ChatGPT enables purchases on its platform with its Instant Checkout feature

OpenAI now allows users to make purchases directly from ChatGPT through its Instant Checkout feature. This technology is based on the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), an open standard developed in collaboration with Stripe.

For the time being, as usually happens with these innovations, Instant Checkout is only available in the United States for ChatGPT’s Plus, Pro, and free plans.

ChatGPT already helps millions of people find what to buy. Now it can help them buy it too.

We’re introducing Instant Checkout in ChatGPT with @Etsy and @Shopify, and open-sourcing the Agentic Commerce Protocol that powers it, built with @Stripe, so more merchants and developers… pic.twitter.com/9miGZr1Yn7

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 29, 2025

How ChatGPT’s instant checkout works

OpenAI has just taken its first steps towards agentic commerce in ChatGPT through its Instant Checkout feature. This allows users to purchase individual products from U.S. merchants on Etsy without leaving the chatbot conversation.

For instance, imagine you ask ChatGPT to find “yellow raincoats under $30.” Previously, the AI was limited to conducting an online search and presenting you with a selection of products. Now, it also provides the option to buy them directly from the platform if they support Instant Checkout. To do so, you simply need to click on the “Buy” option, and then confirm your order, shipping information, and payment details—all within the same chat.

For payment, you may use the card that is already registered with ChatGPT (if available), or another card or express payment method. This service is entirely free for the user, meaning that it does not affect the price of your purchases. However, the merchant must pay a small commission for completed sales.

Additionally, the merchant is responsible for managing orders, payments, and fulfillment through their own systems. “ChatGPT acts as the user’s artificial intelligence agent, securely transmitting information between the user and the merchant, much like a digital personal shopper would,” explains OpenAI.

It is important to emphasize that product selections made by ChatGPT will continue to be organic, ranked based on relevance, and that items with Instant Checkout will not be given preference in search results.

“When ranking multiple merchants offering the same product, ChatGPT considers factors such as availability, price, quality, whether a merchant is the main seller, and whether Instant Checkout is enabled, in order to optimize the user experience.”

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Next Steps

While Instant Checkout is currently only connected to Etsy, OpenAI has indicated that more than one million Shopify merchants will soon be incorporated, allowing users access to a broader selection of items, and that availability will expand to additional regions as well.

Furthermore, OpenAI plans to enable multi-item carts, since Instant Checkout can currently only process individual purchases.

Merchants who wish to join Instant Checkout may request to do so by completing a form that OpenAI has already made available on its website. At this moment, only merchants based in the United States will be accepted, as this is the sole country in which the feature is currently available; however, the company plans to expand coverage in 2026.

Security

OpenAI has developed this tool to ensure that the user maintains control by explicitly requesting authorization at every step, guaranteeing both security and trust. Additionally, the payment system has been designed so that encrypted payment tokens are authorized only for specific amounts and merchants, and only after user confirmation.

With regard to data sharing, this is kept to a minimum, as only information strictly required to process the order is shared with the merchant. Once again, this is done with the user’s explicit permission.

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An open protocol serving the user

Instant Checkout is powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open standard that OpenAI has developed jointly with the payment infrastructure provider Stripe. The ACP connects AI agents with buyers and merchants, creating a secure ecosystem for making purchases.

Agents are able to reason and understand purchase information in a logical and organized manner, as well as interact with merchant systems and tools. All of this occurs while keeping the customer informed in real time.

“When an order is placed, ChatGPT sends the necessary information to the merchant’s backend through the Agentic Commerce Protocol. The merchant either approves or rejects the order, processes payment through their current provider, and manages fulfillment and customer service as they do today,” the company explains.

Photo: OpenAI and Canva