Quick Definition:
ChatGPT’s new product recommendation system shows real-time shopping results to users — pulled from the open web and based on AI relevance, not paid ads. If your product isn’t showing up, it’s time to optimize.
ChatGPT Can Now Recommend Your Products
OpenAI has rolled out product recommendations inside ChatGPT. Ask it something like “best budget air purifiers” or “fun gifts for dog lovers” and you might see a product carousel with images, prices, and direct links to purchase.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s live for most users right now. Read OpenAI’s official launch.
What Triggers Product Results?
When ChatGPT detects shopping intent in a query, it surfaces relevant products based on:
- Structured metadata (price, title, rating, etc.)
- Third-party feeds and product databases
- Query context like preferences or budget
- Publicly available pages that describe the product clearly
OpenAI explains the selection process here.
Important: These Are Not Ads
No one is paying to be shown in ChatGPT’s shopping carousels (yet). This is organic discovery driven by AI. Which means any merchant — including you — can appear… or be invisible.
Why Your Product Might Not Be Showing Up
Let’s say someone searches “best white noise machines under $50” and your product doesn’t appear. Here are the likely reasons:
- You blocked OpenAI’s crawler
OAI-SearchBotinrobots.txt - Your product metadata is missing or incomplete
- Your page lacks structured schema (like
Product,Offer,Review) - Your product title or description isn’t clear enough for AI to understand it
How to Make Your Products Discoverable in ChatGPT
- Allow crawling: Your robots.txt must permit
OAI-SearchBotto access your pages. - Add structured schema: Use schema.org’s
ProductandOfferdata. - Optimize product copy for clarity: Avoid jargon. Include who it’s for, what it does, and standout features.
- Include real reviews and ratings: These help ChatGPT generate summaries and rankings.
- Track performance: Watch for
utm_source=chatgpt.comin your analytics tools.
Examples of High-Intent Prompts
- “Best heated mugs for coffee lovers”
- “Noise-cancelling earbuds under $150”
- “Eco-friendly gifts for new parents”
If your product could be the answer, your page needs to look like an answer.
FAQ
How does ChatGPT choose which products to show?
ChatGPT uses structured metadata, pricing, reviews, and user query context to select relevant products. It does not use paid ads — selections are made independently by the AI model.
Can small or indie brands appear in ChatGPT results?
Yes. If your product pages are crawlable and well-structured, even small or niche brands can appear in ChatGPT recommendations.
Is this part of ChatGPT Plus?
Product results are available to all users, including free and logged-out users, across GPT-4o and 4o-mini.
Final Thoughts
AI discovery is no longer theoretical — it’s already influencing shopping decisions. The brands that adapt their product pages for ChatGPT today are more likely to win attention tomorrow.
Want to see if your products are AI-discoverable?
👉 Get an AEO audit and find out where you stand »