In the last 24 hours, ChatGPT and Perplexity have introduced new AI-driven shopping experiences that aim to deliver more personalized product discovery and guidance. Both experiences are meant to help users find, compare, and purchase products through conversational queries informed by preferences and past behavior.
ChatGPT
Shopping research. OpenAI introduced shopping research, a guided buying experience that turns ChatGPT into a personalized product researcher.
- Users describe what they need (e.g., “quiet cordless vacuum,” “compare these strollers,” “gift for my art-obsessed niece”).
- ChatGPT asks clarifying questions, pulls price/spec/review data from the open web, and produces a tailored buyer’s guide in minutes.
- It adapts based on your preferences and ChatGPT memory, and can refine picks in real time as users mark items “More like this” or “Not interested.”
How it works. The feature runs on a specialized GPT-5 mini model optimized for shopping tasks, designed to pull reliable information from trusted sites and cite its sources.
Rollout. Available now on free and paid ChatGPT plans on web and mobile, with “nearly unlimited” usage through the holidays.
What’s next. Instant Checkout integrations will allow purchases directly inside ChatGPT for participating merchants.
Perplexity
New shopping experience. Perplexity launched a free U.S. shopping experience built around its core philosophy: AI assistants should scale a shopper, not replace them.
- Users search conversationally (e.g., “best winter jacket for San Francisco ferry commute”) and Perplexity keeps context as you pivot to related needs.
- It remembers preferences (e.g., mid-century modern style, minimalist running gear) and tailors future product cards accordingly.
- Instead of infinite scroll, it generates streamlined product cards with only the details tied to the user’s stated intent.
Integrated checkout. A partnership with PayPal brings fast, in-flow purchases with retailers remaining merchant of record. That means merchants still get customer visibility, handle returns, and maintain the relationship.
Why retailers may care. Perplexity said shoppers who go through a conversational funnel have higher purchase intent, and instant checkout reduces abandonment.
Availability. The new shopping experience is live on desktop and the web now, with iOS and Android apps rolling out in the next few weeks.
Why we care. AI assistants are an emerging channel for ecommerce. ChatGPT’s focus is deep research, while Perplexity’s is smooth discovery and built-in checkout. Both aim to become the starting point for shoppers’ buying journeys by making brand/product recommendations that appear personal and tailored to their preferences.
The announcements:
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Danny Goodwin is Editorial Director of Search Engine Land & Search Marketing Expo – SMX. He joined Search Engine Land in 2022 as Senior Editor. In addition to reporting on the latest search marketing news, he manages Search Engine Land’s SME (Subject Matter Expert) program. He also helps program U.S. SMX events.
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He previously was Executive Editor of Search Engine Journal (from 2017 to 2022), managing editor of Momentology (from 2014-2016) and editor of Search Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at many major search conferences and virtual events, and has been sourced for his expertise by a wide range of publications and podcasts.
