What This Means for Your Brand

Last week I spent an embarrassing amount of time obsessing over finding the perfect desk chair to pair with the Herman Miller desk I snagged (for a steal) on Facebook Marketplace. I went down the rabbit hole – reading online reviews, comparing lumbar support options, watching 20-minute YouTube reviews of chairs I was considering, and letting Instagram feed me ads to open my eyes to brands I hadn’t come across yet. Several hours into my research spiral, I still hadn’t made a decision because every new piece of information sent me searching for more comparisons.

Then I turned to ChatGPT to try out their new shopping feature after stumbling on this article in Wired. I described exactly what I needed: ergonomic support for long workdays, aesthetics that would complement my new MCM desk, and a price point that wouldn’t require a second mortgage.

Within minutes, I had three solid recommendations with clear explanations of why each would work with my specific situation. What had taken me weeks of scattered research was condensed into a focused, personalized shopping guide in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee.

And that, my friends, is why we need to talk about how this technology is going to change the game for your business.

What Is ChatGPT Shopping (And Why Should You Care)?

If you’ve been following marketing trends (or just reading your LinkedIn feed… or simply existing in the world), you know that ChatGPT has been revolutionizing, well, pretty much everything. It’s more exciting than when my college got Facebook the winter of my Freshman year, or when I finally figured out how to do a vlookup. 

ChatGPT’s new shopping feature is essentially an AI-powered shopping assistant built into the search function – it helps users discover, compare, and evaluate products through natural conversation. Think of it as having the world’s most knowledgeable, unbiased personal shopper available 24/7.

For consumers, it’s incredibly convenient. For brands? It’s either a massive opportunity or a serious threat – depending on how quickly you adapt.

Unlike traditional search where you can game the system with the right keywords and ad spend, ChatGPT Shopping is focused on finding truly great products that match specific user needs. This means brands that actually deliver real value have a chance to shine, even against bigger competitors with deeper pockets.

How Consumers Are Using It (And Why That Matters to You)

Having worked with dozens of e-commerce and retail brands, I’ve seen firsthand how consumer behavior shifts can blindside even the most established companies. This one feels different – it’s not just a new channel, it’s a fundamentally different approach to product discovery.

Here’s what makes ChatGPT Shopping so powerful for consumers:

It eliminates decision fatigue. 

Instead of scrolling through endless options, shoppers can describe exactly what they need and get tailored recommendations. And, people tend to trust ChatGPT results, so by the time they go to your site to buy, they are further down their decision funnel than they would be otherwise. 

It provides contextualized comparisons. 

Rather than jumping between tabs to compare features, ChatGPT can instantly highlight differences across multiple products. I saw this in action when helping my husband find a suit for a summer wedding. Instead of his usual “they all look the same to me” frustration, a quick chat with ChatGPT identified three options specifically designed for his body type and the climate.

It offers genuine personalization. 

Through follow-up questions, ChatGPT refines its suggestions based on the user’s specific situation. It’s like the difference between a used car salesperson and a trusted friend who actually listens.

It speaks the language of different categories. 

Whether you’re selling bespoke suits, car accessories or cruelty free skincare, ChatGPT understands the nuances of your industry. It knows the difference between hopsack and seersucker, or between niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.

How Smart Brands Are Leveraging ChatGPT Shopping 

Now for the part you’re probably most interested in – how do you make sure YOUR products show up when people are using ChatGPT Shopping? Based on what we’re seeing work with our clients, here are the strategies that are delivering results:

1. Optimize Your Product Listings for AI Discovery

This goes beyond traditional SEO. ChatGPT Shopping pulls product data from across the web, so you need to ensure your product information is crystal clear, comprehensive, and structured in a way that AI can understand.

A manufacturing client of ours with an ecommerce site recently revised their product descriptions to include more specific technical specifications and use cases. Within weeks, they noticed an uptick in traffic referred from ChatGPT.

Focus on:

• • Clear, benefit-driven titles and descriptions

• • Comprehensive specifications that answer common questions

• • Accurate categorization and attributes

• • Genuine reviews (quality matters more than quantity)

2. Create Content That Genuinely Helps People Make Decisions

Here’s where most brands get it wrong – they create content for search engines, not for human brains with real questions. ChatGPT Shopping tends to surface information from content that actually helps people make informed decisions.

One of our clients with an upscale apparel brand has seen amazing results from their in-depth guides on topics like “How to Choose a Blazer That Actually Fits” and “Why Some Dress Shirts Cost $50 and Others Cost $250.” This kind of genuinely helpful content gets picked up and referenced by ChatGPT because it delivers real value, not just keywords.

Think about questions your customers actually ask:

• • “What’s the best blazer material for summer weddings?”

• • “Is a custom suit worth the extra investment?”

• • “Which watch style works for both business and casual settings?”

When your content truly answers these questions, ChatGPT is more likely to reference your brand as an authority.

3. Build Relationships That Amplify Your Brand

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know… right? There’s some truth to that with ChatGPT Shopping. Being mentioned by reputable sources increases the chances your products will be recommended. (Honestly, there’s a ton of similarities between optimizing for ChatGPT Shopping and SEO best practices. Backlinks = good. The basics are still the basics – but layering on more thoughtful, strategic ChatGPT optimized strategies is the key to breaking through the noise early on)

A skincare brand we work with has invested heavily in relationships with editorial publications, dermatologists and beauty editors. When those experts mention their products in articles or interviews, it significantly boosts the brand’s credibility in ChatGPT responses.

Focus on:

• • Building genuine relationships with industry experts

• • Securing mentions in high-quality review sites

• • Collaborating with content creators who publish helpful, detailed content

4. Double Down on What Makes Your Brand Truly Different

Generic products are going to struggle in the age of AI-powered shopping. If you can’t clearly articulate why your product is different and better for specific needs, neither can ChatGPT.

Have you defined exactly what makes you special in an overcrowded market? Try identifying  three unique aspects of your product that nobody else can claim – and how those distinctions improve the lives of your customers. Feature those prominently on your product listings, content and anywhere it makes sense to not only better inform your potential customers, but make it  much easier for AI to understand and communicate your product’s unique value.

Ask yourself: If all pricing and imagery were removed, would customers still be able to identify why your product is unique?

5. Structured Data Is No Longer Optional

This is the more technical side, but it’s crucial. Implementing proper schema markup on your site helps AI tools like ChatGPT better understand your products and their attributes.

The AI Shopping Arms Race

ChatGPT vs. Google vs. Amazon

While ChatGPT Shopping is making waves, it’s not alone in revolutionizing how people discover products. We’re witnessing a full-blown AI shopping arms race between tech giants, and understanding this bigger picture gives us valuable context for where consumer behavior is heading.

Google’s AI-Powered Shopping Experience

Google has been integrating AI into its shopping experience for years, but they’ve recently accelerated these efforts. Their AI Overview feature now provides shopping recommendations that summarize product options across various categories, similar to ChatGPT Shopping.

However, there’s a critical difference in approach. Google’s shopping results still heavily incorporate sponsored listings and ads, where brands pay for visibility. This creates a fundamentally different discovery dynamic than ChatGPT’s current approach of selecting products without paid placement.

I was comparing laptop recommendations last week, and the contrast was striking. Google’s results featured big-name brands with major ad budgets prominently, while ChatGPT surfaced several excellent mid-range options I hadn’t even heard of that perfectly matched my specific requirements.

Amazon’s RUFUS: The Insider Advantage

Meanwhile, Amazon launched RUFUS, their AI shopping assistant, which operates directly within Amazon’s ecosystem. RUFUS has a massive advantage – access to Amazon’s internal data treasure trove, including purchase history, real customer questions, and detailed product information.

Where RUFUS shines is in helping shoppers navigate Amazon’s seemingly endless catalog more efficiently. What it lacks is the broader web perspective that ChatGPT offers. RUFUS is excellent at helping you find products within Amazon’s walls but won’t tell you if there’s a better option elsewhere.

We’re currency helping one of our clients in the skincare space optimize their Amazon product pages for RUFUS AI and are seeing increased sales for their hero products as well as some less popular ones. The AI does an excellent job explaining complex feature differences that traditional product listings struggle to communicate and when you optimize your content for the AI to digest and recommend, it’s pretty powerful.

What This Means For Your Brand Strategy

This three-way competition between ChatGPT, Google, and Amazon creates both challenges and opportunities for brands:

Multi-platform optimization is more important than ever

You need to ensure your products are discoverable across all these AI shopping assistants, each with different ranking factors and data sources.

The window for early adoption advantage is closing fast 

Many of our clients who moved quickly to optimize for ChatGPT Shopping are seeing disproportionate benefits before competition heats up.

Content strategy requires a more sophisticated approach

The days of creating separate content for SEO, conversion, and brand building are over. AI shopping assistants reward content that seamlessly accomplishes all three.

Third-party validation is essential 

All three platforms incorporate reviews and editorial mentions in their recommendations, making PR and reputation management increasingly important.

D2C brands have a new opportunity. 

Unlike traditional search and marketplace algorithms that favored established players, these AI assistants seem more willing to recommend lesser-known brands if they truly meet user needs.

What I find most fascinating is how each platform’s business model shapes their recommendations. Google needs to balance user experience with ad revenue. Amazon wants to keep users within their ecosystem. ChatGPT currently appears more focused on building user trust with unbiased recommendations (but it will be no surprise when they quickly monetize this functionality.) As these business imperatives evolve, so will their shopping features – creating a constantly shifting landscape that brands must navigate.

The Future Is Conversational (Are You Ready?)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned working with dozens of companies as a Fractional CMO, it’s that the brands that adapt quickly to changing consumer behavior are the ones that thrive. ChatGPT Shopping isn’t just another marketing channel – it represents a fundamental shift in how people discover and evaluate products.

The great news? This shift actually favors brands that create genuinely great products and communicate honestly about them. The era of winning through marketing spend alone is fading. Quality, transparency, and genuine differentiation matter more than ever.

What’s especially interesting about ChatGPT’s approach to shopping is that they’re not using ads or sponsored placements (for now). According to OpenAI, the product recommendations are chosen independently based on relevance and value to the user, not paid placement. The company also confirmed they’re not currently earning affiliate commissions from purchases, though that could change in the future.

For our clients at Plum, we’re already building ChatGPT Shopping optimization into our marketing strategies. We’re seeing early adopters gain significant advantages as they learn what works and what doesn’t in this new landscape.

The future of e-commerce is conversational, and it’s happening faster than most brands realize. The question isn’t whether AI-powered shopping will transform your industry – it’s whether you’ll be ahead of the curve or playing catch-up.