ChatGPT will soon let you shop on Shopify without leaving the chatbot
This partnership would see ChatGPT users place orders straight from the chat.
After years of being a dominant player in the AI chatbot field, it appears ChatGPT might be looking to branch out into the shopping markets, in a bid to dominate those too.
Reports show that OpenAI, ChatGPT's parent company, is preparing to launch a native shopping experience within ChatGPT, powered by an integration with Shopify.
As reported by Testing Catalog, terms like “buy_now”, “price”, and “shopify_checkout_url” were recently uncovered in ChatGPT’s web bundle code, suggesting that users may soon be able to browse and purchase products directly within their chat window.
This could make online shopping far more convenient. Instead of jumping between tabs or apps, users would see product recommendations, reviews, and a “Buy Now” button, all in one place. It could easily save time and reduce friction, especially for quick, everyday purchases if done right. Over time, ChatGPT could even tailor its suggestions to your preferences, helping you cut through the clutter and avoid impulse buys driven by flash sales on things you don’t need.
Notably, this isn’t OpenAI’s first foray into retail. A few years back, they rolled out plugins to integrate third-party services, but later shut them down over security concerns like prompt injection attacks and the risk of malicious code from unverified developers. This new approach, partnering directly with Shopify, looks more secure and built for scale.
With over 800 million ChatGPT users and Shopify’s network of 2 million+ merchants, the potential here is massive. In 2023 alone, Shopify merchants generated $235.9 billion in gross merchandise volume. Even a small fraction of ChatGPT users converting could mean serious revenue for both companies.
With how much money there is to be made, OpenAI is definitely not alone in this race. Microsoft recently launched its Copilot Merchant Program, giving businesses storefronts inside its AI interface. Perplexity’s “Buy with Pro” also lets users shop directly through AI-powered search. The race is clearly on—and with this move, OpenAI is putting itself right at the centre of AI-powered commerce.
If this rollout goes as expected, it could mark a major shift, not just for ChatGPT but for how we interact with AI altogether. Moving beyond Q&As and clever responses, ChatGPT could become a central hub for action, researching, recommending, and now, completing transactions. And with competition heating up from Microsoft and Perplexity, it seems the next big AI frontier isn’t just about what these tools know, but what they can do. Shopping may just be the start.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
