OpenAI launched Instant Checkout in September 2025 and withdrew it in March 2026 after only about a dozen merchants integrated the feature. Usage stayed low, and shoppers who researched in ChatGPT still completed purchases on retailer sites. OpenAI shifted to a discovery-first model that routes users to merchant apps and storefronts for payment. Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol at NRF in January 2026 with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, Walmart, and Visa.
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