The Beginning of Agentic Commerce
By Tomas Corza
Stripe, Etsy and Shopify, in partnership with OpenAI. have announced that merchants will soon be able to sell directly through ChatGPT. No redirects, no clunky handoffs, just user friendly shopping, integrated into the flow of dialogue. (At the time of writing this, Etsy is already integrated into ChatGPT.)
This development is not a simple feature rollout. It represents the early architecture of what Shopify calls agentic commerce: a shift where artificial intelligence doesn’t just help us discover products, but also helps us buy them.
Commerce Meets Conversation
With more than 700 million people turning to ChatGPT each week for conversations, from data analysis to romantic companionship, attention has shifted into AI-powered conversations.
Vanessa Lee, Shopify’s VP of Product, said: “People are discovering products in AI conversations, not just through search or ads. This lets merchants show up naturally in those moments and gives shoppers a way to buy without breaking their flow.”
This creates a new type of customer journey. A casual question like “What’s the best computer for my needs?” is now a moment of purchase. In that instant, ChatGPT makes it possible for a shopper to move from curiosity to checkout without ever leaving the conversation.
The Agentic Commerce Protocol
At the core of this transformation is the Agentic Commerce Protocol, a new open standard developed by OpenAI in collaboration with leading merchants. This protocol creates a common language that allows AI agents, businesses, and people to work together to complete a transaction.
What makes it significant:
It works across payment processors and platforms.
Merchants retain full control as the merchant of record.
It integrates without requiring backend overhauls.
It keeps the customer relationship intact, from fulfillment to support.
For buyers, this means a fast and easy experience: click “Buy,” confirm payment and shipping, and the order is complete. All without having to open a new window or tab.
Source: OpenAI
What This Means for Merchants
Shopify has ensured that merchant attribution, transparent fees, and brand visibility remain central. When a purchase happens, the store name is clearly displayed, orders flow into the Shopify admin as usual, and merchants decide whether to route shoppers through Instant Checkout or their traditional storefront.
This balance is crucial. AI is not replacing existing commerce, it is expanding it. Merchants do not need to abandon proven channels but can now extend reach into the new environments where consumer attention is moving, being AI conversations.
Reimagining Commerce for the AI Age
The implications extend beyond technical integration. This is about reshaping the very nature of how commerce happens. AI has evolved into an active participant in the customer purchase journey (and for some a romantic partner).
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