Sellers Look to Opt Out of Agentic Checkout

Some sellers who use Shopify objected to the idea that the ecommerce platform appeared to be automatically making their listings available for purchase directly on AI agentic chatboxes and channels. Some scrambled to learn if they could opt out - and how.

Shopify notified sellers on Monday that beginning January 26, their products would become available for purchase directly in AI channels including Google AI Mode; ChatGPT; and Microsoft Copilot. 

Etsy made similar announcements in recent days to reveal it would make sellers' listings available on agentic checkouts:

- "Eligible Etsy items will be available for purchase directly in Copilot Checkout on web browser for signed-in Microsoft users in the U.S." 

- "Starting soon, signed-in Google users in the U.S. will be able to purchase some Etsy items directly in AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app."

Those announcements came after Etsy announced in September it was integrating with ChatGPT:

- "Starting today, ChatGPT users in the U.S. can discover, browse, and purchase items on Etsy directly through ChatGPT. When users enter a shopping-related query (like: “Help me find a ceramic plate set”), ChatGPT may show results from Etsy. From those results, users can click into the listing to learn more and even complete their purchase from Etsy via credit card, Apple or Google Pay, and other payment methods – all without leaving ChatGPT."

We've written recently about why some sellers object to having ecommerce marketplaces and platforms share their listings with AI agentic services even though doing so could potentially lead to greater exposure and sales for their listings. For example, some express concern that chatbots manage the transaction but exclude sellers from providing customer service, and also leave sellers to handle post-transaction issues such as returns.

Upon receiving Shopify's notification this week, one seller who lists "anti-AI" art for sale turned to social media site Bluesky to object and wrote, "There should be a way to turn this off by January 26th. I'm so tired of this."

We asked Shopify about its notification to sellers and addressed what we identified as two of the major concerns sellers have about the way platforms are rolling out agentic ecommerce: control over their listings and the cost of visibility.

EcommerceBytes: Can you tell me if Shopify is automatically opting sellers' listings into AI checkouts? (Many sellers received notifications about this on Monday.) Why is it opt opt out instead of opt-in?

Shopify spokesperson: "Merchants are automatically enabled to sell in AI chats following an opt-out period. They have full control over where they sell and are able to easily toggle AI channels on and off in the Shopify admin."

EcommerceBytes: Does Shopify have plans to monetize these relationships with Agentic checkouts? In terms of visibility and/or sales?

Shopify spokesperson: "No -  when our merchants win, we win and our business model has always aligned with this."

This month, tech and retail companies made clear their commitment to generative and agentic AI during at CES 2026 and NRF Retail's Big Show trade shows (here's a link to the Shopify press release). Once Open AI made the controversial move to release ChatGPT into the wild 3 years ago, there was no putting the genie back in the bottle. Generative AI is here to stay, and when it comes to commerce, so is agentic search and checkout.

Jordan Brannon of Coalition Technologies wrote a comprehensive post about what is changing for Shopify merchants - sellers on any marketplace or platform with AI Agentic Checkout integrations might want to review the post as it raises issues that might not readily come to mind.

Continue to share with us your questions, concerns, and hopes for how it will impact your sales.

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