ChatGPT introduced a shopping research feature geared toward making more informed online purchases — just in time for Black Friday.
Users can describe what they are looking for, and the tool does the research to eliminate the user sifting through dozens of websites. After the initial request, the new feature asks clarifying questions, reviews sources and builds on ChatGPT’s understanding of the user based on previous conversations to deliver a personalized guide.
While developer OpenAI acknowledges that ChatGPT is already used to assist with online shopping, the new feature is geared toward what the company described as a “deeper kind of decision-making” that works well in “detail-heavy” categories such as electronics, beauty or sportswear. The tool can be used to provide side-by-side comparisons, find lookalikes and track down deals, it said.
Shopping research is automatically suggested as an option when users ask a question. A visual interface is opened for an exchange that will cover what they are looking for, specific features as well as budget. If a user decides to make a purchase, they can click through to the site. In the future, OpenAI said transactions will be possible directly through ChatGPT for merchants who are part of its Instant Checkout program.
The new tool is powered by a version of GPT‑5 mini trained with reinforcement learning specifically for shopping tasks. OpenAI said that chats will never be shared with retailers.
The tool has already been rolled out on mobile and web for users on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans, and OpenAI is promising “nearly unlimited usage” for holiday shopping. It is also available in Pulse, which is available to Pro users, where it can proactively suggest guides based on past conversations.
OpenAI isn’t alone in the attention paid to the holiday shopping season. Google released new features earlier this month aimed at agentic commerce.
