OpenAI has introduced a free AI-powered shopping research tool designed to help ChatGPT users create personalized buyer’s guides, particularly for the holiday season. Unlike ChatGPT’s standard responses, this tool, built on the GPT-5 mini model, asks clarifying questions and relies on reviews from higher-quality websites rather than promotional content. For instance, user experiences on Reddit are often considered more reliable than marketing materials or product page reviews.
Accessible via a “shopping research” button, the tool gathers details through a quiz-like process, considering factors such as budget, size, and color preferences. It then presents 10–15 product suggestions, allowing users to refine results by selecting “more like this” or “not interested.” OpenAI emphasizes that this tool is free for both free and paid ChatGPT users until January and operates independently from its Stripe-powered in-chat checkout feature for select Etsy and Shopify merchants in the US.
The tool excels in categories like electronics, home, garden, beauty, and kitchen items but may take longer for searches. OpenAI acknowledges challenges in distinguishing unbiased reviews from paid content and advises users to verify product details on merchant sites, as the tool may occasionally provide inaccurate information regarding price or availability.
