OpenAI has introduced a Shopping Research feature in ChatGPT to help users make smarter and more informed buying decisions.
Unlike the standard ChatGPT, which is best for quick questions like checking a price or confirming a feature, this tool is designed for detailed comparisons and deeper insights.
It collects up-to-date information from trusted sources, helping users compare products, understand pros and cons, and make choices that suit their specific needs.
How Shopping Research Works
Shopping Research turns product discovery into a conversational process.
Instead of giving a simple list of options, ChatGPT asks follow-up questions to understand what the user values most, such as:
Budget
Performance
Size
Durability
Other specific requirements
Based on these answers, the tool creates a personalised buyer’s guide that highlights the top products, key differences, trade-offs, and updated details from reliable retailers.
Users can access this feature by asking any shopping-related question or by selecting “Shopping Research” from the (+) menu in ChatGPT.
The Technology Behind Shopping Research
The feature is powered by a version of GPT-5 mini trained specifically for shopping tasks.
It combines information from multiple trusted sources, cites them, and creates a clear, interactive summary.
Users can adjust preferences or add constraints, and the tool updates its recommendations in real time
Why Shopping Research Responses Take Longer
Shopping Research responses may take a few minutes because the tool gathers and reviews detailed information before giving an answer.
This extra time allows it to provide explanations and comparisons, which are helpful when evaluating:
Long-term use
Technical specifications
Multiple trade-offs
For simple queries like confirming a feature or checking a price, the standard ChatGPT response is still faster and sufficient.
Availability
Shopping Research is now rolling out on mobile and web for logged-in ChatGPT users across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans.
OpenAI is allowing almost unlimited use of the feature for all plans for a limited period.
It will also be available in ChatGPT Pulse for Pro users, which can suggest personalised buyer guides based on past conversations.
