OpenAI has made a groundbreaking step with Instant Checkout, which turns ChatGPT into a complete sales channel. While launch partners like Etsy and Shopify are getting most of the attention, this open system offers a huge opportunity for Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source merchants to get in early.
What is ChatGPT Instant Checkout?
With Instant Checkout, customers in the US can find and purchase a product directly from a chat without leaving the chat. Seamless, easy, and lightning-fast.
Thanks to the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) and payment provider Stripe, this is not a closed ecosystem. Any webshop can integrate and sell, including Adobe Commerce and Magento shops.
How Magento and Adobe Commerce sellers can get started
The rollout is currently only in the US and by invitation, but businesses can already register to be among the first to participate once the feature becomes available worldwide.
Step 1: Register
Merchants can sign up via chatgpt.com/merchants to queue their products.
Step 2: Technical integration
There are two crucial components to linking an Adobe Commerce or Magento shop:
Product Feed: a structured data file that ChatGPT uses to discover and correctly display your products.
Agentic Checkout API: a set of REST endpoints that allow ChatGPT to communicate with your backend to handle carts, shipping options, taxes, and payments.
Payments are processed through your existing PSP. Stripe is the simplest option, but providers like Adyen and PayPal can also be connected via the open Delegated Payment Spec.
Product Feed
The product feed forms the basis of your presence on ChatGPT. This is a structured data file that serves as the “single source of truth” for the AI agent. It enables ChatGPT to discover your products and present them correctly to users. If this data is incorrect or outdated, it can lead to failed transactions or loss of trust from the AI in your shop, causing your products to be recommended less often.
OpenAI's systems regularly retrieve the feed from your endpoint to process and index product data. The feed closely resembles other product feeds used on other platforms. The difference lies mainly in the structure and the need for additional information, such as whether you want to enable search functionality and whether you want to activate the full checkout experience. More details are available in the OpenAI Product Feed Spec.
Agentic Checkout API
The Agentic Checkout API is the communication link between ChatGPT and your Adobe Commerce backend. When a user decides to make a purchase, ChatGPT communicates with this API to initiate and manage a checkout session. You retain full control, as your backend returns the shipping options, calculates taxes, and ultimately accepts or declines the order via this API.
What you need to build:
A set of REST endpoints that comply with the official Agentic Checkout OpenAPI specification.
A webhook listener to receive real-time order status updates from your system.
Robust security measures, including request authentication, signature verification, and idempotency handling to prevent duplicate orders.
How the API flow works:
ChatGPT starts the process by calling your POST /checkout_sessions endpoint with the cart's contents. Your server responds with a unique checkout_session_id and the cart's full status, including items, prices, and any initial messages for the user.
When the user adds or changes data (e.g., a shipping address), ChatGPT calls your POST /checkout_sessions/{checkout_session_id} endpoint. Your server recalculates everything (shipping options, taxes) and returns the updated cart.
Once the user confirms the purchase, ChatGPT calls POST /checkout_sessions/{checkout_session_id}/complete. This is the final step where your system processes the payment, creates the official order in the Adobe Commerce database, and sends a confirmation or rejection back.
Upon completion, your system must send order events (such as order.created or order.updated in case of shipping changes) to an OpenAI webhook. This ensures the user always sees the current status in the chat window.
Payments Integration
A core principle of ACP is that the merchant always remains the merchant of record and continues to use their own Payment Service Provider (PSP). ChatGPT does not process credit card data itself; it facilitates a secure transfer via a tokenization system according to the Delegated Payment Spec.
Your backend must be able to receive a secure payment token as part of the “Complete Checkout” API call. Additionally, there must be a mechanism to pass this token to your PSP for authorization and processing.
For Stripe merchants: integration is the easiest. You can use Stripe’s Shared Payment Token (SPT), the first official implementation of the Delegated Payment Spec. This can be activated in some cases with minimal code adjustments.
For non-Stripe merchants: the protocol is open and payment method independent. You can build an adapter that uses the open Delegated Payment Spec to securely pass the payment token to your current provider (e.g., Adyen, PayPal). This allows you to participate without completely changing your existing payment infrastructure.
End-to-End Integration
As a leading Magento agency for complex implementations, Epartment has the expertise to connect enterprise stores to new technologies like this one. The team takes care of the entire technical process from A to Z. Merchants do not need to worry about things like Shared Payment Tokens or complicated API adjustments. Epartment ensures your store is fully ready to receive orders directly via ChatGPT.
From SEO to AEO: the new way of searching
The launch of Instant Checkout also marks a broader trend: from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). While SEO focuses on findability, AEO is about being the answer on AI platforms like ChatGPT. Clear, structured, and reliable content becomes crucial to remain visible.
The future of e-commerce is conversational
The introduction of Instant Checkout shows that e-commerce is moving towards a conversation-driven model. The brands that join now will have a huge advantage later.
Do you want to be ready as a Magento or Adobe Commerce seller for this new sales channel? Register, ensure your product data is in order, and prepare your technical integration.
Want to know more about this? Talk to one of our commerce experts.
