In short. Catalog submission alone does not enable Instant Checkout, which requires approved participation and a separately enabled checkout integration.
Definition: No. As of 17 October 2026, OpenAI requires separate checkout enablement and approved partner participation for Instant Checkout, the checkout experience embedded in ChatGPT; submitting a product catalog alone does not activate it.
Key facts
- OpenAI's Get Started guide limits product feed onboarding to approved partners and links to an access application.
- The Products specification requires a separately enabled checkout integration; setting an eligibility flag leaves checkout onboarding incomplete.
- OpenAI's Key concepts documentation describes separate flows for sharing product data, handling orders and checkout, and handling payments.
What does feed onboarding involve?
A product feed is structured catalog data containing product attributes such as titles, prices and availability. OpenAI's Get Started guide explains that this data helps ChatGPT index products and present product information in shopping experiences.
The guide offers file upload and an application programming interface (API) as integration methods. It generally recommends a complete feed upload each day, followed by API updates throughout the day. Small feeds can use the API for both complete submissions and regular updates.
The documented onboarding sequence includes reviewing the chosen specification, confirming field names and validation rules, and validating required fields for every record before upload. File uploads replace the same file or shard set, meaning the files into which a catalog is divided, with the latest complete snapshot.
Catalog content also remains subject to OpenAI's prohibited products policy. The guide lists age-restricted products, weapons and prescription-only medications among prohibited categories, and makes merchants responsible for compliance with applicable law and product restrictions.
Which settings control checkout eligibility?
The stable Products specification separates search eligibility from checkout eligibility. Its minimal product example defaults to search enabled and checkout disabled.
For an OpenAI-format record, is_eligible_checkout set to true opts into checkout only when search eligibility is also true and checkout is enabled for the integration. Omitting the checkout flag, leaving it empty or setting it to false disables checkout. Setting is_eligible_search to false also disables checkout eligibility.
This fragment shows the documented checkout fields to add to an otherwise valid OpenAI-format product record:
{
"is_eligible_search": true,
"is_eligible_checkout": true,
"seller_privacy_policy": "https://example.com/privacy",
"seller_tos": "https://example.com/terms"
}
The policy links are placeholders from the specification. The fields require the seller's public privacy policy and terms of service and are conditionally required for checkout. The integration still needs separate checkout enablement.
Feed format also matters. Accepted Google-compatible products have search enabled and checkout disabled. The same specification says that uploading checkout control columns on that compatibility path adds no checkout capability. OpenAI must confirm the format for the registered feed.
What must a participating merchant implement?
The Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) connects merchant systems with ChatGPT. OpenAI's Key concepts documentation distinguishes its open availability from approved partner participation in Instant Checkout.
Beyond the feed, ChatGPT calls merchant ACP endpoints to create or update a checkout session. The merchant validates the order, determines fulfillment options, calculates sales tax and assesses payment risk on its own systems. The merchant accepts or declines the order and returns that state to ChatGPT.
A payment service provider (PSP) handles the payment transaction with the merchant. OpenAI's Delegated Payment Spec describes sharing payment details with the merchant or its designated PSP. The merchant remains responsible for charging the payment method through its payment processor, while ChatGPT displays the checkout state and confirmation.
Related terms
- ChatGPT Instant Checkout
- Agentic Commerce Protocol
- Which fields does a ChatGPT product feed require?
- Product feed freshness
FAQ
Can I activate checkout by adding the eligibility flag?
No. OpenAI's Products specification requires checkout to be enabled for your integration before is_eligible_checkout=true can opt a product in.
Can I use my Google-compatible catalog for checkout?
The documented compatibility path enables search and disables checkout for accepted products. Confirm your registered feed format and checkout integration with OpenAI before relying on checkout fields.
Does participation transfer order processing to OpenAI?
OpenAI's Key concepts documentation assigns order acceptance and payment processing to the merchant's systems. ChatGPT presents the checkout interface and reflects the state returned by the merchant.
Sources
- OpenAI, "Get Started", accessed 17 October 2026
- OpenAI, "Products", accessed 17 October 2026
- OpenAI, "Key concepts", accessed 17 October 2026
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