What Does ChatGPT's New In-Chat Shopping Feature Mean For E-Commerce?

"ChatGPT is no longer just a discovery tool. With its new Instant Checkout feature, users in the U.S. can now complete purchases directly within the app. The process is simple: Users ask ChatGPT a product question-for example, "What are the best hiking backpacks under $200?" and ChatGPT surfaces relevant products from merchants. If the merchant supports the Instant Checkout feature, a "buy" button appears, and users can confirm payment and shipping details before finalizing their order inside the chat."

"Powered by the open Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), this move transforms conversations into transactions and removes friction from the buyer's journey. For merchants and marketers, it signals the start of a new era in AI-driven retail. ChatGPT now reaches more than 700 million weekly active users as of July 2025. With that scale, even a small shift in how users shop inside the app could reshape the global e-commerce landscape. For retailers, the feature signals a new phase of digital commerce where discovery, decision-making and payment merge into one seamless experience."

"How Does Instant Checkout Work? Instant Checkout lets shoppers complete a purchase in ChatGPT without being redirected to an external site. However, the merchant still handles fulfillment-orders, payments and inventory remain under the merchant's control. ChatGPT connects both sides through the ACP. Product visibility remains organic, with rankings based on relevance, price, availability and seller reputation. Merchants pay a small fee on completed purchase"

ChatGPT's Instant Checkout enables U.S. users to complete purchases directly inside the app via a buy button when merchants support the feature. The system is built on the open Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), connecting ChatGPT and merchants while merchants retain control of fulfillment, payments, and inventory. Product visibility is organic and ranked by relevance, price, availability, and seller reputation, with merchants paying a small fee on completed purchases. With over 700 million weekly active users as of July 2025, even small changes in in-app shopping behavior could significantly reshape global e-commerce, making conversational search visibility a priority for marketers.

Read at Forbes