Perplexity AI has unveiled its new shopping feature, aiming to revolutionize how users research and purchase products. This feature, dubbed Perplexity Shopping, positions itself as a one-stop solution for consumers, currently available to U.S.-based Pro subscribers, with plans for international expansion in the near future.
How Perplexity’s shopping tool enhances the purchasing experience
The new feature allows users to interact with a shopping experience directly within the Perplexity chatbot. It enables users to conduct queries conversationally while refining their search results based on preferences such as budget. Essentially, when users ask specific shopping questions, they receive detailed product cards that highlight critical information, including pricing, seller details, and pros and cons of items. Furthermore, Perplexity emphasizes that its shopping recommendations are “unbiased” and not sponsored, making it a fresh alternative to the likes of Google and Amazon.
With its one-click checkout, Perplexity aims to streamline the buying process, letting users save their shipping and billing information securely within the app. Subscribers also enjoy free shipping on their orders, enhancing the shopping experience further. If Perplexity’s checkout option isn’t available for a particular item, users are redirected to the retailer’s website to complete their purchase.
Shop with images – Google won’t like this!
A standout feature of this shopping tool is the Snap to Shop visual search capability. Users can upload images of products they want to find, even if they don’t know the names of those items. This functionality is a significant enhancement, especially for visual shoppers who may struggle to articulate what they seek.
The introduction of this shopping feature coincides with recent developments in Perplexity’s AI capabilities. The company has rolled out Internal Knowledge Search and Spaces, granting users the ability to search across the web and their personal documents simultaneously. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, noted that this allows the tool to infer responses from a broader range of information, improving the overall user experience.
Moreover, in a nod to traditional advertising models, Perplexity recently announced plans to integrate ads into its chatbot for U.S. users. These ads will take the form of sponsored follow-up questions and media positioned next to answers, ensuring that users are informed while using the platform. However, the company assures that their new shopping feature remains distinct from their advertising product.
The new shopping tool represents an interesting progress beyond just a chatbot. It stands poised to attract a broader audience increasing its visibility, thus making it a stronger candidate of a rival for Google and other tech behemoths.
