OpenAI has introduced a new shopping research feature within ChatGPT, designed to help users evaluate products through an interactive, conversation-led experience. The update is now being rolled out to logged-in users on mobile and web across the Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, with nearly unlimited usage available during the holiday season.
The company shared that millions of people already use ChatGPT to look up product details and compare options. The new guided tool aims to support more complex purchasing decisions by asking follow-up questions, pulling information from reliable online sources, and helping users refine their needs in real time.
This feature is particularly optimised for categories that typically require detailed comparison—such as consumer electronics, personal care, kitchen tools, home improvement, and outdoor gear. For straightforward queries like checking a price or confirming a feature, ChatGPT will continue to produce its standard responses.
Shopping research has also been built into ChatGPT Pulse, the Pro-only personalised assistant. When relevant, Pulse may proactively suggest buyer guides based on earlier conversations. For instance, a user exploring e-bike options could later receive recommendations for compatible accessories.
To use the feature, users can ask any product-focused question. ChatGPT may then prompt them to begin the guided shopping experience, or they can manually launch it from the menu. The interface allows users to specify their preferences—such as budget, gift purpose, specific features, or intended usage. When memory is switched on, ChatGPT can further tailor suggestions by factoring in prior interests or preferences.
The system gathers data from the internet, including pricing, availability, reviews, images, and specifications. Users can refine recommendations by selecting “Not interested” or “More like this” for specific products.
Within minutes, ChatGPT generates a personalised buyer’s guide summarising top picks, key distinctions, trade-offs, and up-to-date details from retailers. Users can proceed to merchant websites to make purchases. OpenAI confirmed that direct purchasing through ChatGPT via Instant Checkout will soon be available to participating merchants.
The feature is powered by a customised version of GPT-5 mini, trained with reinforcement learning specifically for shopping queries. The model is built to reference authoritative sources, cite information accurately, and update results dynamically as users give feedback.
OpenAI stressed that it prioritises transparency in recommendations. It clarified that user conversations are not shared with retailers, and product suggestions rely solely on publicly available retail data. Merchants who want their products to appear can participate through the allowlisting process.
OpenAI also highlighted certain limitations. Although internal testing shows improved accuracy in product citations, the system may occasionally present outdated or incorrect details such as prices or availability. Users are encouraged to verify final information on retailer websites.
This update follows the recent introduction of OpenAI’s Instant Checkout feature, which enables direct purchases within ChatGPT. It began rolling out to Etsy sellers in the U.S., with over one million Shopify merchants—including brands like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, and Vuori—expected to be added soon.
Read more: Yatra Appoints Siddhartha Gupta As CEO; Dhruv Shringi Moves To Executive Chairman
