Key points:
- OpenAI has launched a new feature called "Instant Checkout", which allows users to purchase individual items directly from merchants through the ChatGPT chatbot.
- Initially, this feature only supports single-item transactions by sellers on the Etsy platform in the United States, and plans to connect to over one million Shopify merchants in the future.
- Currently, all ChatGPT Plus, Pro and free version users in the United States can use this feature. OpenAI said it will gradually expand the service coverage area in the future.
On September 29th local time, OpenAI launched a new feature called "Instant Checkout". Users can directly complete product purchases through its artificial intelligence chat robot ChatGPT without having to jump to a third-party platform.
Initially, the "Instant Checkout" feature will be available only to sellers on the US Etsy platform, supporting single-item purchases. It will be available to all ChatGPT users in the US, including Plus, Pro, and free users. OpenAI also revealed that it plans to expand its partnership with over one million Shopify merchants in the near future, including well-known brands like Skims and Glossier.
The capital market reacted enthusiastically to the news. At the close of trading on Monday, Etsy's stock price surged by nearly 16%, while Shopify's stock price rose by more than 6%.
OpenAI will receive a commission from every transaction completed through ChatGPT. For OpenAI, which is currently unprofitable and requires significant ongoing investment in its computing infrastructure, the "Instant Checkout" feature is expected to become a significant new revenue source. However, OpenAI did not disclose specific fees, stating only that the details are determined by confidentiality agreements with Etsy and Shopify. The company also emphasized that the feature is free to users and will not increase product prices.
“Our vision for ChatGPT, and the technology we’ve developed, is not just about providing information, but about helping users get things done efficiently in the real world,” Michelle Fradin, OpenAI’s product lead for ChatGPT’s commerce efforts, told CNBC. She also revealed that OpenAI plans to further enhance the feature in the future, including adding a multi-item shopping cart feature and gradually expanding the coverage of Instant Checkout.
In fact, OpenAI has been deepening its e-commerce presence in recent months. In April of this year, the company added product recommendations to ChatGPT's search experience. Michelle noted that ChatGPT displays products from global online platforms, and the ranking of results is based solely on relevance to user needs, unaffected by OpenAI partnerships, ensuring objectivity in recommendations.
With the "Instant Checkout" feature enabled, users browsing Etsy products in ChatGPT can pay directly within ChatGPT without being redirected to the Etsy website. This feature is powered by OpenAI's proprietary "Agency Commerce Protocol," a technical framework built in collaboration with fintech company Stripe.
Michelle said that if the user is already a ChatGPT subscriber and has linked a credit card, when purchasing Etsy products on ChatGPT, there is no need to enter the payment information again and you can check out directly.
Data shows that ChatGPT's weekly active users exceeded 700 million in August of this year. Michelle revealed that the "vast majority" of user inquiries are related to shopping and business. These inquiries can be very specific, such as "How to find a pair of black boots," or more general, such as "How to plan a birthday party for 12 children." Michelle said, "Our goal is to make it easy for users to complete the entire shopping process within ChatGPT, while helping merchants and developers more efficiently convert conversations into actual orders."
This article comes from "Tencent Technology" , author: Wu Ji, and is published with permission from 36Kr.
