Dive Brief:
- OpenAI last week released a new shopping research feature in ChatGPT to help shoppers find the right products based on their search prompts. The tool is designed for in-depth product searches and comparisons, and is available to users of ChatGPT’s free version, as well as its Go, Plus and Pro subscribers, according to a company press release.
- ChatGPT users can give the AI chatbot a variety of tasks, including comparing models of a given product, recommending gifts for a specific family member or finding lookalike products for cheaper. The platform may ask follow-up questions about budget, item recipients or other key criteria, and will then find products that meet those standards.
- Shoppers will receive a buyer’s guide with multiple product matches, along with information on their differences, trade-offs and “up-to-date information from reliable retailers.” For now, shoppers can purchase the recommended products via a retailer’s website. But in the future, ChatGPT will allow shoppers to buy items directly within the platform through sellers that are a part of its Instant Checkout feature.
Dive Insight:
ChatGPT’s shopping research feature is designed to help shoppers sift through a myriad of choices and connect them with retailers that sell the products they’re looking for.
The tool is particularly useful for shoppers seeking products in “detail-heavy” categories such as electronics, beauty, home and garden, kitchen and appliances, and sports and outdoor, the announcement noted.
“For simple shopping questions like checking a price or confirming a feature, a regular ChatGPT response is quick and all you need,” OpenAI wrote in its announcement. “But when you want depth — comparisons, constraints, tradeoffs — shopping research takes a few minutes to give you a more detailed, well-researched answer.”
The shopping research feature builds upon OpenAI’s previous efforts to turn ChatGPT into an e-commerce hub. In September, the company launched its Instant Checkout feature for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and free users in the U.S., enabling shoppers to make purchases directly on the platform. The company initially partnered with Etsy and Shopify to enable Etsy sellers and Shopify merchants to facilitate transactions within ChatGPT.
The following month, it teamed up with Walmart to let ChatGPT users buy products from the retailer within the platform. The collaboration is part of Walmart’s efforts to transition from the traditional e-commerce shopping experience to an AI-centric one, the company said.
Last month, Target also rolled out a beta version of an app within ChatGPT that allows shoppers buy items including fresh food, purchase multiple items simultaneously and choose order fulfillment options. The retailer said it will soon introduce additional features, such as connecting Target Circle accounts and offering same-day delivery.
