2025 Black Friday AI Survival Guide

🕓 Read time: ~3 min

Black Friday is almost here, and if you're anything like me, you're already bracing for the avalanche of "deals" that may or may not actually be deals. And you know this deal-frenzy is likely going to continue until Christmas.

Don't worry, I won't bombard you with yet another Black Friday promotion. Instead, let me share something genuinely useful: a way to use AI to cut through the noise, compare products intelligently, and maybe even find a legitimately good deal.

This week, ChatGPT quietly rolled out a new feature called Shopping Research.I ran two quick tests, both on products I've had an eye on for a while. That way I was able to quickly see if it's a useful feature.

My verdict: not bad at all. That said, I would welcome certain improvements, especially when it comes to the depth of vendors included in the research.

Anyway, let me walk you through how it works, and more importantly, how to use it well.

🛍️ Hands-On Mini-Guide: Using ChatGPT's Shopping Research Mode

Step 1: Start the conversation (don't dump everything upfront)

Open ChatGPT and select the Shopping Research mode. Where do you find it? Click the little "+". sign in your chat window (the same place you'd find Deep Research or Agent Mode). Select Shopping Research.

Don't try to write the perfect prompt. Just tell it what you're looking for in simple terms.

Example: "I'm looking for noise-canceling headphones for travel."

Step 2: Let it ask you questions

This is where it gets interesting. Instead of spitting out a list, it will ask you clarifying questions: budget, preferences, must-haves, deal-breakers. Answer them honestly. And if a proposed feature doesn't matter, select "skip".

Step 3: Review its suggestions critically

It will give you structured reviews, including prices and availability across different websites. Read through them. Does anything feel off? Missing? Not quite right?

For example, I live in Switzerland, a small market outside the EU. Many EU vendors offer free shipping and handle import duties, but ChatGPT's Shopping Research initially only checked Swiss vendors. Once I told it to expand its search and only suggest options with free shipping and import formalities handled, it adjusted perfectly

Step 4: Give feedback and refine

I tested it with a tricky case on purpose (a MacBook Pro with very specific specs). I pretty much knew it wasn't going to be easy to find exactly what I was after, unless I was willing to wait a couple of weeks or even months. 

And this is where Shopping Research actually impressed me. It told me that what I was after is currently out of stock and likely won't be available until next year. Ok, I actually knew that. But then it presented me with alternative specs and neatly listed the pros and cons of each. That way, I was able to reassess my specs and define my non-negotiables. 

Step 5: Iterate until you're confident

Keep refining. Ask follow-up questions. Challenge its assumptions. The more you engage, the better it gets.

I ended up with a shortlist I actually trusted. Why? Because I treated it like a research partner, not a silver bullet.

A final thought:

Shopping Research is a solid feature already. If it keeps improving, and it certainly will, it is going to pose a serious threat to all those price comparison portals and browser plugins out there. 

Have fun experimenting,
Elena