In late September, OpenAI introduced a new Instant Checkout feature for ChatGPT that enables users to shop for select products directly within the chat app, provided the merchants support it. Building on this, OpenAI recently launched a new ChatGPT feature called Shopping Research, just in time for the upcoming Black Friday event. As the name suggests, Shopping Research helps users find the best deals by conducting online research tailored to their specific needs.
With Shopping Research, users can perform shopping searches using natural language. OpenAI provides examples such as: “Find the quietest cordless stick vacuum for a small apartment,” “Help me choose between these three bikes,” or “I need a gift for my four-year-old niece who loves art.” Unlike keyword-based searches, this feature facilitates broad queries without requiring brand names or specific product details. Shopping Research builds a thoughtful, personalized guide by asking clarifying questions, examining web reviews, and leveraging ChatGPT memory for a customized experience.
The feature is rolling out starting Monday and will be available across ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, offering nearly unlimited usage throughout the holiday season on all tiers. To use Shopping Research, users can select it from the “+” menu or rely on ChatGPT’s automatic suggestions. Upon activation, a new visual interface launches, allowing users to interact with the products ChatGPT surfaces. Users can refine their search in real time by marking items as “Not interested” or “More like this.” After a few minutes, Shopping Research delivers a personalized summary highlighting top products, key differences, tradeoffs, and up-to-date information sourced from reliable retailers.
While users can click links to shop, the transactions currently occur on retailer websites. Integration with Instant Checkout is planned for supported merchants. OpenAI trained a specialized GPT-5 mini model using reinforcement learning to enhance Shopping Research’s accuracy, focusing on trusted sites and citing reliable sources. Shopping Research performs especially well in detailed product categories such as electronics, beauty, home and garden, kitchen appliances, and sports equipment. According to OpenAI, it outperforms regular ChatGPT GPT-5 Thinking models and ChatGPT Search in shopping-related tasks, though users should still verify details with retailers as errors can occur.
Importantly, chat data is not shared with retailers; results come strictly from publicly available retail sources. Merchants interested in appearing in Shopping Research results can join an enrollment program to have their products included.
This comprehensive feature is designed to transform product discovery into an efficient, conversational experience, making holiday shopping easier and more personalized than ever before.
