Microsoft Copilot adds checkout to rival ChatGPT, Perplexity shopping | Tech News – Business Standard

Clipped from: https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-copilot-shopping-checkout-payment-feature-126010900435_1.html

Microsoft is bringing direct shopping to Copilot, enabling in-chat payments. The feature is currently rolling out on Copilot web client in the US and is limited to select retailers

Microsoft is adding built-in purchasing to Copilot, enabling users to complete transactions directly within a chat. When users ask Copilot for product recommendations such as choosing a pair of sneakers, the chatbot can now present a checkout option for the selected item without requiring them to leave the conversation.

In one demonstration shared by the company, Copilot is used to find a bedside lamp. Alongside the recommendation, the interface shows a “Details” option for additional information and a “Buy” button. Selecting the buy option opens an in-chat checkout flow where users can provide delivery and payment details and finalise the order, bypassing the retailer’s website entirely.

The in-chat checkout feature is currently rolling out on the Copilot web client in the US and is limited to a group of partner retailers, including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Ashley Furniture, and select Etsy sellers. Microsoft has partnered with PayPal, Stripe, and Shopify to support payments, with wider retailer availability expected to expand over the coming weeks  .

How does it fare against the competition

This broadly aligns with how other AI companies are approaching shopping assistance. OpenAI’s ChatGPT focuses on product discovery, comparisons, and guiding users toward purchase decisions within their chat interfaces, while also enabling checkout.

Perplexity follows a similar approach when compared to Copilot and ChatGPT. Perplexity added a conversational shopping experience to its service, pairing it with product discovery and an integrated checkout flow powered by PayPal. 

Google, on the other hand, opted for a bit of a different approach with Gemini. Google allowed users to use AI to assist with discovery and comparisons while routing users to retailers for payment. It does not have an instant checkout option that would complete the payment without leaving the platform.