Conversational AI is no longer just a trend, it’s quickly becoming a new sales channel. With ChatGPT offering in-chat shopping features, e-commerce brands have an opportunity to meet customers in a space where they’re already spending time. To stay competitive, online retailers should start preparing now.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to get your store ready.
1. Register as a Merchant
The first move is applying for OpenAI’s merchant program through chatgpt.com/merchants. Once approved, your products can be listed inside ChatGPT, making them discoverable during customer searches.
For now, the Instant Checkout feature is limited to the United States, but international access is expected in the near future.
2. Provide a Detailed Product Feed
To ensure your products appear correctly, you’ll need a structured product feed. This includes:
- Product titles and descriptions
- High-quality images or videos
- Pricing, discounts, and stock status
- Variants (size, color, etc.)
- Shipping, returns, and compliance details
- Customer reviews
The richer and more accurate your data, the better your visibility when users look for products in ChatGPT.
3. Connect Checkout Capabilities
ChatGPT relies on the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) to support in-chat transactions. This means your store needs integration endpoints that allow customers to:
- Open a checkout session
- Complete or cancel orders
- View order status
If you’re already on Shopify or Etsy, you’re covered, since those platforms are directly supported.
4. Enable Safe Payments
Payments can be handled through OpenAI or with providers like Stripe using Delegated Payment Specs. This ensures your customers enjoy a secure, smooth payment experience without friction.
5. Improve Your Visibility in AI Commerce
Just like SEO for Google, you’ll need visibility tools for AI platforms. Peekaboo’s AI Visibility Dashboard helps brands understand how their products show up in ChatGPT and other AI-driven environments. This allows you to identify weak spots and adjust your strategy.
Conclusion
The shift toward conversational commerce is already underway. By taking steps now signing up as a merchant, building a product feed, enabling checkout, and strengthening your presence you’ll be ahead of the curve.
For a more detailed, step-by-step breakdown, check out our guide: How to Get Your E-commerce Brand Prepared for ChatGPT (PDF).
Authored by Peekaboo AI Visibility Team