Don’t Sleep on Shopping Research

ChatGPT just introduced a new feature called Shopping Research, and retail quietly stepped into a whole new era.

This update turns AI into the shopper’s first stop instead of a handy sidekick. Once consumers start using it for vacuum cleaners and sneakers, they will not hesitate to use it for bigger decisions. Cars sit at the top of that list.

A shopper can now type a single prompt and watch ChatGPT spend a few minutes pulling listings from trusted retail sites, checking specs, comparing trims, analyzing prices, and summarizing the tradeoffs.

Shoppers used to Google everything and bounce between ten tabs. Now they hand the heavy lifting to AI and get a bite-size buyer’s guide.

Matthew Davis showed us exactly what this looks like in practice:

How Shopping Research Works (And Why Dealers Should Care)

Shopping Research behaves like the research phase shoppers already do, only faster.

A shopper describes the type of product they want, answers a few quick clarifying questions, and ChatGPT starts scanning trusted retail sources.

It compares specs and prices, eliminates duplicates, highlights tradeoffs, and organizes everything into a personalized buyer’s guide.

It is impressively accurate, though not flawless.

Price updates, availability shifts, and vague listings still trip it up, so shoppers are still encouraged to verify details on the merchant site.

Dealers have spent millions fighting for visibility on Google, on marketplaces, and on social media.

Shopping Research short-circuits the entire path and creates a new one:
Prompt ➝ Product Shortlist ➝ Buyer’s Guide ➝ Purchase Path

For the first time, the journey begins with an AI that filters the entire market in one shot.

Ben Hadley called out the new power struggle.

Marketplaces remain in the ecosystem, but their influence now competes with AI’s ability to merge sources and remove noise.

The old search paths rewarded pages built around things like SEO, marketplace ranking systems, and paid placement.

Shopping Research doesn’t care about any of it.
It cares about data quality.

As Todd Caputo put it, AI doesn’t browse. It goes straight to the cleanest data source it can find.

That’s the new competitive axis.

The Dealer Playbook for the Shopping Research Era

1. Curate data like you curate inventory

Treat your feed like a showroom display. Clean specs, complete pricing, clear descriptions, full photo sets, and fast syncing create the visibility advantage. Messy data becomes a closed door.

2. Reduce website noise

AI cares about clarity. Shoppers appreciate it too. Remove old SEO clutter, streamline pages, improve load speeds, and keep the architecture simple enough that both humans and machines can navigate it confidently.

3. Ask shoppers what ChatGPT showed them

This single question reframes the entire conversation. It reveals their expectations, exposes any errors, and positions your team as the partner who helps them make sense of the information.

4. Build listings that survive comparison mode

AI compares vehicles the way a spreadsheet would. Make sure every detail is present. Avoid vague descriptions or missing options. Treat comparison accuracy as part of the merchandising process.

5. Prepare for deeper AI involvement

As Shopping Research evolves, automotive becomes a natural category for expansion. Dealers who are proactive now will benefit from early visibility while others scramble to catch up.