How ChatGPT Selects and Displays Shopping Results: What Marketers Should Know

As generative AI becomes a more prominent player in product discovery, it’s important for advertisers and brands to understand how platforms like ChatGPT curate and display shopping content known as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). GEO is a new approach to optimizing content for search engines, particularly in the context of the evolving digital landscape influenced by generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft's AI-integrated Bing. ChatGPT detects shopping intent in a user’s query, it selects and ranks product results through a multi-step process designed to match user needs with relevant offerings. Here’s how it works:

⸻

1. Understanding User Intent

ChatGPT begins by interpreting the user’s query and any contextual signals. This includes:

• Search intent: For example, a query like “funny grinch costumes” triggers results tailored to humor and grinch like apparel.

• Stored preferences: If a user has previously expressed dislikes (e.g., “no monsters”), that context may be remembered.

• Custom instructions: Users who set preferences like “show me budget options” may see lower-priced items prioritized.

⸻

2. Product Selection Based on Structured Data

Product results are filtered through third-party metadata, such as:

• Price

• Descriptions

• Customer reviews

This data is supplemented with model-generated reasoning, where ChatGPT interprets which product attributes—like affordability, quality, or design—are most relevant to the user’s intent.

⸻

3. Relevance Filtering and Personalization

Products are selected not just by relevance to the query, but by inferred priorities:

• If a user mentions a price point, that becomes the dominant sorting factor.

• In the absence of pricing cues, other traits like popularity, quality, or design may influence the ranking.

⸻

4. Safety and Compliance Standards

OpenAI applies internal safety filters to ensure recommended products meet basic trust and safety guidelines. Potentially unsafe or inappropriate products are excluded.

⸻

5. Product Display and Ranking

Results are presented in visual carousels within the chat interface. Each listing typically includes:

• A product image

• A simplified, AI-generated title and description

• The listed price (from the first merchant shown)

• A direct link to the product page

AI-generated labels—such as “Budget-Friendly” or “Most Popular”—may also be applied based on review sentiment or price mentions. However, these labels are not verified and may not reflect all available data.

Some products include model-generated summaries of customer reviews, highlighting key pros and cons. Star ratings and review counts may also be shown, pulled from third-party sources, though they are not verified by OpenAI.

⸻

6. Price and Merchant Information

• The price shown typically reflects the first merchant’s offer—it may not be the lowest or most recent.

• Additional pricing options may appear when a user clicks through to a product.

• Merchant data is supplied via third-party providers; OpenAI does not accept direct product feeds.

• Merchant rankings are determined by these third-party sources—not by OpenAI—and are not adjusted based on factors like price, shipping speed, or return policy.

A ChatGPT query for televisions larger than 60” under $1,000 USD.

⸻

7. Limitations and Implications for Brands

While ChatGPT is not a shopping engine in the traditional sense, it is becoming a significant player in product discovery. There are limitations—product coverage may be incomplete, prices may lag, and listings may omit relevant options. But even with these constraints, ChatGPT is beginning to influence purchase decisions for millions of users.

⸻

Why This Matters for Advertisers

As conversational AI platforms evolve, so too does the way consumers interact with product discovery. For brands, understanding how ChatGPT surfaces and ranks product listings will be key to future-proofing digital strategy. Although it doesn’t currently accept ads or direct listings, optimizing your metadata, ensuring strong third-party reviews, and providing accurate product details will increase the odds of being featured.

The future of search is not just about keywords—it’s about context, conversation, and relevance. ChatGPT is already helping shape that future. Need assistance? Contact us via help@commercecanal.com.