What: The resale platform has launched its own ChatGPT-driven shopping bot.

Why it is important: Offering technology such as ChatGPT to assist in finding products can be extremely valuable, especially in the second-hand market as individualized offers can change rapidly depending on availability and what's being sold.

Mercari, a peer-to-peer selling platform, has launched a beta test for Merchat AI, a conversational shopping assistant based on OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

As a second-hand selling platform, the retailer has deep inventory that can’t always be covered by a general search as products can be hidden in the variety of categories offered.

Merchat AI can offer gift suggestions, recommend items that fit the latest trends, search collectibles that are difficult to find, and offer styling tips.

The company has launched the shopping bot as a test feature, acknowledging that some flaws may appear, and full features won’t be available. A cautious release will help set reasonable expectations and allow the retailer to test new features.

Inside Mercari’s new Merchat AI shopping bot