Users Can Now Buy Products in ChatGPT 🛍️

It’s raining AI again—only this time, with a checkout button, and ChatGPT is leading the pack.⚡️

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

This week, ChatGPT officially became a storefront, PayPal’s Honey gets smarter inside AI chats, and Microsoft’s Copilot is now serving up shoppable outfits on request. 🤖🛒

And since Q4 isn’t waiting for anyone (hello BFCM 👋), we’ve packed this issue with sharp strategies to help you close the year strong.

Let’s get into it. 🚀

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

🛍️ Users can now buy products in ChatGPT.

🍯 PayPal Honey joins ChatGPT to power AI shopping.

👗 Microsoft turns Copilot into a style assistant.

🚀 Ecom strategies: 6 smart moves for Q4 success.

⚡️Worthy Mentions

🛍️ Users can now buy products in ChatGPT.

OpenAI is moving deeper into commerce with a new Instant Checkout feature in ChatGPT, letting users buy products directly within the chat. The rollout starts with Etsy and will soon include over a million Shopify merchants.

Here’s the lowdown ⬇️:

🛒 Direct Purchase Inside ChatGPT: U.S. users can now buy Etsy products within ChatGPT. Shopify stores like Skims and Glossier are next in line. The feature supports single-item purchases, with carts and global rollout planned.

⚙️ Agentic Commerce Protocol: Built with Stripe, this open-source protocol lets AI agents securely complete purchases on a shopper’s behalf while merchants retain control over fulfillment and customer service.

💬 Conversational Product Discovery: When users ask shopping-related questions, ChatGPT returns organic product results. Items with Instant Checkout appear with a “Buy” option, enabling full transaction flow inside chat.

💳 Seamless, Secure Checkout: Purchases are handled by the merchant using their existing systems. Users can pay using stored cards or express options. Merchants are charged a fee per completed transaction.

🔓 Open Access for Merchants: Businesses can begin integrating with Instant Checkout using OpenAI’s public documentation. Stripe users can activate it with minimal setup.

Why it matters 🤔

This move definitely positions ChatGPT as a potential AI-native commerce platform set to bypass traditional search and become a product discovery and purchase destination. It’s quite a challenge for existing players like Amazon and Google, especially as more consumers turn to generative AI for complex, conversational product queries.

🍯 PayPal Honey joins ChatGPT to power AI shopping.

PayPal is rolling out new AI-integrated features for its Honey browser extension, starting with ChatGPT. The upgrade allows users to see real-time pricing, deals, and merchant links directly within AI-generated shopping recommendations.

Here are the deets ⬇️:

🛍️ From Discovery to Checkout: When users ask AI tools like ChatGPT for product ideas, PayPal Honey will display links, pricing, and exclusive offers for recommended items, removing the friction from AI-driven product discovery.

🧠 AI-Agnostic Approach: Though it launches with ChatGPT, Honey’s integration is built to support other AI agents as well, enabling wider reach as agentic commerce grows.

📉 Fixing the Conversion Gap: PayPal says AI shopping queries typically drive engagement but not purchases. Honey’s real-time product visibility and coupon engine are designed to close that gap.

🔄 Competitive Urgency: OpenAI’s recent Instant Checkout launch shows AI tools are becoming the storefront. Honey’s evolution is a response to this trend, ensuring it remains relevant as product research shifts to AI-first platforms.

🎯 Timed for Holiday Shopping: With demand rising, PayPal is positioning this feature to help consumers compare offers and shop more efficiently, without leaving their AI chat.

Why it matters 🤨

AI may be changing how consumers discover products, but conversion still hinges on whether they can act instantly. Although we see OpenAI addressing this with the Instant Checkout feature, PayPal’s move contributes to this by ensuring product visibility while being AI-agnostic. Right now, it’s clear that optimizing to meet shoppers at the point of intent should be top of mind.

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👗 Microsoft turns Copilot into a style assistant.

Microsoft and Curated for You have teamed up to launch a new AI-powered fashion experience inside Microsoft Copilot. The integration lets users discover and shop fashion using natural language prompts, turning everyday queries into curated, shoppable moments.

Here’s the scoop 🍨:

👗 Shopping Meets Conversation: Copilot users can now ask things like “Outfit ideas for a beach wedding” and receive curated looks from retailers like REVOLVE, Rent the Runway, Steve Madden, and Lulus, based on context, trends, and occasion.

🛍️ Instant Style Edits: Responses include clickable product selections tailored to the user’s prompt. Curated for You delivers these edits using its visual merchandising engine, designed to appeal to lifestyle needs, not just search terms.

📈 Retailer Visibility at Key Moments: The feature places brands in front of high-intent users precisely when they’re seeking inspiration, making it a high-leverage discovery and conversion channel.

🧠 AI With Relevance: Microsoft positions Copilot as more than a search engine, it becomes a “style companion” that understands context and personal scenarios.

🖼️ More Than Product Feeds: By transforming prompts into visually compelling stories, Curated for You aims to outperform traditional ads and recommendation widgets in both engagement and conversion.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

It’s clear the game’s about visibility in AI, but what’s also relevant for brands is when their products show up, and why they’re actually being considered. With access to context-rich queries, merchants can create new opportunities for smarter personalization, trend prediction, and strategic decisions. 

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Ecom Fact: Ecommerce in Europe reached €819 billion last year, growing 7% year-over-year, with another 7% forecast for 2025. Adjusted for inflation, real growth stands at 4%—up from just 1% in 2023. The strongest gains came from Eastern Europe, where real growth hit 10%, signaling rising online adoption in developing regions (Source: Ecommercenews).

💡 Takeaway: Ecommerce growth is accelerating in regions like Eastern and Southern Europe, where shopper adoption is still rising. If your focus is limited to Western Europe or the U.S., it may be time to rethink your expansion strategy, not just for scale, but to stay ahead of demand.

🚀 Ecom strategies: 6 smart moves for Q4 success.

Q4 is here. The ads are loud, inboxes are getting noisier, and expectations are sky-high. But with the right strategies, you don’t need to shout—you just need to show up smarter. Below are 6 clear, tactical ways to make this season count.

🎯 1. Nail Your Offer Strategy: Discounts alone won’t cut it. Test bundles, gift-with-purchase, and risk reversals like 60-day guarantees. For higher-ticket items, amortize pricing (“$2/day”) to reduce purchase hesitation. Make the value obvious—everywhere on your site.

📱 2. Design Mobile-First: Over 80% of traffic is mobile, yet most pages are written like desktop brochures. Keep copy tight, highlight benefits, use scroll-stopping visuals, and cut friction down to the button. Think “what’s the reason to scroll one more swipe?”

🛍️ 3. Merchandising That Sells: Make your offer unmissable. Use strikethrough pricing, benefit-driven CTAs (“Save 20% & Add to Cart”), and trust nudges like “6,000 sold” or “In stock, ships in 1–2 days.” Place them close to the buy button, where it counts.

👥 4. Activate the Middle Funnel: What happens between the click and the checkout? Strengthen this zone with UGC, Reddit threads, product comparisons, and email flows. A dense middle funnel builds confidence where others drop off.

🤝 5. Partner With Creators (the Right Way): Run partnership ads through creators’ pages using unique landing pages and codes. These typically outperform brand-led campaigns and build trust fast. Always personalize the path from creator to cart.

🧨 6. Make Urgency Feel Real: Run countdowns, low-stock notices, and “mystery box” promos. Don’t just create FOMO, but tie it to actual inventory movement or deadlines. People act faster when it feels like they might miss out for real.

Q4 is all about doing the right things with precision. Test fast, simplify the journey, and keep your brand trustworthy even in the noise.

⚡️Worthy Mentions

• FTC imposes largest-ever $1 billion penalty on Amazon for rule violations.

• Google enhances AI Mode with images to compete with AI search rivals.

• eBay expands social commerce reach with Tise acquisition.

• Depop launches Outfits for curated clothing inspiration.

• Etsy introduces AI-powered features to improve seller productivity.

Wrapping up…

From ChatGPT sliding into commerce, to Honey jumping into AI chats, and Copilot becoming your new stylist—AI seems to be doing the heavy lifting. 🤯🧠

And with Q4 now in full swing, the next few weeks are what you make of them—test faster, sell smarter, and keep the momentum going.

We’ll be back next week with more ecom drops. In the meantime, hit that subscribe button if you haven’t already so you never miss a beat 🔔💼.