Buying in ChatGPT: what’s going on?

“Buy it in ChatGPT” (sometimes called Instant Checkout) is OpenAI’s push to let users not just discover products via ChatGPT, but actually buy them directly inside the chat interfaceHere’s how it works, roughly:

• When you ask ChatGPT something like “best trainers for running,” it will surface relevant product options, just like it does now.
• If a product supports Instant Checkout, instead of sending you off to an external website, there’ll be a “Buy” button you can tap right in the chat.
• You confirm your cart, shipping address, and payment method, all inside ChatGPT. The system handles passing the order details to the merchant.
• The merchant still handles fulfillment, returns, support, etc, using their own systems. ChatGPT is more like the bridge between buyer and seller.
• The tech underlying this is called the Agentic Commerce Protocol. It’s designed to let AI “agents,” users, and merchants work together to complete transactions.

It’s still early days: for now, Instant Checkout supports single-item purchases and is initially rolling out in the U.S. with Etsy sellers. Over time, OpenAI plans to expand to multi-item carts, more merchants, and more regions.Why this matters and what it could mean for shopping
This is more than just a convenience tweak. It signals a shift in how we interface with commerce. Some early thoughts:

• Friction reduction: The fewer clicks or redirects, the more impulse-friendly and seamless the buying experience becomes.
• AI as shopping assistant + checkout tool: Instead of hopping between search engines, marketplaces, and merchant sites, ChatGPT can become your one-stop shop.
• Democratising reach for merchants: If more merchants integrate with this, small sellers can potentially get access to ChatGPT users without needing to drive traffic from scratch.
• Changing power dynamics: Marketplaces like Amazon or eBay may feel pressure. If people start buying more through AI agents, the dominance of centralised marketplaces could shift (or at least, their role could evolve).
• New competition & integration: Amazon might build or integrate similar AI checkout tools (if it hasn’t already behind the scenes). Or AI platforms may try to partner with or rival Amazon’s infrastructure.

What’s likely to happen with Amazon & other marketplaces

• Amazon might introduce its own “buy in chat/voice/assistant” features to stay competitive.
• Marketplaces may rework how they present product data so that AI agents (like ChatGPT) can parse and offer the right items.
• Some marketplaces might push more exclusive deals or capabilities to be AI-agent compatible - if ChatGPT (or similar) becomes a big sales funnel, being “AI-friendly” could be a new competitive factor.
• We could see a partial shift from “people go to marketplaces” to “marketplaces come to people via AI.”

Feels like we’re watching the future of e-commerce being sketched out in real time.