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Julien Soumahoro
OpenAI has just taken a major step forward by launching Instant Checkout in ChatGPT. This new feature allows US users to purchase products without leaving the chat interface. For advertisers and e-commerce retailers, this sends a strong signal: conversational AI is no longer just a search or productivity tool, but is becoming a transactional channel in its own right.
The principle is simple. The user enters a search query in natural language, such as “gift ideas for a ceramics enthusiast”. ChatGPT then suggests a selection of products ranked by relevance, without any direct advertising influence. If the item is eligible for Instant Checkout, the user can purchase it immediately by confirming their delivery and payment details.
The transaction is based on the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), developed with Stripe. This protocol guarantees payment security and integrates with merchants’ existing systems. Merchants retain their role as official sellers, particularly in terms of order management, delivery and customer relations.
Unlike Google, which stops at recommendations and redirects to third-party sites, OpenAI has taken a decisive step forward. The act of purchasing is now directly integrated into the user experience. With Instant Checkout, conversational search is no longer limited to suggesting options or comparing products. It becomes a true shopping journey that encompasses discovery, selection, payment and, soon, order tracking.
Previously, internet users had to go through several steps. Google search, browsing a shop, adding items to the basket, confirming payment. ChatGPT transforms this journey into a smooth, integrated process. In a single conversation, users can identify the right product. They can then complete their purchase immediately. The traditional friction points of e-commerce disappear almost entirely.
The benefits for users are therefore manifold: increased simplicity, time savings and a seamless experience between inspiration and transaction. For brands and e-retailers, the change is just as strategic. Conversational AI could quickly establish itself as a major new entry point in the customer journey, capable of competing with traditional search engines, marketplaces such as Amazon, and social networks, which already play a role in product discovery.
In other words, Instant Checkout transforms ChatGPT into a genuine e-commerce channel, where value is no longer measured solely in terms of visibility, but also in terms of a brand’s ability to integrate effectively into the conversational world of AI.
Initially, purchases will be limited to products sold on Etsy. However, OpenAI already plans to expand to Shopify and its millions of merchants. Ultimately, this means that brands such as Glossier, SKIMS, and Spanx will be directly accessible from ChatGPT.
For e-merchants, this development implies a new discipline: optimisation for conversational AI. The challenge will no longer be just to be visible on Google or Meta, but also to appear prominently in ChatGPT results. The relevance of descriptions, the structure of the catalogue and the consistency of product data will become key levers for gaining visibility.
With Instant Checkout, OpenAI is ushering ChatGPT into a new era: that of integrated conversational commerce. The boundaries between discovery and conversion are blurring, and the role of traditional e-commerce platforms could be profoundly disrupted. For brands, it is becoming urgent to anticipate this shift in order to remain competitive and secure a place in this new ecosystem.
Would you like to prepare your brand for the rise of conversational commerce and optimise your presence in ChatGPT with Instant Checkout? Contact our GEO agency today to integrate this new lever into your digital strategy and stay ahead of the curve.
