OpenAI Launches Instant Checkout on ChatGPT, Challenging E-commerce Giants
OpenAI has introduced Instant Checkout on ChatGPT, initially enabling U.S. users to shop directly from Etsy sellers and soon over a million Shopify merchants, including popular brands like Glossier and SKIMS. This move could challenge e-commerce giants and create a new revenue stream for OpenAI.
Instant Checkout, powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol and built with Stripe, allows users to purchase items without leaving the ChatGPT platform. Initially, it supports single-item purchases from U.S. Etsy sellers, with plans to expand to multi-item carts and additional regions.
OpenAI considers various factors, such as the enablement of Instant Checkout, product quality, and price, when ranking merchants selling the same product. Merchants pay a fee on purchases, with no additional cost to ChatGPT users, and items with Instant Checkout are not preferred in product results.
Target's Vice President of Digital Product Management, Ranjeet Bhosale, sees generative engine optimization (GEO) as the future of SEO, reflecting the shift in consumer search behavior towards more complex queries even on e-commerce sites.
OpenAI's Instant Checkout aims to remove barriers for shoppers to discover unique items, as stated by Etsy's Chief Product and Technology Officer Rafe Colburn. This new feature could significantly impact the e-commerce landscape, challenging established players and opening up new revenue streams for OpenAI.
