A guide to ChatGPT Shopping Research in 2025

Let's be honest, online shopping can feel like a chore sometimes. The old routine of typing a keyword, then sifting through page after page of results, is starting to feel pretty clunky. We're slowly but surely moving into a new phase of "conversational commerce," where finding what you need is more like chatting with a helpful expert and less like digging through a massive, faceless catalog.

And who's at the forefront of this? Big names like OpenAI, which are building tools that are changing how we find and buy things online. Their latest move, ChatGPT shopping research, is designed to turn the familiar chatbot into your personal shopping sidekick.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know. We'll break down what it is, how it works when you're the one shopping, what it means for e-commerce brands, and how you can adapt without getting left in the dust.

What is ChatGPT shopping research?

At its core, ChatGPT shopping research is an AI tool built right into ChatGPT that helps you find products through a simple conversation. Instead of you doing all the grunt work, juggling a dozen tabs, comparing spec sheets, and reading endless reviews, the AI handles it for you. It aims to build a custom buyer’s guide for you by asking questions, digging through the internet for info, summarizing reviews, and comparing the best options it finds.

This isn't some new app you have to download. The feature is being rolled out to all ChatGPT users, whether you're on the Free, Go, Plus, or Pro plan. That means hundreds of millions of people have access to it.

What really makes this a big deal is OpenAI's push into the e-commerce world through some key partnerships. They're teaming up with major platforms like Shopify and retailers like Walmart to enable "Instant Checkout" features right in the chat. This means you could go from asking a question to buying a product without ever leaving the conversation, which is a clear signal that they’re looking to compete with the big online marketplaces.

How ChatGPT shopping research works for consumers

This tool isn't really for simple things like a quick price check. It’s built for those more thoughtful purchases where you’re really weighing your options, dealing with a budget, and making trade-offs. It turns finding a product from a solo mission into a team effort.

The conversational discovery process

It all kicks off with a question. You might ask something like, "Help me find a quiet cordless stick vacuum for my small apartment" or "I need a gaming laptop that's actually good for under $1000."

From there, ChatGPT switches into its shopping research mode. It’ll start asking you smart follow-up questions about your budget, what features you care about, your style, or who you're buying for. This back-and-forth helps it filter out the noise and zero in on what you actually want. If you have the memory feature turned on, it can get even more specific. For instance, if it remembers you're a parent, it might use that context to recommend a family-friendly stroller.

While it’s working, the tool is scanning the web and pulling in fresh details from good sources. You can also steer it in real time by telling it "Not interested" or "More like this" on its suggestions, which helps it learn your preferences on the fly.

The personalized buyer's guide

After a few minutes, you get a personalized buyer's guide. And this isn't just a boring list of links. It's a clean summary with its top product picks, the main differences between them, potential drawbacks, and up-to-date info from retailers it trusts.

One of the most interesting parts is how it finds its information. It seems to prioritize more authentic sources, for example, it might value a real user's experience shared on Reddit more than a polished marketing review on a product page. This approach gives you a more honest, well-rounded perspective, kind of like getting a tip from a friend who’s already done all the research.

Limitations and what to watch out for

While the tool is pretty impressive, it's not perfect, and to their credit, OpenAI is upfront about its limitations. The company warns that the shopping research feature can sometimes get details like pricing and availability wrong. Things change fast online, and the AI might not always have the very latest data.

Because of this, it's a good idea to treat the buyer's guide as a great starting point, not the final word. Always click through to the seller's website to double-check the final price, see if it's in stock, and confirm any other important details before you pull out your wallet.

The impact of ChatGPT shopping research on e-commerce brands: A loss of control?

For shoppers, a tool that does all the heavy lifting is a clear win. But for e-commerce brands, it brings up a tricky new problem: you could lose control over your customer's journey.

For years, you've probably worked hard to create a smooth product discovery funnel. You use your website, ads, and social media to guide customers, tell your brand's story, and show what makes your products special. Now, there's a third-party AI sitting between you and your potential buyers, acting as a powerful new middleman.

And this isn't some small trend. According to research from Stackline, shoppers in the U.S. are already asking ChatGPT over 84 million shopping-related questions every week. In less than a year, its shopping query volume has jumped to over 8% of Amazon's weekly search traffic. We're witnessing a huge shift in how people shop.

The challenge of "AI visibility"

In this new world, brands are now competing for something called "AI visibility." Unlike with SEO or paid search, there isn't a clear set of rules for getting ChatGPT to feature your products. The AI makes its own calls on which reviews to show, what product details to focus on, and ultimately, which brands get the recommendation.

This creates a real headache. How do you make sure your brand's unique story, your carefully crafted value prop, and your top-notch customer experience come across accurately? When you're just another option in an AI's summary, you lose that direct connection with your customers.

How to take back control from ChatGPT shopping research with your own AI shopping assistant

While you can't dictate what ChatGPT does, you can bring the same powerful tech to your own website. For brands that want the perks of conversational commerce without giving up control, the answer is to embed a dedicated AI shopping assistant directly on your site.

This strategy gives you a few major advantages:

• Keep the chat on your home turf: You keep customers on your website, guiding them through your products with an assistant that knows your brand's voice and your catalog backward and forward.

• Get the details right, every time: An on-site AI is trained only on your product data, help articles, and company info. This gets rid of the risk of it sharing wrong prices, old specs, or confusing information.

• Turn browsers into buyers: By putting "add to cart" buttons and checkout options right in the chat, you can make the path to purchase much shorter and hopefully see fewer abandoned carts.

• Learn from your customers: Every question someone asks your chatbot is a goldmine of data. You can look at these conversations to figure out what your customers are really looking for, where they're getting stuck, and what's causing friction in their buying journey.

This is exactly where tools like the eesel AI chatbot can help. It’s built specifically for this. With just one click, it can connect to your knowledge sources, like a Shopify product catalog. It learns your entire product line in an instant and acts as a 24/7 digital sales assistant, answering questions, making personalized recommendations, and guiding shoppers to the perfect product, all without them ever having to leave your site.

Pricing: ChatGPT shopping research vs. a dedicated e-commerce chatbot

For shoppers, using ChatGPT's research feature is easy. It’s included in both the free and paid plans, so there's no extra cost to get a buyer's guide.

For a business, adding a dedicated AI chatbot is an investment, but the payoff can be huge. Platforms like eesel AI offer clear, predictable pricing plans that are meant to grow with you. For example, plans start at $299 per month and are based on the features you need, not on how many sales the AI helps you make. With no per-resolution fees, you won't get hit with a surprise bill after a busy month. It's a smart, scalable way for any e-commerce store to invest in its growth.

Embrace conversational commerce on your terms

ChatGPT shopping research is more than just another feature; it's a loud and clear message that conversational commerce is where online retail is headed. For shoppers, it's a smarter, more personal way to find what they need. For brands, it brings up a big choice: get lost in someone else's search results, or take control of the conversation yourself.

The best move isn't to fight the change, but to make it work for you. A dedicated AI chatbot gives you the ability to offer the personalized, guided shopping experience that customers now expect, all while keeping you in the driver's seat of your brand, customer relationships, and sales funnel.

Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping you show up in ChatGPT's results, build your own AI shopping experience. See how eesel AI can help you turn more of those conversations into sales.