From Chat to Checkout: What OpenAI's 'Agentic Commerce' Means for Shopify Brands
Earlier this year, we explored how generative AI is reshaping ecommerce and product discovery. Now, OpenAI's latest update moves the conversation from influence and consideration/comparison to action.
With the launch of Instant Checkout in ChatGPT, OpenAI has introduced a new kind of shopping experience. Powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol and built with Stripe, this feature allows users to discover and buy products directly within the chat. No redirects, no interruptions, just seamless commerce, initiated and completed in conversation.
Why this matters for Shopify brands
The rollout begins with Etsy sellers in the U.S. and is set to expand to more than a million merchants on Shopify. Brands like SKIMS, Glossier, Spanx, and Vuori are already involved. This marks a major shift. AI is no longer simply assisting purchase decisions. It's now completing them.
ChatGPT is evolving into an ecommerce channel. One that combines product discovery, customer service, and checkout into a single conversational flow. This makes AI even more important of a consideration in your marketing channel mix.
Introducing the Agentic Commerce Protocol
Developed in partnership with Stripe, this new standard allows AI agents, users, and businesses to securely complete purchases together. It's designed to integrate easily into existing platforms and infrastructures.
For Shopify merchants already using Stripe, setup can be as simple as one line of code. The merchant remains in control, handling fulfilment, support, and customer data. Transactions are tokenised and secure, with minimal data sharing required.
This protocol turns ChatGPT into a direct sales channel, without removing the merchant from the process.
How it works for customers
Imagine asking ChatGPT to recommend gift sets under £50. The assistant responds with suggestions, and now, select products display a "Buy" button. Tap, confirm details, and the purchase is done. The user never leaves the conversation.
This creates a high-conversion environment. No friction. No abandonment. Just instant, guided checkout.
Built for trust. Ready to scale.
Customers stay in control at every stage, with encrypted transactions and clear consent before any data is shared. For merchants, it's a low-friction way to connect with a vast new audience, while maintaining full ownership of customer relationships.
With the protocol now open source, the opportunity for innovation is wide open.
What should brands be doing now?
While Instant Checkout is still in phased release, the trajectory is clear. AI isn't just changing how people shop. It's changing where they shop.
In our earlier guide on AI and Shopify, we outlined the first moves brands should be making. That includes optimising for AI-driven discovery, creating brand-specific GPTs, and preparing product feeds that speak the language of AI.
Now, the focus extends to commerce itself.
What you can do today:
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Review your payment infrastructure. Stripe integration will be a major early enabler.
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Reframe your product catalogue through a conversational lens. How would your bestsellers be presented in dialogue? Is the content on your PDPs informative and does it cover common user questions?
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Invest in data quality. AI relies on structured, accurate product data to perform.
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Apply early. Express interest in ChatGPT's new commerce capabilities to stay ahead of the curve.
Looking ahead
AI commerce is no longer hypothetical. It's live, it's real, and it's scaling fast.
At Eastside, we help brands turn change into competitive advantage. Whether that means preparing your store for AI-powered shopping, evolving your tech stack, or building conversational customer journeys that drive revenue, we're here to help your brand unlock growth without limits.
If you're ready to explore how agentic commerce could fit into your ecommerce strategy, get in touch.