OpenAI has rolled out shopping research, a new ChatGPT feature designed to simplify product comparison, available to all users, including free accounts with nearly unlimited usage through the holidays.

Users logged into OpenAI accounts can access the feature by selecting “Shopping research” from the + menu.

ChatGPT will automatically route prompts it determines would benefit from the new model OpenAI trained specifically for commerce-related questions.

For instance, typing “find the quietest cordless stick vacuum for a small apartment” will trigger the shopping assistant.

Beyond comparative shopping, the tool helps users track deals, shop for gifts, and find lookalike products.

Users can snap a photo of an item and ask ChatGPT to find something similar below a specific price point, such as “find a dress like this for under A$200.”

ChatGPT asks clarifying questions to narrow recommendations.

For ChatGPT Pulse users, the tool proactively generates cards offering personalised buying guides based on past conversations.

The feature is powered by a variant of GPT-5 mini designed to excel at shopping-related tasks.

“We trained it to read trusted sites, cite reliable sources, and synthesise information across many sources to produce high-quality product research,” OpenAI stated.

The shopping assistant should more accurately cite product details compared to other OpenAI systems, including more powerful general-purpose models like GPT-5 Thinking.

OpenAI warns the tool isn’t perfect.

“Shopping research might make mistakes about product details like price and availability, and we encourage you to visit the merchant site for the most accurate details,” the company said.

The tool performs best in categories like electronics, beauty, and home appliances, where numerous details and specifications allow comprehensive comparisons.

OpenAI’s expansion of ChatGPT’s shopping capabilities comes as the company already offers Etsy purchases from its chatbot, and competitors like Google aggressively add AI shopping features.

The timing ahead of Black Friday positions the tool to capture holiday shopping activity.

ChatGPT is available in Australia with free and paid subscription tiers.

ChatGPT Plus costs US$20 monthly (approximately A$32), while ChatGPT Pro costs US$200 monthly (approximately A$315).