Shopify is set to transform the conversational commerce landscape on Monday, January 26, by making merchant products available directly through AI chatbot checkouts. This rollout follows the "Agentic Storefronts" initiative announced late last year, designed to allow shoppers to research, compare, and complete purchases entirely within a single AI chat interface.
While this integration opens new high-intent sales channels, it introduces a new fee structure for merchants. Sales completed through the ChatGPT checkout will incur a 4% fee paid to OpenAI, in addition to standard Shopify processing fees. Conversely, checkouts via Google’s Gemini and AI Mode, or Microsoft’s Copilot, will currently carry no additional transaction fees.
Merchant control remains a priority in this data-sharing program. Products will be available by default on platforms with no additional fees, but merchants must manually opt-in for paid channels like OpenAI. Furthermore, shop owners can toggle individual AI platforms on or off within their Shopify admin dashboard to decide exactly where their inventory is purchasable.
The Systems Perspective: Navigating the 4% Friction
The introduction of a 4% "AI tax" by OpenAI marks a pivotal shift in marketplace dynamics. For systems-led sellers, the challenge isn't just the fee—it's the attribution. As checkouts move away from your hosted storefront and into third-party chat threads, maintaining a clean data pipeline becomes essential. Success in 2026 will require balancing the convenience of "Agentic Storefronts" against the protection of your margins, ensuring that these new AI channels complement your ecosystem rather than cannibalizing your direct-to-consumer profits.