ChatGPT Ads have developed rapidly since its launch, with its latest addition, product feed support, being one of the most significant updates for retailers yet.
The launch of product feed support marks the biggest update to ChatGPT Ads since their European rollout, bringing the platform much closer to the shopping experiences marketers are familiar with across Google Shopping and Meta. For retailers and ecommerce brands, it signals that conversational commerce is moving from experimentation towards a scalable media channel.
The latest evolution of ChatGPT Ads
Over the past month, ChatGPT's advertising offering has evolved quickly. One of the biggest developments is the introduction of product feed campaigns, allowing advertisers to upload catalogues of up to two million products using a feed structure that's closely aligned with Google Shopping. For many retailers, that means existing product feeds can be adapted with relatively little additional work rather than rebuilt from scratch.
At the same time, OpenAI has continued expanding campaign functionality, introducing conversion optimisation through its pixel, customer audience targeting, dynamic CTAs, and more granular geographic targeting. Together, these updates are beginning to establish the foundations of a more mature advertising ecosystem.
Retail is emerging as the platform's biggest opportunity
Retail has quickly become one of the most active categories on ChatGPT Ads. Since launch, the number of advertisers on the platform has increased by around 700%, with retail accounting for more than 40% of advertising activity. That rapid adoption suggests brands are recognising the value of reaching consumers while they're actively researching products, comparing options, and making purchasing decisions.
Unlike traditional search, many ChatGPT conversations involve longer, more detailed buying journeys. In fact, around one in three prompts currently involve competitor or comparison-based queries, creating opportunities for brands to influence consideration much earlier in the decision-making process.
Why product feeds matter
Previously, ads relied primarily on contextual relevance. Now, ChatGPT can match live catalogue data with user intent, making product-level recommendations far more dynamic and personalised.
The feed requirements closely mirror existing Google Shopping specifications, making implementation relatively straightforward for brands with established ecommerce infrastructure. However, as with any emerging platform, optimisation requires a slightly different mindset.
Because ChatGPT's relevance matching is still developing, product titles and descriptions play an even more important role in helping the platform understand exactly what each product is. Clear, descriptive copy can help reduce mismatches while OpenAI continues refining its matching capabilities.
The platform is still evolving
While the pace of innovation has been impressive, ChatGPT Ads is still in its early stages. Reporting remains relatively limited, with manual downloads required for campaign data and no native revenue reporting available yet. Advertisers also have limited visibility into exactly which conversations triggered product recommendations, making optimisation more challenging than on more established platforms. Brand safety controls, such as keyword exclusions and placement lists, are also still developing.
Rather than viewing these as barriers, brands should see them as characteristics of an emerging channel. As with the early days of paid social or retail media, the advertisers that learn fastest today are often best positioned as the platform matures.
What retailers should do now
While ChatGPT Ads are unlikely to replace established performance channels overnight, it has reached an important milestone.
For retailers considering early adoption, there are several practical steps worth taking today:
- Review and strengthen existing product feeds, ensuring titles and descriptions clearly differentiate products and brands.
- Begin testing with realistic expectations, focusing on learning rather than short-term ROAS while measurement capabilities continue to evolve.
- Use your own analytics and CRM data to evaluate performance alongside ChatGPT's native reporting.
- Monitor how conversational search behaviour differs from traditional search, as consumers increasingly use AI to research and compare products before purchasing.
Looking ahead
The introduction of product feeds is significant, as it represents a meaningful shift in how conversational AI can support commerce. As OpenAI continues to expand advertising capabilities, retailers have an opportunity to understand a channel that is evolving rapidly and attracting increasing investment.
If you’d like to learn more about ChatGPT Ads, get in touch with our team here.
