What marketers need to know about Shopping in ChatGPT

The rise of ChatGPT Shopping and what it means for your business

Like many fellow industry peers, I’ve spent quite some time lately thinking about the future of e-commerce and what’s expected of us to stay ahead of the curve. One current development that’s caught my attention is the improved Shopping Results from ChatGPT Search—meaning that ChatGPT, in many ways, is quickly evolving into a top competitor to Google Search and Shopping.

Discover a new frontier in e-commerce

The newly launched opportunity to share products with ChatGPT is opening up a new frontier in e-commerce. With the ability to access real-time product feeds, consumers can now ask ChatGPT for tailored recommendations and receive up-to-date product suggestions, prices, and even direct purchase links—all within a single chat interface.

As AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT become more integrated into daily life, we need to start
viewing them as a significant new touchpoint in the customer journey. Unlike traditional channels, ChatGPT offers a highly interactive and personalized experience, meeting customers at the very moment they’re seeking inspiration, advice, or solutions.

Having a search engine and a trusted advisor at your fingertips

AI acts as both a discovery engine and a trusted advisor, guiding users from initial curiosity to informed consideration—sometimes even all the way to purchase. This means that ChatGPT isn’t just another marketing channel; it’s a dynamic, conversational interface where brand impressions are formed, preferences are shaped, and purchase decisions can be influenced in real-time. For marketers, this represents a unique opportunity to engage with customers earlier and more meaningfully in their decision-making process.

Structure your data to stay visible

We’re used to optimizing for search engines and marketplaces. But as the game changes, the quality, structure, and freshness of our product data become paramount. AI platforms need clear, structured information to understand and recommend our products. Paid search and shopping aren’t going away, but the rise of AI-powered shopping assistants like ChatGPT is changing the rules of the game. The brands that succeed will be those who adapt early—ensuring their products are discoverable, relevant, and compelling in this new era of conversational commerce.

Three Ways to Connect Your Product Feeds to Large Language Models

For businesses looking to capitalize on this emerging opportunity, there are three primary methods to ensure your products are discoverable through ChatGPT and similar platforms:

1. Integrations and Plugins

Platforms like OpenAI now support plugins that allow e-commerce sites to connect their product catalogs directly to ChatGPT. Major players like Instacart, Shopify, and Klarna are already leveraging this capability, enabling users to shop directly through chat interfaces.

These integrations create a seamless experience where consumers can discover products, compare options, and even complete purchases without ever leaving the conversation.

2. APIs

If you have a product feed available via an API (for example, through Google Merchant Center or Shopify), large language models or their plugins can fetch real-time product data. This ensures that when consumers ask about your products, they receive the most current information on pricing, availability, and specifications.

API connections also allow for dynamic updates, ensuring that as your inventory or pricing changes, the information presented through AI platforms remains accurate.

3. Structured Data

Some large language models can read structured data from your website (like product schema) or ingest feeds in formats like XML, CSV, or JSON. Implementing proper schema markup on your product pages helps AI platforms understand and accurately represent your offerings.

This approach is particularly important for businesses that may not have the resources to develop custom integrations or API connections.

How ChatGPT shopping changes your digital strategy

As AI-powered shopping assistants gain prominence, several key considerations emerge for businesses looking to adapt:

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

AEO is the emerging term for optimizing AI-driven search and conversational platforms. It’s a natural evolution of SEO for the age of large language models and AI assistants.

As with traditional SEO, a well-structured website with clear navigation and comprehensive schema markup is essential to help AI platforms accurately interpret and present your products. However, AEO goes beyond traditional optimization to focus on how information is structured to answer specific questions in a conversational context.

Product Data Quality

High-quality, up-to-date product data—including detailed descriptions, accurate pricing, and rich imagery—is critical for success in AI-powered shopping experiences. Well-maintained product feeds ensure your offerings are discoverable, relevant, and compelling when presented through conversational interfaces.

The brands that succeed will be those who adapt early—ensuring their products are discoverable, relevant, and compelling in this new era of conversational commerce.

Conversational Commerce Strategy

Shopping is becoming more interactive and personalized, with AI assistants guiding users through their purchase journey. This shift requires businesses to think about how their products are presented in a dialogue rather than a traditional search results page.

Developing a conversational commerce strategy means considering how your products solve specific customer problems and how they can be naturally recommended in response to various customer inquiries.

Adapt early to stay relevant

Shopping remains closely connected to both paid- and organic search, but the rise of AI-powered shopping assistants like ChatGPT is changing the rules of the game. The brands that succeed will be those who adapt early—ensuring their products are discoverable, relevant, and compelling in this new era of conversational commerce.

Embracing the Future of Digital Commerce

The rise of ChatGPT as a shopping portal is transforming the e-commerce landscape. While paid search and shopping aren’t going away, AI-powered shopping assistants are changing the rules of the game.
For forward-thinking businesses, this represents an opportunity to engage with customers earlier and more meaningfully in their decision-making process. By ensuring your products are discoverable and compelling in conversational interfaces, you can position your brand at the forefront of this next evolution in digital commerce.

Let’s keep this development on our radar and start preparing for the next wave of digital commerce—one where conversations, not keywords, drive discovery and purchase decisions.

 

About the author

Christofer Madsen Hennius is an Expert in paid media within Curamando’s Traffic & Acquisition team, with cross-industry expertise and experience from his background in ecom, finance, and IT sectors.

Get in touch!

A man in his thirties wearing a well-fitted suit stands in front of a luxury watch store display, using ChatGPT on his smartphone to assist with shopping.

What marketers need to know about Shopping in ChatGPT

The rise of ChatGPT Shopping and what it means for your business Like many fellow industry peers, I’ve spent quite some time lately thinking about the future of e-commerce and what’s expected of us to stay ahead of the curve. One current development that’s caught my attention is the improved Shopping Results from ChatGPT Search—meaning […]

Read more
Laptop showing a website optimized for download the app. Next to the laptop there is a smartphone showing the app.

Business & Sales Channel Strategy, Marketing & Customer Acquisition

Increase App Downloads: ASO & Website Cross-Promotion

Maximize Your App’s Visibility: The Power of Cross-Promotion Through Your Website App Store Optimization (ASO) is essential for driving downloads and visibility in app stores. However, to truly accelerate growth and brand awareness, companies need to look beyond the app stores themselves. Leveraging your website as a cross-promotion engine is a game-changer for any business […]

Read more

Contact us