A shoppable ChatGPT opens a whole new era for ecommerce

An OpenAI x Shopify integration will transform online shopping and soon the internet will be a very different place. It might also spell an era in which other technologies, such as VR and Web3, finally explode. Think QR codes in 2020 - remember how they went from dusty museum labels to part of everyday life overnight?

Forget the traditional online shop, with endless search bars, drop-downs and visual product lists. Instead, imagine being greeted at a beautifully curated storefront by your digital personal shopper. It already knows your size, your style, the colors that suit you. Maybe you’ve uploaded a photo or a video so you can see how clothes would fit your body type, or analyze your running stride to recommend the perfect trainers.

You simply say: “I need an outfit for dinner this Saturday at [restaurant name]. Show me five options under £100.” Alternatively, “I’m training for a marathon, but my knees hurt. What’s going wrong - and which trainers would fix it?”

Adding fuel to the rumors, OpenAI just shared a video of its shopping features on LinkedIn yesterday.

The impact of Gen AI on e-commerce

By adopting Gen AI, e-commerce sites will move from being basic storefronts to full-on consultants and lifestyle experts. Personalisation will take on a whole new level: for instance, the AI will be able to check the restaurant you’re dining at and suggest outfits based on what people typically wear there. Smart, right?

In turn, we’ll likely see:

• Lower return rates: Virtual try-ons and smarter sizing through photo analysis will slash the number of disappointed customers.
• Reduced bounce rates: Online stores will curate themselves around the individual customer, making shopping frictionless and personal.
• Rise of ‘shopper loyalty’: Consumers will start to build an affinity with the stores that make their lives easier and make them feel special.

How brands can prepare for the new era

My top tips would be:

• Focus on user-generated content: Feedback, reviews, and photos from real customers will be gold dust when it comes to training better models and improving recommendations. The more you can collect, the better the model.
• Build a real community: If AI can personalize your site, it can personalize any site, enabling consumers to search at scale. Therefore, your brand needs to foster an emotional connection, not just offer a good deal, to stand out.
• Train your assistant cleverly: Consider what is unique about your personal shopper system. ‘Surprise and delight’ customers - don’t just recommend a dress for Saturday night; show them how to style it for work on Monday too (hello, upsells and cross-sells!).

This new partnership could mark an unprecedented step forward in using Gen AI as a shopping tool. Bringing the entire shopping session - product details, pricing, reviews, and even a ‘Buy Now’ button - straight into the UI will completely change how consumers shop online.

The brands that win will be those that think beyond the transaction and create experiences that feel truly personal. The future is coming faster than we think. And honestly, I can’t wait.

Suzanna Chaplin is the co-founder and CEO of esbconnect, a leading UK-based martech company specializing in data-driven email marketing and customer acquisition. Since founding the company in 2014, Chaplin has transformed esbconnect into a powerhouse that has worked for more than 600 consumer brands.

Also published in The Drum