ChatGPT Turns Into Shopping Hub With Built-In ‘Buy Now’ Button: How It Works

OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into more than just a place to ask questions – it’s now becoming a shopping destination. The company announced that U.S. users can buy items directly inside ChatGPT through a new feature called Instant Checkout, starting with products from Etsy sellers and select Shopify merchants. Also Read: Sam Altman Warns: AI Could Replace 40% Of Jobs, Superintelligence by 2030

Until now, users who discovered a product in ChatGPT had to leave the app to complete their purchase. With Instant Checkout, that final step happens right inside the chatbot. For now, the feature supports only single-item purchases, but it lays the foundation for a much bigger shift in how people shop online. Also Read: ChatGPT Pulse Is Here: The AI Feature That Could Replace Your Morning News Apps

To make this possible, OpenAI also introduced the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open-source standard that lets merchants integrate their products into ChatGPT. The idea is to create a framework where more retailers can make their storefronts directly accessible through AI chats. Also Read: ChatGPT May Soon Get Ads As OpenAI Searches For Monetisation Chief

Big players like Amazon and Walmart aren’t on board yet, but OpenAI believes the demand is there. The company’s commerce lead, Michelle Fradin, said more than one in ten ChatGPT users already show interest in making a purchase. “It makes sense to let them complete the transaction right where they are,” she explained.

Merchants will pay a fee for each completed sale, though OpenAI has not disclosed how much. Payments will be processed securely through Stripe and then sent to the merchant, ensuring sellers maintain control of customer data.

The launch marks another step in OpenAI’s effort to expand ChatGPT’s role beyond Q&A. Earlier this year, the company added product recommendations and search features. Now, it’s testing whether users are ready to treat ChatGPT like a personal shopping assistant.

For retailers, the shift comes with both opportunities and risks: more reach, but less direct customer loyalty. Still, with nearly 700 million people using ChatGPT weekly, OpenAI is betting that shopping inside the chatbot could become the next big habit.