Reddit Experiments With AI Shopping Search Feature

Reddit is piloting an AI-driven shopping product experience in search to show interactive product listings to a portion of U.S. users. 

Reddit has begun testing a new AI-powered search feature that displays interactive product carousels within search results for select U.S. users, combining community-sourced recommendations with retailer links and details. 

Reddit said in a February 19 announcement that it is experimenting with what it described as a “new shopping product experience” that integrates product information directly into the platform’s search interface. The company said the feature is designed to turn community recommendations and product discussion into actionable results by leveraging product catalogs from select Shopping and Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) partners. 

According to Reddit, when users in the test group enter shopping-related queries such as asking for the “best noise-canceling headphones” or “electronic gift ideas for a college student” they may see a carousel of products appear at the bottom of their search results. These interactive carousels include pricing, images and direct where-to-buy links for products. 

The feature is framed as an extension of Reddit’s community-centric content. Instead of solely relying on traditional advertisements, the search experience is built on products that have been mentioned directly in Reddit posts and comments. In the initial stage of testing, the company said that queries pertaining to consumer electronics will also include products drawn from catalogs of selected DPA partners. 

In statements accompanying the launch, Reddit said that the goal of the test is to make search easier “while keeping community perspectives at the center of the experience,” and that the company will refine the tool based on user behavior. 

The launch test reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to expand its monetization capabilities through e-commerce linked products and ads. Reddit launched Dynamic Product Ads in 2025, an offering that automatically populates ad content with products from advertiser catalogs based on on-platform engagement and conversation context. Analysts noted that these DPA units use Reddit’s proprietary insights to match relevant products to audiences. 

We have it on good authority that the new search experience features mechanics involving AI identifying purchase-intent queries, scanning related discussions for product names, and assembling them into structured, shoppable cards. Users can tap individual items to get further details or proceed to external retail sites for purchases.

The experiment comes amid broader trends in technology where major platforms are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence and e-commerce features into search and social environments. Competing tech firms have also introduced AI-enhanced shopping experiences that embed product listings and purchase options within conversational interfaces or search tools. 

Reddit’s announcement did not specify when or whether the feature will be broadly released beyond the test cohort, and the company framed the rollout as an initial experiment whose design and reach may evolve based on usage data and feedback.