What are ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads are labeled, sponsored placements that appear beneath ChatGPT's answers. They're minimal by design: an image or product card, a headline, and a line of body text, no video, no rich media. Targeting runs on conversation context (the topic and intent behind what someone's asking), not demographics or keywords, and OpenAI doesn't share individual conversations or identities with advertisers.
There are two ways to buy ChatGPT ads today. You can use OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads Manager to drive shoppers to a D2C or retailer site, or you can request access to the Amazon DSP pilot to drive shoppers to Amazon product detail pages or storefronts.
Either way, the purchase is completed on the retailer or D2C site. ChatGPT is the discovery layer, not the checkout.
Why you should test now
ChatGPT ads are new, so competition is still light and early pricing reflects it. CPCs and CPMs are low today, and in some cases ChatGPT ads cost less than retailer onsite ads or offsite display. Demand is growing fast too. ChatGPT's weekly active users are up about 125% year over year, and AI-referred retail traffic grew 393% year over year in Q1 2026, converting about 42% better than traditional search.
~125%
YoY growth in ChatGPT weekly active users
393%
YoY growth in AI-referred retail traffic, Q1 2026
~42%
better conversion than traditional search
Where CommerceIQ fits
Our managed service team will set up, launch, and optimize your campaigns in OpenAI's Ads Manager. If you'd like to join the Amazon DSP pilot, we can help you request access and manage the campaigns once you're in.
OpenAI has said feed quality and content are what determines how an item ranks inside ChatGPT's answer. CommerceIQ's Content Agent already owns that layer for you, ensuring your content is best positioned to show in ChatGPT results.
CommerceIQ also sets up ChatGPT at the product level, so customers have an easy path to purchase. It also allows us to track estimated sales lift from your ChatGPT ad spend on those SKUs, and we run creative analysis to show which taglines and products perform best in chats.
How to buy ChatGPT ads
OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads Manager
Amazon DSP (Amazon managed service)
Access
Self-serve platform open to all US advertisers since May 5, 2026.
No minimum spend.
US pilot live since September 10, 2026, for select Amazon DSP customers.
Managed service only for now: an Amazon Ads team builds and runs the campaign.
Landing Page
You can drive to almost any D2C or retailer site.
Amazon Product Detail Pages or Storefronts.
Buying model
CPC or CPM bidding.
CPC or CPM bidding.
Targeting
No direct targeting, but you can input context signals (themes or topics) into the ad campaigns.
No direct targeting, but you can input context signals (themes or topics) into the ad campaigns.
Performance Tracking
Impressions, clicks, CTR, average CPC, average CPM, spend. Breakdowns by device, country, and product.
If driving to a D2C Site: Conversions, tracked through OpenAI's pixel. Attributed Sales Value, Sales ROAS, and view-through conversion
If driving to retailers outside of D2C site: Closed-loop sales reporting isn't available. CIQ can estimate sales impact by tracking total retailer sales while your ads run.
Impressions, clicks, CTR, average CPC, average CPM, spend.
Attribution infrastructure has not been disclosed; but total sales tracking are rumored to be released soon.
Ask your CommerceIQ team about a 30 day ChatGPT ads pilot alongside your existing retail media program.
