From chat to checkout

Oct 22

3 min read

What ChatGPT’s new commerce feature means for organic B2B

If you’ve been following the AI space, you might’ve seen headlines about Walmart, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Etsy integrating with ChatGPT. This development shows a real change in how people are starting to interact with brands. You can now buy directly from these companies inside ChatGPT, without ever visiting their websites.

Instant checkout

The feature, called Instant Checkout, launched on September 29, 2025. It’s currently available to ChatGPT users in the U.S. across Free, Plus, and Pro tiers.

Here’s who’s involved so far:

Walmart and Sam’s Club (rolling out now)
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Etsy sellers (already live)
Shopify merchants like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, and Vuori (coming soon)

This is part of a broader move toward what OpenAI calls agentic commerce, where AI doesn’t just answer questions, it helps guide the buyer through discovery, decision, and purchase in one continuous flow.

What does this mean for B2B?

At first glance, it might seem like a retail experiment for beauty, fashion, and groceries. But if you’re in B2B, especially if organic visibility is part of your growth strategy, this is worth paying attention to. Because this isn’t just about checkout. It’s about how people search, evaluate, and take action.

Here’s what’s changing:

AI is becoming the first touchpoint: People are asking ChatGPT what to buy, who to hire, and which tools to use. That means your visibility in AI responses could matter more than your ranking on Google.
Trust is being built through conversation: If AI becomes the guide, your brand needs to show up in ways that feel credible, relevant, and emotionally resonant. That’s not just about keywords, it’s about tone, clarity, and usefulness.
Websites aren’t dead, but they’re no longer the default: For simple transactions, AI can bypass the site entirely. In B2B, your site still matters, but more as a credibility anchor than a conversion engine.
Social media’s commerce edge is eroding: TikTok Shop and Instagram Checkout made social shoppable. Now ChatGPT makes conversation shoppable. That changes how people discover and act. B2B social may need to refocus on thought leadership and community rather than direct conversion.

How B2B brands can future-proof

If you’re in B2B, this is your cue to start adapting, for a world where AI is the interface.

Here’s where to begin:

Audit your organic footprint for AI discoverability Think beyond Google.
- Is your brand showing up in public data sources?
- Are your thought leadership pieces clear and quotable?
- Do your FAQs answer questions the way someone might ask them in a chat?
Refine your tone for conversational trust If AI is summarizing your brand, what tone will it pick up? Make sure your content feels human, helpful, and aligned with your values. That includes LinkedIn posts, blog intros, and even your About page.
Create content that’s easy to surface and cite AI loves clarity. Bullet points, summaries, and well-structured insights are more likely to be pulled into responses. Think of your content as something an AI might want to quote.
Explore conversational UX for lead gen Could your site or chatbot offer a more natural, chat-like experience? Even if you’re not integrating with ChatGPT, you can start designing for how people want to interact.