ChatGPT Search Gets an AI Shopping Upgrade 🛒

AI shoppers are now walking down the digital isles and picking up real momentum in ecommerce.

Hi there, and welcome to another issue of The Ecom Press 🗞️!

From ChatGPT Search throwing elbows at Google 🛍️ to Amazon gearing up for Prime Day under tariff heat, and global trade tension shaking up supply chains, this week’s been a rollercoaster of signals worth watching.

Enough talk already. Let’s slide in 🏄!

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

🛒 ChatGPT Search gets an AI shopping upgrade.

💰 Prime Day returns amid tariff pressure.

🚢 What happened this week in the Trump tariff saga

📚 Case Study: 5 Brands Using Agentic AI to Power Ecommerce

⚡️Worthy Mentions

🛒 ChatGPT Search gets an AI shopping upgrade.

OpenAI has rolled out enhanced shopping capabilities inside ChatGPT Search across all user tiers: Free, Plus, Pro, and even logged-out users. This new feature shows product carousels, simplified reviews, pricing info, and direct links to merchants, all without ads or affiliate influence. It’s currently available in GPT-4o and 4o-mini.

Here’s the lowdown ⬇️:

🛍️ Smarter Product Discovery: When users type in product-related queries like “best dog costumes for Halloween,” ChatGPT Search now responds with a visually rich carousel of relevant items. Each item may include a model-generated title, price, review summary, and a direct purchase link. The goal is to simplify decision-making without the noise of affiliate promotions or sponsored results.

🔍 How Products Are Selected: ChatGPT Search selects items using a mix of structured metadata, review data, pricing, and user intent. The model takes cues from your wording and, for Pro and Plus users, also taps into past chats if memory is enabled. So if you previously mentioned a dislike for clowns, it won’t recommend clown-themed costumes.

🚫 No Ads or Kickbacks: OpenAI says these listings are ad-free and not influenced by merchant payments. Product order, pricing, and reviews come from third-party providers. Labels like “Budget-friendly” are also AI-generated based on patterns in public reviews, not formal price comparisons.

📲 More Updates Rolling Out: ChatGPT Search now shows trending searches as users type, similar to Google autocomplete. It’s also now available on WhatsApp, making product discovery accessible on mobile through simple messaging.

Why it matters 🤔

OpenAI is inching into one of Google’s strongest business lines (shopping search), without bringing along the clutter of paid ads. This could change how product discovery works online, putting user intent above sponsored rankings. As we often say, it’s best to start optimizing for AI assistants, as it may matter just as much as ranking on traditional search engines 🧠.

💰 Prime Day returns amid tariff pressure.

Amazon has confirmed that Prime Day is coming back this July, with deep discounts across more than 35 categories for members in 25+ countries. The U.S., U.K., Canada, India, and, for the first time, Ireland, are all part of this year’s event.

Here are the deets ⬇️:

📦 What to Expect: Prime members can shop exclusive deals on trending products, creator picks, and Amazon-only items. Top categories include electronics, kitchen tools, fashion, and beauty. The event also doubles as an early back-to-school shopping window, with Prime’s signature fast, free delivery baked in.

📊 Record-Breaking Momentum: Last year’s Prime Day set new records with over 200 million items sold by small and mid-sized businesses, and 9 billion+ deliveries made the same or next day. Globally, Prime members saved nearly $95 billion on shipping, with U.S. members saving around $500 each on deliveries, roughly 4x the cost of their membership.

🌍 Tariff Tensions: This year’s event could be complicated by Trump’s new tariff policies, which include high import taxes on Chinese goods and a 10% base tariff on others. Amazon briefly considered displaying tariff costs next to item prices on its budget Amazon Haul store, but quickly backtracked after public backlash and a reported call from Trump to Bezos.

🛍️ New Luxury Store Launch: Amazon also launched a new luxury section curated by Saks, featuring brands like Balmain, Stella McCartney, and Fear of God, available now to U.S. shoppers on Amazon.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

As tariffs threaten to inflate prices, global trade policies can now directly affect visibility, margins, and participation in the world’s largest sales events. And unfortunately, we may be seeing more brands pull back or limit discounts, forcing them to rethink their marketing strategies towards the event. 

🚢 What happened this week in the Trump tariff saga

Here’s a quick rundown of everything that’s unfolded in the last week around U.S. tariffs:

🇺🇸 Trump Pressures China Again

• April 24: Trump said tariffs on China could be “substantially reduced” only if a new trade deal is made.

• He also warned that new tariffs could be rolled out “within weeks” if no progress happens.

🇨🇳 China Pushes Back

• April 28: China’s Foreign Ministry outright denied that any talks are happening.

• U.S. officials disagreed: Treasury Secretary Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Rollins said discussions are underway, calling China’s denial “audience management.”

🚗 Automakers Get a Temporary Break

• April 30: Trump signed an executive order giving tariff relief to electric vehicle components, benefiting Ford, Tesla, and GM.

• This doesn’t change broader import taxes; just buys time for specific sectors.

🇮🇳 India’s Trade Drama Escalates

• Trump claimed a trade deal with India is “going great,” despite disputes over a 26–27% tariff on Indian goods.

• India softened its stance, aiming to finalize a deal by fall 2025.

📉 China Shipments Tank

• Ocean container bookings from China to the U.S. dropped 60% since the April tariff hikes.

• No signs of recovery as of month-end, raising alarms about supply chain bottlenecks and rising prices.

📦 Ecommerce Takes a Hit

• Starting tomorrow, May 1, duty-free status is gone for parcels under $800 from China and Hong Kong.

• Platforms like Temu and Shein are scrambling to adjust as shipping costs and delays mount.

⚖️ Legal Pushback Continues

• Multiple U.S. states are still suing the federal government, arguing the new tariffs exceed presidential powers.

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Ecom Fact: Did you know that Only 9% of organizations are currently using agentic AI, but a massive 44% plan to adopt it within the next year to cut costs and boost efficiency (Source: Blue Prism).

The early adopters are already gaining an edge, but the real wave is just beginning. If nearly half the market is moving toward agentic AI, the question then becomes how fast it will disrupt ecommerce for good. The smart move? Start laying the groundwork now, so you’re not catching up later 🧠.

📚 Case Study: 5 Brands Using Agentic AI to Power Ecommerce

Agentic AI is already quietly transforming ecommerce behind the scenes. From predicting what you’ll buy before you even open the app to managing warehouses on autopilot, these AI-powered agents are doing more than just assisting. Let’s peek into how some of the biggest names are putting agentic AI to work.

1. Amazon: From Browsing to Fulfillment, All on Autopilot 🛒 

Amazon’s agentic AI recommends products and walks customers through fully personalized journeys based on browsing, past purchases, and even trends. It also manages subscriptions, tracks pricing, and runs fulfillment centers that predict demand and reduce stockouts by 35%.

2. Walmart: Inventory, Chat, and Delivery on Lock 🏪

Walmart uses agentic AI for real-time inventory tracking, smart shelves, and customer service chatbots that resolve issues instantly. It also powers autonomous delivery systems to speed up last-mile logistics.

3. Levi’s: Smarter Stock, Greener Processes 👖

Levi Strauss uses AI to predict demand and tweak inventory in real time, helping it sell more at full price and waste less. AI also supports sustainable production by optimizing resource use and minimizing markdowns.

4. Sephora: Try Before You Buy, Virtually 💄

With its Virtual Artist tool, Sephora lets users try on makeup via AR, leading to a 35% jump in sales. Behind the scenes, AI-powered chat agents provide personalized product help around the clock.

5. Nike: Custom Kicks, Powered by AI 👟

Nike’s AI-driven customization platform lets customers design sneakers in real time. Meanwhile, its demand forecasting tools ensure the right products are stocked and ready to go.

💡 Your Takeaway

The truth is: agentic AI isn’t just for tech giants because there’s room for everyone, literally. Beyond just being a trend, it’s creating a blueprint for efficiency, personalization, and brand loyalty. As such, it’s safe to say that one focal point to scaling your brand currently is building systems that think, act, and adapt without waiting on a human. 

Worth asking: what could you automate today that would free you to scale smarter tomorrow 🤔?

⚡️Worthy Mentions

• Linktree empowers creators with shoppable storefronts and new monetization tools.

• OpenAI signals interest in buying Chrome amid Google antitrust trial. 

• TikTok rolls out new ad placement and exclusion tools for brands.

• Temu’s new import charges double prices for U.S. shoppers after tariffs.

• Meta adds dynamic overlays to Advantage+ Catalog ads for enhanced promotions.

Wrapping up…

April closed with a bang—and not the kind ecommerce brands were hoping for 🥴.

If one thing’s clear, it’s that ecommerce is no longer just about traffic and funnels. It’s about adaptability, automation, and reading the room faster than your competitors. 

Whether you’re thinking about AI, reworking your supply chain, or just prepping for Q3, now’s a good time to start making those smart moves 🚀. 

As always, stay curious, hit that subscribe button, and we’ll catch you next week 🫰🏽.