ChatGPT Instant Checkout Falls Short of Expectations
Key Points
- Instant Checkout lets users buy directly within ChatGPT, partnered with Shopify and Etsy.
- The feature currently supports only single‑item purchases.
- Product listings often lack a functional "Buy" button, preventing completion of transactions.
- ChatGPT gives mixed responses about eligibility, leading to user confusion.
- Free‑plan usage limits may force users to upgrade before attempting a purchase.
- Availability depends on individual sellers, not the entire marketplace.
- Users can obtain detailed product info, reviews, and safety scores, but checkout remains unreliable.
- The rollout coincides with a Ziff Davis lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by OpenAI.
OpenAI’s new Instant Checkout lets users buy products directly within ChatGPT, but early adopters report limited functionality, confusing availability, and a lack of true purchasing capability. While the feature is tied to partners like Shopify and Etsy, it currently supports only single‑item purchases and often fails to display a buy button. Users also encounter mixed messages about which listings are eligible. The rollout coincides with a lawsuit from Ziff Davis alleging copyright infringement in OpenAI’s training data.
Background
OpenAI introduced Instant Checkout to let ChatGPT users purchase items without leaving the chat interface. The service is partnered with e‑commerce platforms such as Shopify and Etsy, with Walmart mentioned as a future participant. The feature is available to both free and paid ChatGPT tiers, though it presently supports only single‑item transactions.
User Experience
Early testers describe a mixed experience. While ChatGPT can suggest products, provide descriptions, reviews, and price comparisons, the actual purchase step often stalls. In several instances, the chatbot displayed product options but omitted a functional "Buy" button, leaving users unable to complete the transaction. Users also reported that the free plan’s usage limits forced them to upgrade to a paid tier before attempting a purchase.
Confusing messaging further hampers the experience. When asked whether a specific product could be bought through Instant Checkout, ChatGPT sometimes responded affirmatively, citing eligibility of certain merchants, yet the interface still lacked a purchase option. This inconsistency leads to frustration, as shoppers cannot verify whether a listing truly supports the checkout feature.
Limitations
The service is presently restricted to single‑item purchases, and availability depends on individual sellers rather than the broader marketplace. For example, while Etsy is listed as a partner, only certain Etsy merchants enable the feature, and many listings do not clearly indicate eligibility. Users looking for specific items, such as a non‑toxic lipstick, found that the chatbot could suggest alternatives and provide ingredient safety scores from the Environmental Working Group, but the final purchase step remained unavailable.
Legal Context
The rollout occurs amid legal scrutiny. Ziff Davis, the parent company of CNET, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the AI system infringed its copyrighted content during training and operation. This legal backdrop adds another layer of uncertainty to the new commerce feature.