ChatGPT is generating some referral traffic for online retailers but remains far less effective at converting shoppers than most traditional marketing channels, according to a working paper by researchers from the University of Hamburg and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Emarketer reports.
The study found that ChatGPT’s performance in driving sales trails nearly all conventional sources except paid social media. The findings align with Emarketer’s latest report on AI search, which shows that traditional search engines still dominate online product discovery.
While ChatGPT is emerging as a notable source of traffic, its influence on actual purchases is limited. Users are more likely to turn to generative AI platforms for information rather than shopping decisions. Only 2.1% of ChatGPT conversations involve “purchasable products,” according to OpenAI research, slightly more than the share related to “greetings and chitchat.”
Traffic from ChatGPT accounts for a small portion of overall visits to retail websites. Organic search traffic from Google is roughly 200 times greater, according to the German researchers. That gap corresponds with Emarketer principal analyst Nate Elliott’s finding that generative AI engines account for just 3.3% of online discovery time.
However, researchers found signs of growth in AI-driven commerce. Conversion rates and revenue per session increased steadily during the 12-month study period from August 2024 to July 2025. The data suggests that as users become more familiar with ChatGPT and other large language models, they may be more likely to act on their shopping recommendations.
Future features such as Instant Checkout and third-party app integrations could further enhance ChatGPT’s role as a shopping assistant.
According to Emarketer, retailers should begin optimizing their sites and product listings for discovery through generative AI engines but should not reduce investment in traditional search engine optimization. Most shoppers still find products through Google and other established search platforms.
