🍳 AI Recipe: Shop Smarter
Research what to buy (without endless tabs) by using Perplexity's "Shop Like a Pro"
📣 Quick Update
I’m hosting Cooking with AI (Live!) — a walkthrough of all four AI recipes published in March:
✅ Keeping up with industry trends using ChatGPT Tasks
✅ Effortless meeting prep with Deep Research
✅ Daily mind dump for mental clarity using NotebookLM
✅ Upgrading your Zoom background with ChatGPT image generation
Come see how each one works in practice and get ideas for how to fit them into your own workflow.
Anyone can attend live for free, and paid subscribers will receive the full recording.
Hope to see you there!
Tired of spending an hour researching what to buy only to end up with 15 open tabs and no clear answer? With Perplexity’s “Shop Like a Pro” features, you can get trusted recommendations, compare options, and dig into real-world reviews, all in one tab. Whether you're shopping for a new standing desk or looking for a gift, Perplexity helps you shop smarter.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
A Perplexity account (free or paid)
A clear idea of what you’re shopping for
Optional: Follow-up questions you'd usually Google (ex. budget or must-haves)
Instructions:
Start with a broad query. Go to Perplexity.ai and enter a prompt like:
Best standing desks for home office under $5002. Skim the summary and source links. Perplexity pulls from real product reviews, Reddit threads, blog posts, and comparison sites—so you’re not relying on a single opinion.
3. Ask smart follow-ups to get tailored insights. This is where the magic happens. Ask things like:
Which of these are easiest to assemble?
What do people say about long-term durability?
Are any of these known for being wobbly?
4. Get a personalized recommendation. You can be specific. Try:
I’m 6’2”, mostly using a laptop. I need something stable and ergonomic with good cable management.
Perplexity will use your context and its source knowledge to offer a recommendation that feels surprisingly spot-on.
The content below is usually reserved for paid subscribers, but for a limited time, it's open to everyone. Enjoy the full experience and consider upgrading to a paid subscription to support this newsletter and gain exclusive perks!
Serving Suggestions:
🧠 Tech gear: “Best ergonomic keyboards for writers who type all day”
🏡 Home office upgrades: “Best desk chairs for small spaces with back support”
🧰 AI or SaaS tools: “Best CRM for solo consultants who hate admin work”
🎁 Gift ideas: “Best gifts for new parents who love coffee”
📚 Courses or certifications: “Best intro UX design courses for beginners”
Chef’s Insights: Pro Tips & Limitations
Pro Tips:
Use Follow-Up Mode like a conversation (it remembers your context)
Want more nuance? Ask it for pros and cons, or what trade-offs you should consider. Or add “vs.” in your initial prompt to pull in user opinions on comparisons.
Use Advanced Search Modifiers to refine your results:
site:limits results to a specific website (e.g.,site:reddit.com)before:andafter:restrict results to a specific time frame (e.g.,after:2024-01-01)
Create a space specifically for shopping and add custom instructions to stop repeating yourself.
Here’s an example of custom instructions you might use:
Prioritize product recommendations based on value for money and user ratings. Include comparisons between similar items, highlighting key differences in features and pricing. Provide information on shipping options, return policies, and any current promotions or discounts. When possible, suggest eco-friendly alternatives.Try Snap to Shop (Pro users only): Upload a photo of an item and Perplexity will identify it and recommend matching products. Perfect for visual shoppers or when you don’t know the name of what you want.
Use Buy with Pro for one-click checkout (Pro users only): Skip the tab-hopping and buy directly from within Perplexity with saved payment details and free shipping included
Limitations to Keep in Mind:
While you can use Perplexity without creating an account, you won’t be able to save searches
The free account version limits Pro Searches to 5 per day and uses the standard AI model. The Pro subscription allows 300+ Pro Searches daily and access to more advanced AI models.
Occasionally it may surface outdated links. Always double-check release dates.
Like any AI, the quality improves with better follow-up questions
User Reviews:
Have you used Perplexity for shopping? Reply to this post and let us know what it recommended and what you ended up choosing!