OpenAI launched a checkout feature inside ChatGPT in September 2025.

They partnered with Shopify, Etsy, and Stripe. It sounded impressive on paper.

But hardly any merchants signed up. And those who did noticed something interesting.

People would research products in ChatGPT, then leave without buying.

OpenAI had not even figured out sales tax yet, so they are scrapping the direct checkout idea.

Purchases will now go through partners like Instacart and Target instead.

While you were debating if AI would take your job, other people started using it to print money. Seriously.

That's not hyperbole. People are literally using ChatGPT to write Etsy descriptions that convert 3x better. Claude to build entire SaaS products without coding. Midjourney to create designs clients pay thousands for.

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