OpenAI recently rolled out shopping features directly inside ChatGPT Search. Ask about “the best running shoes for flat feet” or “gifts for a coffee snob,” and you’ll get product carousels with images, prices, reviews and direct links to buy – all without leaving the chat window. The rollout will begin in the US, initially from Etsy sellers, with Shopify integration to follow soon.
These aren’t paid ads (yet!) – the recommendations will come from structured data pulled from third-party sources and merchant feeds. If you’re selling online, this is a big shift in how customers will discover your products, evaluate their options, and buy products online.
How AI Search Changes eCommerce Discovery
ChatGPT is no longer a passive assistant; it’s stepping into the shoes of a shopping channel. What starts as “help me plan a dinner party” naturally becomes “what wine should I serve?” and then “where can I buy it?” For brands, this means search and SEO won’t live only on Google or your website, and the impact could be significant.
As more users turn to ChatGPT to compare products, check prices, and complete purchases (without ever visiting a website), we can expect to see declines in organic impressions, website traffic, and revenue from search. PPC might take a hit too. If browsing happens within ChatGPT’s ecosystem rather than Google (bypassing traditional search results), paid ads might not be seen.
While AI search is gaining traction, it’s not replacing traditional search engines anytime soon. Google searches grew 21.64% in 2024, and Google handled 373 times more searches than ChatGPT. Rather than choosing between SEO and AI optimisation, a cohesive strategy that strengthens visibility across Google and emerging AI platforms will ensure your business stays discoverable, whatever the future of search looks like.
How ChatGPT Selects Product Results
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT will consider user intent and context from the current conversation, as well as past preferences stored in memory (if it’s enabled), and custom instructions like “I prefer sustainable brands”. ChatGPT will also try to match the user’s needs, such as whether they’ve specified a budget or are only interested in products with a 4- or 5-star rating. To surface your product, ChatGPT will rely on product metadata from third-party providers, including product descriptions, price, reviews, and availability.
If your site isn’t optimised for AI indexing and structured product data, you risk losing visibility as more people shop directly through ChatGPT. ChatGPT processes millions of queries daily, so this is a growing share of the market you don’t want to miss out on. Google is already testing similar AI-driven search experiences via Gemini and AI Mode, suggesting this trend will quickly expand.
The Impact on SEO, PPC, and Search Optimisation
Traditional search isn’t going anywhere overnight, but the landscape is shifting…
- ChatGPT relies on clean, detailed product metadata – titles, descriptions, pricing, images, reviews, and availability. If your schema markup is sloppy or missing, you’re unlikely to surface in AI-driven recommendations.
- Product descriptions will need rethinking. AI interprets natural language differently than keyword-focused search algorithms. Descriptions should clearly explain who the product is for, what problem it solves, and why someone would choose it over alternatives.
- Paid ads will still drive immediate visibility, but AI search operates differently. You can’t bid for visibility in AI-recommended results – you will need to optimise through better data.
- Reviews will likely become more valuable. ChatGPT generates summaries highlighting common likes and dislikes. Authentic, detailed reviews will help the AI understand what makes your product worth recommending.
- OpenAI doesn’t accept direct feeds, so your visibility depends on the quality of metadata supplied to their sources. Merchants using Shopify or Etsy automatically qualify for ChatGPT’s shopping features. Others can apply through ChatGPT’s Merchant Programme. The key is to act early.
Optimising for AI-Powered Shopping
Structured data and product-level optimisation will be business-critical in the coming months, ensuring AI systems can understand, index, and recommend your products in chat-based shopping results. This isn’t a reason to panic; it’s an opportunity to leap ahead. Here’s where to start:
- Ensure your site follows OpenAI’s schema and product visibility guidelines.
- Make sure you’re not accidentally blocking OpenAI’s crawler via your robots.txt or site settings.
- Focus on the fundamentals: clear product information and detailed product listings.
The Last Word
The future of product discovery is shifting, but these improvements will pay dividends beyond AI visibility. Better-structured product information will support your organic performance and future-proof your site for the next era of search. At Herdl, we’re helping clients audit their structured data, improve product content and prepare for a world where shopping happens inside conversations, as well as via search results pages. If you’re worried about how AI might surface (or bury) your products, get in touch to chat about how we can help.