In short. ChatGPT shopping selects products for relevance and presents merchant offers using product and seller information.

Definition: ChatGPT shopping is the display of product options in ChatGPT answers to shopping requests, with images, product information and links to merchant websites.

Key facts

As of 17 October 2026, OpenAI's shopping help documentation describes independently selected product results, separate from ads and unaffected by OpenAI partnerships.
OpenAI's file upload product specification requires a product detail page URL, seller name, price and availability for each item.
OpenAI's Get Started guide limits product feed onboarding to approved partners and provides an application link.

How does ChatGPT select products?

OpenAI's shopping documentation describes a carousel, a browsable group of product options, selected for relevance to the request. Selection considers the request and user-provided context. Inputs also include structured product metadata, meaning named attributes such as price and description, third-party content, model responses produced before new search results, and safety policies.

How are merchant links and prices presented?

The shopping help page explains that selecting a product can reveal several sellers. Merchant ordering considers availability, price, quality and whether the seller makes the item or is its primary seller.

The initial price usually comes from the first listed merchant. Product details can highlight the lowest known offer, while changes to merchant prices or shipping terms can take time to appear.

What product information can a merchant supply?

A product feed is a structured catalog supplied to OpenAI. The Get Started guide describes file upload and API delivery, where an API is a software interface for sending and retrieving data. It recommends a complete daily file upload followed by API updates during the day. Merchants validate required fields and keep the submitted catalog current.

OpenAI's file upload specification defines url as the item's stable product detail page, with the variant selected where possible. It defines item_id as a stable identifier unique to the item or variant within the feed. Its minimal example uses JSONL, a format with one complete JSON record per line:

{"item_id":"MUG-350-BLUE","title":"Blue ceramic mug, 350 mL","description":"Dishwasher-safe glazed ceramic mug with a handle.","url":"https://example.com/products/mug-blue","brand":"Northline","seller_name":"Northline Home","image_url":"https://example.com/images/mug-blue.jpg","price":"18.00 USD","availability":"in_stock"}

This is the specification's example item. The product and image URLs are placeholders to replace with public URLs. The schema requires an explicit availability value; unknown records unavailable stock information. Search eligibility defaults to enabled, and checkout defaults to disabled in this example.

FAQ

Can I change which products ChatGPT suggests?

Yes. OpenAI's shopping help documentation says you can clarify preferences and ask ChatGPT to adjust its selection.

Can I submit a feed without approval?

OpenAI's Get Started guide directs you to apply for access. Product feed onboarding is available to approved partners.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer