Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a string of moves that suggest a major shift is underway in the way shopping might happen online. It started with OpenAI’s integration with Stripe, which enabled people to complete purchases directly inside ChatGPT. That kicked off a new wave of development where AI is becoming not just a source of information, but a place where transactions happen.

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More recently, Walmart announced a major partnership with OpenAI. In this integration, users can interact with ChatGPT to ask for grocery ideas, meal plans, or product recommendations-and go straight to checkout without leaving the conversation. For many, this flew under the radar. But in our view, this marks one of the first meaningful steps toward a new type of retail interface-where conversational AI plays an active role in purchasing decisions.

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So what does this mean for brands?

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We believe it’s worth taking seriously, but also worth approaching with some clarity and caution. Below, we explain the shift, how it’s unfolding, and what kind of shopping behaviors we believe are likely to emerge first inside these interfaces.

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A New Type of Shopping: Problem-Solving, Not Browsing

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There’s no reason to believe that traditional shopping is disappearing. People still love discovering products on their own terms. Whether that means scrolling, clicking, or walking into a store, many shopping experiences are driven by inspiration, exploration, or entertainment.

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What is changing, however, is the path for more utilitarian, problem-solving purchases-where the buyer has a task to complete and is looking for a fast, trusted recommendation.

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We believe that the first wave of AI-powered shopping will fall into this category:

• "I need to clean my car. What products should I buy?"
• "I have a wooden floor. What's the right soap to use on it?"
• "Help me plan a dinner for four, and give me the ingredients."

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In all of these examples, the user isn’t looking to browse-they’re looking to solve a problem. This is where we expect conversational interfaces to gain traction first.

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How It Works: The Stripe and Walmart Use Cases

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When OpenAI integrated Stripe into ChatGPT, it created the infrastructure for end-to-end transactions. You could ask for a product recommendation, get a result, and complete your purchase-all without ever leaving the chat.

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With Walmart’s integration, the product catalog is now wired into ChatGPT. Customers can ask everyday questions-"what’s a quick recipe for dinner?" or "can I restock my usual groceries?"-and get suggestions that are not only relevant, but instantly shoppable.

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These aren’t demos. They’re live features that change how a consumer might interact with a brand.

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What Brands Should Be Thinking About

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If you’re running a consumer brand-whether through Shopify, Amazon, Retail, or a mix-here are some questions to consider:

• Is your product data structured in a way that AI can interpret? Titles, benefits, and descriptions matter.
• Are your most common use-cases clearly articulated? What problems do your products solve?
• Do you have operational infrastructure that supports fast fulfillment and clear post-purchase communication?

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This isn’t about AI replacing all shopping. It’s about AI becoming the layer that handles intent-rich, solution-focused queries.

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eBrands' Take

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At eBrands, we see this moment as an early signal - not a revolution overnight, but a shift that’s likely to grow in relevance. As conversational interfaces like ChatGPT evolve, we expect a growing portion of purchases to be initiated through problem-solving prompts.

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That means your brand needs to be both visible and ready to fulfill when that happens.

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"We’re entering a phase of retail where intent and transaction are fusing into a single moment. You no longer have the luxury of long planning cycles when the interface changes overnight. You adapt by doing. The brands that test, ship, and learn in real time will outperform those waiting for clarity that may never come."

- Masa Karjanlahti, Commercial Director at eBrands

The change is real. But the winners will be the ones who can integrate the new without breaking the old.