OpenAI has rolled out a new feature that allows users to make purchases directly through ChatGPT, following partnerships with online retail platforms Etsy and Shopify. The feature, called Instant Checkout, is now live for U.S. users and represents a new revenue stream for OpenAI beyond its existing subscription services.
Merchants will pay a fee on completed transactions made through ChatGPT, although the pricing of their products will remain unchanged. For users, there are no additional costs associated with using Instant Checkout.
“U.S. ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and free users can now buy directly from U.S. Etsy sellers right in chat, with over a million Shopify merchants, like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx and Vuori, coming soon,” OpenAI said in a blog post announcing the update.
Initially, the checkout system will support single-item purchases, with plans to introduce multi-item carts, additional merchants, and broader regional availability in the future.
Following the announcement, shares in Etsy climbed 7.3%, while U.S.-listed shares of Shopify increased by 4.5%. Shopify said: “Shopify merchants will be able to sell directly through ChatGPT conversations — no links or no redirects, just seamless commerce.”
Etsy’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, Rafe Colburn, added that AI-driven and agentic shopping “presents meaningful opportunities” for the platform. He noted that Etsy is also collaborating with a technology partner to integrate product discovery into its mobile experience.
OpenAI confirmed that the new agentic commerce protocol, developed in partnership with payments provider Stripe, will be made open-source.
