The bigger picture
Anyone wanting to be visible in eCommerce today needs more than just good products. Structured product data, reliable feeds and clean display across multiple channels are crucial. This is precisely why product feeds have been a central component of Google Shopping, marketplace integrations and retail media set-ups for years.
OpenAI is now applying this logic to the world of large language models (LLMs). For retailers, this creates a new touchpoint along the customer journey: users are no longer just searching via search engines or marketplaces, but increasingly directly within AI interfaces — often with a specific intention to buy already in mind.
What’s new
OpenAI has been visibly expanding its advertising platform since spring 2026. Media reports and initial beta information indicate that retail advertisers can upload product feeds to Ads Manager to automatically generate adverts from them.
These adverts are based directly on feed data such as product titles, descriptions, images and other attributes, and are displayed as sponsored placements within ChatGPT.
Technically, the setup is heavily modelled on familiar shopping systems:
- Feed uploads are carried out via SFTP
- The minimum size is around 1,000 products, scalable up to millions
- Feed data is currently used exclusively for adverts, not for organic responses
What this means for the market
This development is relevant to the market for several reasons.
Firstly, a new performance channel is emerging in an environment characterised by high purchase intent. Users searching for products or comparisons in ChatGPT are often well into the decision-making process — a clear advantage over traditional awareness channels.
Secondly, competition is shifting further towards data quality and automation. When adverts are generated directly from product feeds, clean titles, consistent attributes, high-quality images and up-to-date availability information become massively more important.
Thirdly, it is evident that OpenAI is systematically building up the advertising market. In addition to product feeds, features such as budget and geo-targeting have already been added. This points to a scalable platform with a clear focus on monetisation.
Jochen Kernwein,
CSO at elio GmbH
What retailers should do now
This provides retailers with a clear framework for action. Those who already operate a well-maintained Google Shopping feed have a solid starting point and should assess how transferable this is to new AI channels.
The focus here is on:
- Complete and accurate product data
- Consistent, search-intention-based product titles
- High-quality product images
- Up-to-date prices and availability
- Clear attribute and category structures
The beta is therefore not just a new opportunity to expand reach, but a chance to fundamentally professionalise one’s own feed and performance strategy.
Looking to the future
Product feed ads in ChatGPT represent a significant step towards ‘AI Commerce’. OpenAI is introducing a mechanism to the market that is particularly attractive to retailers: standardised data, automated ad creation and visibility directly at the point of concrete demand.
At the same time, the current stage is clearly still in the early market phase. It is still a beta version with limited scope and evolving standards. Yet this is precisely where the opportunity lies: those who are prepared now can secure a competitive advantage at an early stage.
elio GmbH helps to structure eCommerce data, marketing set-ups and cross-channel performance in such a way that new platforms can not only be tested but also utilised effectively.
