LendPro launches ChatGPT plugin for retail financing and lead generation

LendPro has launched a ChatGPT plugin that lets shoppers find participating stores, explore financing, and request a secure application link tied to a specific merchant. The tool also notifies merchants when a customer gets preapproved, giving retailers a faster way to follow up and close sales.

Why it matters: - LendPro is trying to turn AI shopping prompts into financed retail sales. - The plugin gives shoppers a way to move from product search to a financing application without leaving the ChatGPT experience. - Merchants can receive preapproval alerts and respond while purchase intent is still fresh.

What happened: - LendPro announced a ChatGPT plugin that connects shoppers with participating merchants and a secure financing application linked to the selected store. - The company said shoppers can ask ChatGPT where to finance a purchase, find participating retailers, explore financing programs, and request an application link. - LendPro said one application can produce multiple approval opportunities, depending on the store’s provider lineup and each provider’s decision. - When a customer receives a financing preapproval, LendPro notifies the store so associates can follow up and help complete the purchase. - Merchants can review application activity, financing status, and results in one portal.

The details: - Matthew Dishman, president and CEO of LendPro, said retailers need a way to convert AI purchase conversations into sales opportunities. - The plugin expands LendPro beyond SaaS into merchant lead generation. - The workflow connects retailer discovery, financing applications, provider decisions, store notifications, and follow-up tools. - Customers can explore potential buying power before visiting a store or completing an online purchase. - Merchants can engage shoppers whose purchase interest is supported by a financing decision. - The plugin builds on LendPro’s existing lender integrations and each store’s configured financing programs. - Participating merchants get a new acquisition channel through shoppers asking ChatGPT where to buy and finance a purchase. - Participating merchants can engage customers earlier, before store visits or checkout. - Participating merchants can connect shoppers with configured providers through one application. - Participating merchants can use consent-based follow-up tools to encourage application completion and purchases. - LendPro said shoppers can select the plugin in ChatGPT, describe the purchase and location, review participating stores and programs, choose a store, and request a secure application link. - Personal application information is entered on LendPro’s secure site, not in the chat.

Between the lines: - LendPro is aligning its product with a broader shift toward AI-assisted shopping. - The company is betting that financing information will be a key conversion lever when shoppers start their search in ChatGPT. - Adobe reported that AI referred traffic to U.S. retail websites grew 71% year over year in September 2026, with those visits converting at a 90% higher rate and generating 83% higher revenue per visit than non-AI traffic. - Those Adobe figures reflect Adobe’s broader retail dataset, not LendPro results. - Dishman said conversion depends on financing intelligence when agentic commerce creates intent.

What's next: - Retailers can request a demonstration at MyLendPro.com. - Shoppers can select LendPro in ChatGPT or visit MyLendPro.com/shoppers. - LendPro said the tool is designed to keep extending merchant engagement from discovery to application completion and purchase.

The bottom line: - LendPro is using ChatGPT as a front door for retail financing, then routing preapproved shoppers back to merchants who can close the sale.