OpenAI Killed Instant Checkout… But Agentic Shopping Isn’t Dead (What Retailers Need to Know Now)

OpenAI quietly pulled the plug on Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT and the internet immediately declared agentic commerce dead. But I think that conclusion misses the bigger picture. In this episode, a summary of my recent article for The Drum, I unpack why the failure of one implementation doesn’t mean the behavior itself is going away.

I share my own real-world experience making an agentic purchase through ChatGPT (spoiler: it didn’t exactly change my life), and then we explore why OpenAI’s checkout model struggled while similar AI-driven commerce experiences are already thriving elsewhere. From China’s fully integrated AI commerce ecosystems, to the emerging moves from Amazon and Google, I break down what’s actually happening beneath the headlines, and why retailers should still be paying very close attention.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – I share my first fully agentic purchase through ChatGPT and why the experience didn’t make me come back for more.

[01:02] – OpenAI deprioritizes Instant Checkout and sends transactions back to retailer sites. What actually happened behind the scenes?

[02:15] – Why a failed checkout model doesn’t mean agentic commerce itself is dead.

[03:00] – Alibaba’s AI assistant proves agentic shopping can work: when one company controls the AI, marketplace, payments, and logistics.

[04:18] – The TikTok Shop lesson: new shopping behaviors succeed when commerce feels like a natural extension of apps people already love.

[05:07] – Why AI-driven discovery still threatens the $60B retail media industry (even without instant checkout).

[08:19] – The shopping journey is already being rewired by AI, but the real challenge is the final 10%

Links & Resources

• My full post on The Drum: OpenAI is killing Instant Checkout. Don't dance on the grave of agentic shopping yet
• Read my related articles:
  • When the PDP Becomes the Homepage
  • ‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is
  • I Really, Really Hoped That Ads in AI Wouldn't Suck. Now We Find Out.
• Join me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!
• Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.
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