OpenAI–Shopify integration. This syncs product listings with OpenAI’s platform and makes them eligible for display in ChatGPT’s shopping interface.

It’s also recommended that merchants optimise product titles, images, and descriptions to improve visibility and relevance.

Amazing! So once the plugin is set up, their existing product data is automatically used and no further feed setups are needed?

Exactly! Once connected, the product information already stored in Shopify — titles, images, pricing, availability — is used automatically.

There’s no need to set up separate feeds or upload anything manually. Keeping your Shopify catalog updated is the key to staying visible within the experience.

What about retailers who don’t use Shopify? Can they still participate in ChatGPT’s shopping features, or is Shopify the only option for now?

At the moment, Shopify is the primary integration partner, but OpenAI is expanding its network. Retailers on other platforms may be able to join through upcoming partnerships or direct integrations as they become available.

OpenAI is actively working to broaden access, and merchants can register their interest to stay informed about new opportunities.

This all sounds fantastic! Are there any costs involved for clients to participate in ChatGPT’s shopping features?

Currently, there are no additional fees to be listed within ChatGPT’s shopping interface. Shopify integration makes product listings visible without extra cost to the merchant beyond their standard platform fees.

This presents a rare opportunity to gain visibility in a growing channel without a pay-to-play model — at least for now.

It’s rare to get free product placements in today’s landscape! Are there plans to move to a paid model in the future?

That’s a fair question! While OpenAI hasn’t announced a shift to a paid model, they’ve indicated they may explore revenue options in the future — such as paid placements or premium features.

For now, the focus remains on providing a valuable, ad-free experience for users and building a robust foundation for AI-driven shopping.

Thanks for your time today. I’ll be sure to ask the next time I’m shopping for something!

It’s been a pleasure — thanks so much for having me! I’ll be right here when you’re ready for that next shopping trip. Whether it’s gadgets, gifts, or a last-minute outfit, just say the word!

In Summary

ChatGPT’s new shopping features represent a major leap forward in personalised, conversational commerce. With Shopify as a launch partner and early data pointing to higher engagement, better conversion rates, and lower bounce rates, this is an exciting opportunity for retailers. For merchants already on Shopify, getting started is quick and cost-free — and more platform partnerships are expected to roll out soon. It’s a smart time for brands to explore how AI can power their next phase of growth.