Not on Shopify? ChatGPT shoppers may never find you

Not on Shopify? ChatGPT shoppers may never find you
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OpenAI is creating tools that will connect ChatGPT to Shopify’s checkout, so consumers can buy products straight from the chatbot. Shoppers can ask for specific recommendations, like “iPhone 16 phone case under 20$,” to get instant, hand-picked results instead of endless ads and links.

According to Adobe’s March 2025 report, 39% of US consumers have already used AI for shopping, while 53% are planning to do it this year. Shopify is getting ahead of the curve and is one of the first eCommerce platforms to fully integrate with ChatGPT’s Shopping experience.

If your business is not yet on Shopify, you may be missing out on important sales opportunities. Read to learn how ChatGPT shopping is revolutionizing eCommerce, and how Shopify helps you become visible to the next generation of generative AI buyers.

The consumer switch to ChatGPT

With the development of ChatGPT Shopping, consumers are starting to leverage the AI tool to get specific product recommendations. According to a report by Capgemini, 64% of consumers are open to buying products or services recommended by AI.

With traditional search engines, consumers would look for general products based on keywords, like:

Water bottles for hiking

Meanwhile, AI enables users to be as specific as they need to, for example:

Water bottles for hiking under 30$.”

As shown below, generative AI, like the ChatGPT Shopping functionality, returns exact results based on the request – no options higher than 30$.

ChatGPT Shopping recommendations

Consumers don’t have to browse through search engines looking for the best item for their needs. AI helps cut through the noise and find specific products faster.

How Shopify is redefining eCommerce with AI

Shopify is leveraging innovation and is starting to move towards an AI-first approach. Researchers found Shopify code strings in ChatGPT’s public web bundle, revealing that the platform is integrating with ChatGPT to improve the consumer shopping experience.

For Shopify merchants, this will create a competitive advantage. Here are the main benefits they will get:

  • Appearing in product listings on ChatGPT Shopping
  • Real-time inventory syncing (ensures that ChatGPT Shopping always shows up-to-date information about your products)
  • Direct Shopify checkout (users will be able to complete the purchase from the chatbot)
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If you’re not on Shopify, you still have a chance at appearing in ChatGPT Shopping, but it will take longer for product data to update and it won’t create a seamless user experience with direct checkout.

The future of search is generative

Traditional search relies on SEO and keyword optimization to rank high in search engines. Although it’s not leaving the field, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is what merchants should start focusing on. 

Generative AI platforms rely on content interpretation and its clarity, relevance, and freshness. It doesn’t return hundreds of links – AI provides a few recommendations based on context.

Research is already showing the growing importance of generative AI. An Adobe report found that generative AI conversion rates are growing. In July 2024, AI sources were 43% less likely to convert compared to non-AI traffic sources, while in February 2025, the difference was already only 9%.

Monthly AI vs non-AI conversions

The data reveals that generative AI shopping is the new way to go. And starting to prepare early will help you get into more product listings in the long run.

How to get your store noticed by ChatGPT and other AI models

Generative AI tools use structured data and content analysis to understand your products and potentially list them in recommendations. Let’s review the tips and tricks to get your business noticed by ChatGPT Shopping and other AI tools.

Step 1: Migrate to Shopify

Shopify is currently the first eCommerce platform moving towards an AI-first approach and integrating with OpenAI directly. If you’re not on Shopify, you’re not gaining a competitive advantage.

So, if you decide to switch to one of Shopify’s plans, you can follow the Shopify migration guide.

To help you decide about the right choice for your business, you can leverage Shopify’s free trial for 3 days and get 3 months for just $1/month.

Step 2: Create clear structured data

AI tools leverage structured data to comprehend your product information, so you must ensure it’s always up to date. Structured data is a standardized format used to present information about web pages and their content, usually through a schema markup (code).

If you’re a Shopify user, you can follow the Shopify structured data guide to learn how to do it either automatically or manually.

But if you’re not familiar with coding, the easiest way to add structured data to Shopify is by using the TinyIMG app. It adds Product, Collection, Article, Breadcrumb, and Local business schemas as soon as you enable theme extensions in one click. Other information, like shipping, returns, and business details, can be added without any technical knowledge.

Step 3: Optimize your products

ChatGPT and other AI tools don’t just view your content as a natural person would – they review the most important data in your store, including SEO aspects like metadata. Here’s what you should focus on optimizing:

  • Meta titles and meta descriptions – include main keywords in the metadata and ensure they’re engaging. Meta titles should be up to 60 characters long, while meta descriptions should be up to 160 characters.
  • Product descriptions – regularly review each product’s information and its descriptions to ensure up-to-date information. Make sure you provide features but also focus on benefits for the user.
  • Image alt texts – create short alternative texts for your images that clearly explain what your image is about. For example, if you’re selling shoes, be descriptive about the item’s image, like “black Converse sneakers with a high platform.

If you’re using Shopify and have dozens of products, you can bulk edit metadata and alt texts or generate AI product descriptions using TinyIMG.

Step 4: Add customer reviews and ratings

Some generative AI tools, including ChatGPT Shopping, use customer reviews to generate summaries about the product and provide ratings. So, it’s useful to get a Shopify product review app, like Stamped or Judge.me, to easily gather feedback.

Step 5: Track AI traffic

Make sure you track AI-driven traffic to better understand what’s working and what isn’t. To review traffic from AI tools, you can use Google Analytics 4. 

  1. Open Google Analytics and head to Admin.
  2. Go to Channel groups > create a new channel group or open the default one and add your AI traffic tool source and conditions.
  3. Reorder AI tool channel to be above the Referral channel.
  4. Now, head to the Engagement > Landing pages and customize the report.
  5. Press “Add filter” and insert your AI traffic source as a dimension and set match type as “exactly matches.”
  6. Add channel group details – insert channel condition as “Source” and “exactly matches”, while value should be your AI tool channel. Save.

That’s it. You can also watch this guide on how to track AI overviews to get some advanced insights. This will help you monitor how your content performs, helping you test different content techniques.

How TinyIMG can help you appear in ChatGPT Shopping

Preparing for the Shopify and ChatGPT Shopping integration involves preparing your product feed with structured data and optimizing your product pages. Most of it can be automated with an all-in-one SEO and image optimization app – TinyIMG. Here’s what it has to offer:

  • Automatically add structured data
  • Optimize metadata in bulk or with AI
  • Generate product descriptions with AI
  • Bulk edit image alt texts
  • Compress images in one click to keep page load times low

Final thoughts

Shopify is shifting towards AI-powered eCommerce, ensuring merchants stay ahead of the game. With its integration with ChatGPT Shopping and direct checkout, Shopify is making it easier for your business to get discovered in AI-powered product listings.

As generative AI shopping is on the rise, it’s never too early to start preparing your store for product discovery. Making a switch to Shopify is a strategic move for merchants focused on sales, especially combined with structured data automation apps like TinyIMG.

The eCommerce landscape is changing fast. Make sure your business doesn’t miss the opportunity to be discovered by AI-first shoppers.

About the author
Kristina Jaruseviciute
Kristina is a Senior Writer at TinyIMG responsible for informing and educating readers on all things Shopify-related. In her writings, she covers a broad range of topics, from the best apps and themes for Shopify merchants to tips on how to optimize your website for SEO, performance, and higher conversion rates.