Reddit is expanding its e-commerce capabilities by testing an AI-powered search feature that converts community recommendations into shoppable results. The test is currently limited to a subset of users in the United States and is designed to connect discussion activity with purchase behavior.

When participating users search for queries such as best noise-canceling headphones or electronic gift ideas for a college student, the results page includes an interactive product carousel. This carousel presents product images, prices, and direct purchase links sourced from Reddit’s shopping and advertising partners.

The distinguishing element of this system is how products are selected. Instead of relying primarily on conventional ad targeting or static product catalogs, Reddit’s AI analyzes conversations across relevant subreddits to identify products that users have mentioned and positively referenced. These items are then ranked and displayed in the carousel as recommended options.

Selecting a product in the carousel opens a more detailed view within Reddit before redirecting the user to the retailer’s website to complete the transaction. The stated objective is to preserve the role of community input while reducing friction between reading recommendations and making purchases.

This experiment extends Reddit’s previous work with Dynamic Product Ads, which deliver personalized product suggestions based on user interests and on-platform activity. In combination, these initiatives indicate a broader strategy to monetize Reddit’s large volume of product-related discussions by layering commerce functionality on top of existing content.

Reddit’s move occurs in a competitive environment. Other social platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, have already integrated shopping features into their user experiences, and AI-based commerce tools are becoming more common across the technology sector. Chat-based assistants are increasingly managing product discovery and checkout within conversational interfaces, reducing the separation between search, recommendation, and transaction.

Reddit’s strategic assumption is that AI-enhanced search and shopping tools can generate additional revenue while remaining acceptable to its user base, which is known for strong opinions about platform changes. The company has reported growth in search usage and in its AI-powered Reddit Answers feature, indicating that users are adopting tools that provide more direct, actionable outputs rather than only open-ended discussion.

The current test phase will determine the scope and pace of a broader rollout. Reddit plans to adjust the feature based on observed user behavior and explicit feedback, with the aim of systematically converting community-generated product insights into a structured, shoppable interface.