Whether you shop online or love a trip to the mall to take advantage of all those Labor Day sales, you're probably looking to score the best deals. In this economy, every dollar counts -- and using artificial intelligence as your research tool and shopping assistant can save you even more.
Unless, of course, "window shopping" and "deal hunting" is your version of fun -- then don't outsource your joy to AI.
Given that ChatGPT has the largest user base and user-generated resources, I chose to experiment with it to see how it performs as a personal shopper. But not just regular ChatGPT -- I used a custom GPT.
ChatGPT's plug-in feature has been recently retired. So instead of installing plug-ins like Aardvark AI that allow you to search for products in real time without ads, you'll use the Explore GPTs option.
While ChatGPT has opened up a lot of the custom GPTs to free users, I used ChatGPT Plus because the GPT-4 model has web access. I wanted to see if it could save me more than its $20 monthly fee.
ChatGPT: your bargain-hunting buddy
I tried two examples:
- A big purchase.
- Searching for valid coupons.
I used the Search bar in Explore GPTs and found Shopping GPT.
A big purchase
I want a new MacBook Pro, so I found the model I liked and asked ChatGPT to find cheaper buying options than from the Apple Store.
Off the bat, it gave me two viable options – the same product that's $180 less and a smaller model that's $50 cheaper than the Apple store.
This was compared to Apple's prices of $999 and $1,199 -- but I realized I didn't specify "new," and the option that was $50 cheaper was actually a refurbished 2023 model.
Keep in mind, although ChatGPT Plus has access to the internet, it's unclear how old the data is that was used to train Shopping GPT, so make sure to double check the prices with actual company websites.
Take what ChatGPT suggests as an option and always play devil's advocate. AI might oversell or misinterpret "reputable websites," for instance. I'd never heard of PC Richard & Son, although some Google research pulled up legitimate reviews.
I asked it to show only brand-new models from well-known websites, with cheaper prices than on the Apple Store.
The AI tool came back only with options for Best Buy and B&H, both at $1,199 -- not cheaper than the Apple website. So I asked ChatGPT if it could provide ways to get the same MacBook under $1,199 accessing Best Buy or B&H deals.
While it came with mostly generic information, there was a golden nugget in there.
I went over to Best Buy and searched the same model in the Open Box section, sorted by lowest price and found three cheaper deals that would save me $275 to $295.
Searching for valid coupons
There are a lot of coupons on Amazon right now during those Labor Day sales. I wanted to see if ChatGPT or any custom GPT could aggregate valid, current coupons. I have a few items to buy on Amazon, so I asked ChatGPT how to save money on my next order. It told me about Amazon's coupons page, as well as a browser extension to automatically apply coupons at checkout.
I saw the teeth whitener I like in the coupons page, so I used that to test if it works. It did!
Next, I gave ChatGPT's second suggestion, the PayPal Honey browser extension, a trial run.
I installed Honey and made an account. I picked a brand I shop at (Madewell) and searched for coupons.
I activated the rewards, then it directed me to the Madewell website. I had my eye on a linen dress and although the product didn't have any working codes, I was eligible for 4% cashback.
I tried it again, this time with Adidas sneakers. I saw a coupon opportunity on Honey, which was applied to my order.
Should you use ChatGPT for online shopping?
ChatGPT pointed me in the right direction in my research and helped me find the best deals online on the products I needed to buy.
There are other ways to use ChatGPT to get the best deals, though: for example, using it to draft scripts or talking points to negotiate a better deal with a service provider. You can also check out CNET's AI Atlas hub for tips on how to save money on grocery costs by using AI and how to save money on your wedding by creating invitations using AI.
While finding deals feels like a heavy lift for AI, if you've got the time and patience, these tools can save you money.