I hope buyers understand that ChatGPT isn’t recommending the best products or the best sellers, they are in a paid partnership with Shopify and will show products from their stores above others. Some of the best e-commerce brands I know have a custom platform or use WooCommerce.

That’s why I’m building an open-source agent commerce chat where you can connect to any seller. It supports Openfront, our Shopify alternative, but it’s built in a way where any platform can be added as an adapter.

I truly believe AI will replace these marketplaces and even Google Shopping and we need that way to be open, decentralized, and interoperable.

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vanuatu a day ago | parent | next [-]

gotta make it less obvious

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s0ss 21 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

advertising with extra steps stinks

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dismalaf a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

https://openai.com/index/buy-it-in-chatgpt/

No, this feature has been open for nearly a year. Shopify integrated it and makes it easy for their customers (the stores) to sell on ChatGPT, it doesn't mean no one else can.

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theturtletalks 19 hours ago | parent [-]

You still have to apply and this still makes ChatGPT the gate keeper for which shops and platforms they want to support. As far as I know, the open-source alternatives like Medusa and Woocommerce are not on ChatGPT. Do you read the things you post?

https://chatgpt.com/merchants/

And my chat allows the whole checkout process in the chat, not just link to it.

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dismalaf 19 hours ago | parent [-]

Do you? It shows a ton of brands that aren't Shopify or Shopify stores. And of course they gatekeep. Google also gatekeeps.

The point is the integration is open and has been for awhile. But yeah, OpenAI probably doesn't want to recommend some drop-shipping scammer hence the curation.

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theturtletalks 18 hours ago | parent [-]

Eh I prefer an open marketplace that's based on merit and not big players deciding for me. Also, they don't support vape and other legal products so my open marketplace will win in the long run since we curate a list of vetted sellers, but you can bring your own.

Also, you do realize you have AI that can vet and figure out which sellers are "drop-shipping scammers" right? Why would buyers need to pay marketplaces in the future when AI can do better vetting? These marketplaces are seeing their moats disappear and now are trying to partner up with ChatGPT to make sure they can still rent seek.

	▲	dismalaf 14 hours ago \| parent [-]
		How is a service like Shopify, where any non-technical person can open a store and sell things not an open marketplace? You don't buy through Shopify anymore than you're buying through WordPress if the seller chooses WordPress for their company website. The web is the open marketplace. Shopify isn't Amazon. Also, I don't hate the idea of what you're building but keep in mind lots of people selling stuff on services like Shopify have zero technical skills and most people who shop online are also normies who will know nothing about open models and whatnot.

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asa123 a day ago | parent | prev [-]

dude?