OpenAI launched a new feature called Shopping Research in ChatGPT on November 24, 2025. This happened right before Black Friday shopping weekend. The AI shopping assistant helps you find and compare products. You do not need to visit many different websites anymore.
Everyone can use it for free. It works for all ChatGPT users, whether you pay or not. This puts ChatGPT up against Amazon and Google in online shopping.
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How ChatGPT Shopping Research Works
Shopping Research makes product hunting easy. You just tell it what you need in normal English. You can say things like “Find the quietest vacuum for a small apartment” or “I need a gift for my niece who loves art.”
The AI asks you questions to understand what you want. It wants to know your budget and what features matter to you. Then it searches the whole internet for prices, reviews and where to buy things.
The tool uses a special version of GPT-5 mini made just for shopping. OpenAI trained it to read websites and compare products better. The new model finds what you want 64% of the time. The old version only worked 37% of the time.
After a few minutes, you get a shopping guide made just for you. This guide shows the best products and how they are different. You can keep changing things by saying “Not interested” or “More like this.” The AI changes its picks right away.
What Shopping Research Does Best
ChatGPT Shopping Research works great for certain products. These include electronics, beauty stuff, home items, kitchen tools and sports gear.
The tool is good at many shopping tasks. It finds new products based on what you need. It finds similar items at different prices. It compares products side by side. It helps pick gifts for people. It even finds Black Friday deals and discount codes.
If you turn on ChatGPT’s memory, the tool gets smarter. It remembers what you liked before. For example, if ChatGPT knows you play games. It uses that when helping you find a new laptop.
The AI Shopping Wars
ChatGPT is joining a big fight. The company already gets about 50 million shopping questions every day. ChatGPT now sends more than 20% of shoppers to big stores like Walmart, Target and Etsy.
Amazon made its Rufus shopping assistant better recently. Rufus can now add items to your cart on its own. It tells you if you are getting the best price. It even buys items automatically when they reach your target price. You can take a photo of your grocery list and Rufus adds everything to your cart.
Google also has AI shopping tools now. Google’s AI can call stores to check if they have products and what they cost. It watches products and tells you when prices drop. Google even lets its AI buy things using Google Pay for you. But it asks you first before buying.
How ChatGPT Is Different
ChatGPT works differently than Amazon and Google. It searches the whole web, not just one store. This gives you more choices and better comparisons.
But there is one big problem. Amazon does not let ChatGPT show its products. Amazon blocks ChatGPT from looking at its site. So when you search, ChatGPT tells you to check Amazon yourself. This is bad because Amazon has the most products online.
OpenAI is fixing this with partnerships. The company teamed up with Walmart, Target, Shopify and Etsy. These stores let ChatGPT look at all their products.
Other AI Shopping Tools You Can Buy From Directly
Some AI shopping helpers let you buy products right in the chat.
Perplexity Instant Buy
Perplexity launched a feature called Instant Buy on November 25, 2025. It works with PayPal so you can search for products and pay for them without leaving the chat. Anyone in the United States can use it for free. Perplexity says it picks products based on what you need, not what makes them money.
Amazon Rufus
Amazon Rufus has a “Buy for Me” button. It buys items for you automatically. You just pick what you want and Rufus does the checkout. It remembers what you like to shop for and suggests other options if something is sold out.
Google Shopping AI
Google lets its AI buy things using Google Pay. It works in Google Search and the Gemini app. Google always asks you before it finishes buying anything. This only works in the United States with some stores right now.
Google Lens
Google Lens is another good option. You take a photo of any product and Google Lens finds it. It shows similar items, where to buy them and price comparisons. About 20% of Google Lens searches are for shopping.
What Comes Next for ChatGPT Shopping
Right now, ChatGPT Shopping Research only gives you links to store websites. You click through to buy things on their sites. But OpenAI says updates will let you buy inside ChatGPT soon.
This will use a feature called Instant Checkout. OpenAI already works with Walmart and Target on this. Once it connects to Shopping Research, you can buy without leaving ChatGPT.
ChatGPT Pro users also get ChatGPT Pulse. This feature suggests shopping guides on its own based on your past talks. For example, if you talked about e-bikes before, Pulse might suggest accessories without you asking.
Current Limitations of AI Shopping Assistant
OpenAI is honest about problems. Shopping Research might get prices and availability wrong sometimes. The company tells users to check store websites before buying. But the tool keeps getting better every day.
The tool also takes a few minutes to work. It is not instant like regular ChatGPT answers. This is because it searches many websites and reads reviews to give you complete information.
FAQs
Is ChatGPT Shopping Research free?
Yes. Everyone can use it, even free accounts. OpenAI gives almost unlimited use through the holidays.
Can I buy products directly in ChatGPT?
Not yet. You click through to store websites now. Updates will add buying inside ChatGPT later.
Does Shopping Research show Amazon products?
No. Amazon does not let ChatGPT see its products. You need to check Amazon yourself.
Which products work best with this tool?
Products with lots of details work best. Like electronics, beauty products, home stuff, kitchen items, and sports equipment.
How is it different from regular ChatGPT?
Shopping Research uses a special GPT-5 mini model made just for shopping. It takes a few minutes but gives much better shopping guides.
How long does it take to get results?
Shopping Research usually takes 3 to 5 minutes. This seems long compared to normal ChatGPT, but it is searching many websites and reading reviews to give you complete information.
