In September 2025, OpenAI launched the Instant Checkout feature that allowed users to directly purchase select items from retailers such as Etsy, Walmart and Shopify within the ChatGPT ecosystem. It was touted to be the next big thing in ecommerce, which would enable users to buy directly from OpenAI’s chat interface. Six months later, the company scaled back those ambitions, according to a report from the online media company The Information.
The move followed the lack of adoption among users, who researched for products on ChatGPT but did not use the platform to make purchases. The report, quoting an OpenAI spokesperson, said that the company was now prioritising product search and discovery which would redirect users to buy directly on the retailer’s app or website.
