By Celia Harding 

OpenAI has just enabled shopping within ChatGPT. US customers can now purchase from Etsy through Stripe-powered Instant Checkout, with Shopify merchants coming next. A merchant ranking system decides which products surface in AI answers. Global expansion is imminent, but most marketers are woefully unprepared.

The answer economy: AI-driven commerce replaces traditional search

ChatGPT shopping marks the transition from search-based commerce to what I call the “answer economy” – where AI agents curate product recommendations within conversational responses. Research shows AI-referred customers deliver between 4.4 and 23 times higher value than organic search traffic, as users increasingly trust their guidance. 

In Australia, ChatGPT commands 85 percent of the AI chatbot market share, making this immediately relevant for local e-commerce brands.

How ChatGPT shopping changes competitive dynamics

ChatGPT typically surfaces three to seven product recommendations per query. This becomes your new competitive set, regardless of traditional category definitions.

Example: A query for “eco-friendly activewear under $100” may surface your established brand alongside unknown DTC startups, all evaluated by the same AI ranking criteria. Brands optimised for AI visibility (language engine optimisation or LEO) capture the transaction.

Natural language search enables granular filtering: ingredients, sustainability certifications and responsible sourcing practices. Supply-chain transparency and third-party verification are becoming competitive requirements, not just marketing differentiators.

ChatGPT merchant ranking: How products get selected

OpenAI’s merchant ranking system evaluates:

• Product availability
• Competitive pricing
• Quality indicators
• Primary seller status
• Instant checkout integration capability

The critical factor: external credibility signals.

Our research shows 62 percent of brand citations originate from earned, third-party sources, including editorial coverage, customer reviews, industry certifications and awards. Owned website content represents just 20 percent of AI citations.

As of yet, there is no paid ad placement model. Brands must earn visibility through credible external validation.

From SEO to LEO/GEO/AEO: Optimising for AI agent commerce

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is focused on ranking in search results pages for certain keywords and is fuelled by backlinks. AI commerce requires optimising for how language models evaluate, compare and recommend products during purchase-intent conversations.

Acronyms being used:

• LEO (Language Engine Optimisation) 
• GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) 
• AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

The underlying strategy remains consistent: structure data and build external credibility so AI agents can verify claims and curate trusted recommendations. 

AI visibility strategy: Immediate actions for Australian brands

1. Connect your merchant feed

Apply to OpenAI’s merchant program. Ensure product feeds meet OpenAI technical specifications for ChatGPT shopping integration.

2. Audit current AI visibility

Test whether your brand appears in relevant AI responses on prominent platforms. 

• ChatGPT 
• Google Gemini
• Perplexity
• Microsoft Copilot

Different platforms mean different user demographics and different results appearing based on their ‘platform personalities’. Is the information about you and what you do correct? Misleading? Damaging?

3. Restructure content for AI agent evaluation

• Standardise product attributes (ingredients, provenance, certifications)
• Publish machine-readable structured data, not marketing jargon 
• Align FAQ content to natural-language questions
• Treat every product claim as verifiable evidence 
• Build third-party credibility through reviews, certifications and media coverage

4. Adapt to post-purchase email strategy

ChatGPT Instant Checkout does not provide customer emails to merchants for remarketing purposes. Brands must earn and strategise voluntary email sharing through post-purchase value: 

• Warranty tracking systems
• Product refill reminders
• Care instruction libraries
• Loyalty program benefits

5. Measure AI-native attribution metrics

Traditional website traffic metrics become less relevant as customer journeys bypass brand websites. Track:

• Citation share in AI responses
• Inclusion rate for priority search prompts
• Quality of source citations
• Duration of source influence in AI data
• Sentiment monitoring and measurement

First-mover advantage in Australian AI commerce

With ChatGPT already dominant in Australia, brands that establish merchant feeds and strengthen external credibility now will reap the rewards of compound visibility advantages as ChatGPT shopping expands globally. Infrastructure built today determines tomorrow’s AI recommendations. 

The digital shelf is no longer pages of Google results or a product listing page. It’s a single AI-generated answer, constructed from structured data and verified by third-party sources.

So if you want your brand to be bought, it first has to be believed by both the model and the person using it.

Celia Harding is the Founder of LEOPRD. 

Read more: How ‘zero-click’ SEO strategy is reimagining the brand experience on websites