Perplexity Debuts One-Click Shopping Integration, Challenging E-commerce Giants
Perplexity, the AI-powered search engine backed by Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, has launched an ambitious shopping feature that enables users to make purchases directly through its platform, marking a significant move into the e-commerce space. The new “Buy with Pro” feature, available exclusively to U.S. Pro subscribers, introduces a seamless one-click checkout system with free shipping, directly challenging traditional e-commerce giants.
The platform’s enhanced shopping experience combines AI-driven product recommendations with visual search capabilities, offering users a comprehensive solution for both product research and purchasing. When users make shopping-related queries, Perplexity presents unsponsored product cards featuring detailed information, including pricing, key features, and AI-generated summaries of reviews.
A notable addition to the platform is “Snap to Shop,” a visual search tool that allows users to find products by uploading photos, similar to Google Lens. This feature enhances the platform’s ability to process complex search queries and match them with relevant products from its catalog.
To support this expansion, Perplexity has launched a Merchant Program that provides retailers with several benefits, including increased visibility for their products and free API access for building their own search experiences. The program is powered by platform integrations, including Shopify, giving access to real-time product information from U.S.-shipping merchants.
Interestingly, Perplexity currently doesn’t take affiliate commissions from sales made through its platform. “As of now, we do not,” confirmed Sara Platnick, a Perplexity spokesperson, emphasizing that there’s “no commercial element” to the feature. This approach distinguishes it from traditional e-commerce platforms and could potentially disrupt existing online shopping models.
The launch comes at a crucial time for Perplexity, which is reportedly raising new investment at a $9 billion valuation. The company faces increasing competition in the AI search space, particularly from OpenAI, which recently added new search functions to ChatGPT.
This strategic move into e-commerce reflects a broader industry trend of AI companies leveraging large language models to enhance online shopping experiences. The promise is to simplify the shopping process by allowing users to describe products in natural language and receive targeted recommendations, potentially transforming how consumers discover and purchase products online.
The shopping features are currently limited to the United States, with plans for international expansion in the future. The company’s Pro subscription, which includes access to the new shopping features, is priced at $20 per month.
