Reddit is testing a new AI-powered shopping experience that turns its popular social recommendations into shoppable product carousels — a move that could change the way the platform monetizes its search traffic.
What’s going on. A small group of US-based users see interactive product carousels appear in search results when their queries reflect a purchase intent — think “best noise-canceling headphones” or “top budget laptops.”
- Carousels sit at the bottom of the search results and include prices, photos and direct links to the seller.
- Products appear from items mentioned in Reddit posts and comments – not just ad listings.
- For consumer electronics inquiries, Reddit also pulls from its Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) partner catalogs.
How does this work. AI identifies purchase intent questions, scans relevant Reddit discussions for product mentions, and compiles them into organized, shoppable cards. Users can tap the card to get more information and connect with sellers.
Why do we care. Reddit’s shopping carousels offer marketers a rare opportunity to reach consumers with high purchase intent — at the time they’re looking for peer validation to make a purchase decision. Unlike regular display ads, the products featured here benefit from the full trust of the Reddit community’s content, making it feel less like ads and more like recommendations.
For companies already using Dynamic Product Ads on Reddit, this is a direct pipeline from social buzz to conversion.
Between the lines. Reddit is doing something its competitors haven’t cracked — it’s using organic, peer-to-peer content as the basis for commercial information instead of pure ad targeting.
That’s a noticeable difference. Consumers are increasingly distrustful of sponsored recommendations, and Reddit’s entire value proposition is built on the authentic voice of the community. Making that official at the purchase layer can give you more credibility than traditional marketing media networks.
Big picture. Marketing media is a fast-growing business, and platforms with high-target audiences are racing to claim their share. Reddit’s search traffic has grown significantly since its partnership with Google search, making this a natural next frontier.
An important point. Reddit is trying to turn purposeful search into commerce, aiming to make it easier for users to move from recommendation to transaction — without leaving the social context that inspires trust.
Celebrate deeply. If You’ve Seen It: We’re Testing a New Product Experience for Shopping in Search
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