Perplexity: AI search diruptor is taking a big swing with new shopping feature

Perplexity AI has just launched a significant new feature called “Buy with Pro,” aimed at reshaping the online shopping experience established by major players such as Google Shopping Platform and Amazon. Available exclusively for paid subscribers, this bold move signals Perplexity’s serious ambitions in the e-commerce space.

What does Perplexity offer to customers?

Perplexity’s “Buy with Pro” embodies a frictionless approach to online commerce by simplifying both product research and the purchase process. Users can search for products, review them, and complete purchases without leaving the Perplexity platform. The system allows users to save their shipping and billing information for convenient checkout.

Moreover, taking a page from Amazon Prime’s playbook, Perplexity offers free shipping on all purchases to Pro subscribers, who pay a monthly fee of $20.

How does Perplexity’s move impact the e-commerce market?

Perplexity’s initiative represents a transformative shift in product search, moving away from traditional keyword-based searches toward a more intuitive, natural-language approach.

Users can now conduct comprehensive shopping inquiries using conversational queries like “Help me arrange my home office,” instead of relying on fragmented keyword searches that often yield irrelevant results, require specific terms, and need multiple refinements to produce satisfactory results.

This integration streamlines the shopping experience, providing consumers with tailored suggestions without the need to navigate multiple websites or deal with annoying checkout processes.

The conversational approach is further enhanced by “Snap to Shop,” Perplexity’s answer to Google Lens, which allows users to simply upload a photo of any item they’re interested in – whether it’s a piece of furniture spotted at a friend’s house or a pair of shoes worn by a passerby – and instantly find similar products available for purchase.

Perplexity Merchant Program

To support this new shopping functionality, Perplexity is also launching a Merchant Program that allows retailers to share their product specifications directly with the platform.

Key aspects include:

• Visibility
  Merchants who participate in this program will have a better chance of being featured as recommended products in search results.
• API access
  Merchants will receive free API access to integrate their product data into Perplexity’s system, facilitating a smoother shopping experience for users.
• No commission fee
  Currently, Perplexity does not take commissions from sales made through the platform, setting it apart from traditional e-commerce models

Perplexity’s poke at Google and Amazon

With the introduction of the ‘Buy with Pro’ feature, Perplexity, already seen as a search disruptor nipping at Google’s heels, now seems to be going after another giant—Amazon. By offering free shipping and a straightforward purchasing process, Perplexity is positioning itself as a viable alternative to Google Shopping and Amazon, both of which have long been the go-to sources for online product searches.

While Google and Amazon have established their dominance through extensive product listings and integrated shopping experiences, Perplexity aims to differentiate itself by focusing on user-centric features. The platform emphasizes unbiased recommendations without sponsored placements, as it claims, appealing to consumers who seek objective information before making purchases.

Furthermore, Perplexity’s integration with Shopify allows it to tap into a vast network of merchants, enhancing its product offerings while maintaining a user-friendly interface.

Perplexity aims for all

Perplexity’s bold push into e-commerce comes at a pivotal moment in the company’s trajectory. While the AI search engine grapples with serious allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement, having prompted the launch of a Publishers Program to share advertising revenue with content creators, the company is showing no signs of retreating.

The accusations are substantial – ranging from unauthorized content scraping from major publishers like Forbes and The New York Times to generating responses that contain copyrighted material without proper attribution. Some responses have even been flagged as “hallucinations,” where the AI incorrectly attributed information sources, raising concerns about content reliability.

Yet, rather than playing defense, Perplexity is doubling down on its ambitions. The launch of “Buy with Pro” sends an unmistakable message to the market: despite the legal headwinds, Perplexity is charging full steam ahead with its vision to revolutionize digital commerce.

This aggressive expansion into e-commerce territory, traditionally dominated by giants like Amazon and Google, demonstrates that Perplexity isn’t just aiming to survive – it’s positioning itself to thrive and disrupt.