ChatGPT Ads is becoming another channel for ecommerce brands that want to reach customers while they are researching products, comparing options, and making purchasing decisions.
OpenAI now provides Ads Manager for creating, launching, measuring, and optimizing ChatGPT advertising campaigns. OpenAI also supports product-feed campaigns for retail advertisers with larger or frequently changing catalogs.
For Shopify merchants, OpenAI has also introduced a Shopify integration that can connect a store's product catalog and eligible commerce-event data with ChatGPT Ads Manager.
Because ChatGPT advertising is still a relatively new channel, choosing an agency requires a different approach from choosing a traditional Google Ads or Meta Ads agency.
Here are the main things ecommerce brands should look for.
Look for Real ChatGPT Ads Experience
The first question to ask an agency is simple:
Have you actually managed ChatGPT Ads campaigns?
Running Google Ads or Meta Ads does not automatically mean an agency knows how to manage ChatGPT Ads.
The advertising environment is different.
OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads considers multiple relevance signals, including the context and intent of the current conversation, the ad's landing page, title, copy, advertiser-provided context hints, and, when personalization is enabled, certain signals from a user's broader ChatGPT experience.
That means an agency should understand how conversational intent affects advertising.
Ask potential agencies:
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How many ChatGPT Ads campaigns have you managed?
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Which ecommerce categories have you worked with?
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How do you structure ad groups?
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How do you use context hints?
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How do you measure conversions?
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How do you optimize campaigns after launch?
Specific answers are more useful than general claims about being an "AI marketing agency."
Check Whether They Understand Ecommerce
A good ChatGPT Ads agency for a service business may not necessarily be the right agency for an ecommerce store.
Ecommerce advertising has its own challenges.
An agency should understand:
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Product catalogs
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Product feeds
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Shopify
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Product pricing
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Inventory
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Product margins
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Average order value
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Customer acquisition cost
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Conversion rates
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Repeat purchases
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Product-level performance
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Shopping campaigns
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Landing pages
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Ecommerce analytics
Product-feed campaigns are particularly relevant to retailers because they can allow advertisers to bring a larger catalog into ChatGPT Ads and create ads at scale. OpenAI says product-feed campaigns are designed for retail advertisers with broad or frequently changing catalogs.
Ask About Shopify Integration
If you operate a Shopify store, ask whether the agency understands the current Shopify integration.
OpenAI's Shopify integration can connect a Shopify store's product catalog and commerce-event data to ChatGPT Ads Manager. The setup can also connect an OpenAI Pixel for Shopify so eligible commerce events can flow to Ads Manager.
This matters because an ecommerce agency should understand more than ad copy.
They should understand the technical connection between your store and the advertising platform.
Ask the agency:
Can you connect and troubleshoot our Shopify product catalog?
Can you set up conversion measurement?
Can you check whether products are synchronizing correctly?
Can you diagnose feed problems?
These questions can quickly separate a general marketing agency from an agency that understands ecommerce advertising infrastructure.
Look at How They Build Product Ads
ChatGPT Ads are different from traditional keyword advertising.
OpenAI recommends clear, specific, benefit-focused ad copy. It also recommends creating multiple distinct variations rather than repeating essentially the same message.
An ecommerce agency should therefore be able to explain how it will create different advertising angles for your products.
For example, a product could be promoted around:
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Price
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Product features
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Convenience
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Quality
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Use case
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Customer problem
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Product comparison
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Product category
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Seasonal demand
The agency should also understand that the ads need to accurately represent the product and landing page.
Ask How They Measure Results
Do not choose an agency simply because it promises impressions or clicks.
Ask what happens after someone clicks an ad.
A serious ecommerce measurement strategy should connect advertising activity with business outcomes.
Depending on the campaign, you may want to monitor:
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Impressions
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Clicks
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CTR
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CPC
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CPM
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Conversions
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Conversion rate
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Revenue
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Cost per acquisition
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Return on ad spend
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Average order value
OpenAI's current Ads Manager reporting includes impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, average CPC, average CPM, and conversions. Conversion measurement can be configured in Ads Manager.
Your agency should be able to explain exactly which metrics it will use to evaluate your campaigns.
Don't Choose an Agency Based Only on ROAS Promises
Be careful with agencies that promise a specific ROAS before they have seen your store, products, pricing, margins, conversion rate, and advertising data.
There are too many variables.
For example, two ecommerce companies can sell similar products but have completely different economics.
One might have:
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$100 average order value
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$30 product cost
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$20 customer acquisition cost
Another might have:
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$40 average order value
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$25 product cost
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$25 customer acquisition cost
The same advertising performance could produce very different business results.
A good agency should first understand your economics and then establish realistic performance benchmarks.
Ask About Their Optimization Process
Launching a campaign is only the beginning.
Ask what the agency does after launch.
A useful optimization process should include regular analysis of:
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Ad performance
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Product performance
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Audience relevance
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Conversion data
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Landing-page performance
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Budget allocation
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Creative variations
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Product-feed quality
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Cost trends
You should also ask how frequently the agency reviews campaigns.
You don't necessarily need someone making random changes every few hours.
You need a structured process that uses actual performance data.
Find Out Who Actually Manages Your Account
Some agencies sell services through a salesperson and then transfer the account to another team.
Ask:
Who will actually manage my ChatGPT Ads account?
Also ask:
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How experienced are they?
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How often will they review the account?
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Who writes the ads?
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Who handles tracking?
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Who handles product-feed problems?
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Who communicates with you?
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Who approves major changes?
This is particularly important with a new advertising platform where hands-on experience can matter.
Ask for a Clear Testing Strategy
Your first campaign should not necessarily be treated as the final campaign.
An agency should have a testing plan.
For example, it might test:
Product selection
Which products should receive the initial budget?
Ad messaging
Which benefits and use cases generate engagement?
Context
Which conversational situations are relevant to the products?
Landing pages
Which pages produce better conversion rates?
Budget
How should spending be distributed across products and campaigns?
The objective should be to learn what works and then use those findings to improve the account.
Consider Whether the Agency Understands Your Product Category
Product knowledge matters.
Selling supplements is different from selling furniture.
Selling electronics is different from selling apparel.
Selling industrial products is different from selling beauty products.
An agency should understand the buying process for your particular category.
Ask whether they have worked with similar ecommerce businesses.
If they have not, ask how they plan to learn the category before launching campaigns.
Evaluate Their Understanding of AI-Native Advertising
ChatGPT Ads are not simply another version of Google Search Ads.
The environment is conversational.
People can use ChatGPT to research products, compare alternatives, understand features, ask for recommendations, and make decisions.
OpenAI describes ChatGPT Ads as a way for advertisers to reach people while they explore options, compare choices, and make decisions.
That creates a different advertising environment.
An agency should understand how to communicate product value in that context.
Ask About Reporting
Your agency should provide reporting that you can actually understand.
A useful report should answer questions such as:
How much did we spend?
How many people interacted with the ads?
Which products received the most attention?
Which products generated conversions?
What did we learn?
What are we changing next?
Avoid reports that contain dozens of metrics but provide no explanation of what they mean for your business.
Look for Transparency
You should know where your advertising budget is going.
Ask about:
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Agency fees
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Advertising spend
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Setup fees
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Creative fees
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Tracking fees
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Landing-page fees
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Additional technology costs
Also ask whether you retain ownership of your advertising account and data.
Ideally, your business should maintain appropriate access to its own Ads Manager account.
North America Matters
If your ecommerce business sells in the United States and Canada, consider whether the agency understands both markets.
There can be differences in:
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Currency
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Shipping
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Taxes
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Consumer behavior
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Product availability
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Geographic targeting
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Pricing
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Regulations
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Seasonality
An agency serving North American ecommerce brands should be able to explain how it approaches these differences.
ChatGPT Ads have also been expanding into additional markets during 2026, so availability and platform capabilities can change over time.
Ask the agency which markets it currently supports and what campaign capabilities are available in your target market.
Compare Agencies Using the Same Questions
When evaluating several agencies, ask each one the same questions.
For example:
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How much ChatGPT Ads experience do you have?
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How many ecommerce campaigns have you managed?
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Do you work with Shopify?
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Can you manage product feeds?
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How do you set up conversion tracking?
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How do you structure campaigns and ad groups?
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How do you create different product advertising angles?
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How frequently do you optimize campaigns?
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What metrics do you report?
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Who manages my account?
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What are your management fees?
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Who owns the Ads Manager account?
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What is included in your service?
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How do you handle unsuccessful campaigns?
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What information do you need from us before launching?
The answers will give you a much clearer picture than simply comparing agency websites.
Should You Hire a Specialized ChatGPT Ads Agency?
For some ecommerce businesses, working directly with Ads Manager may be enough.
OpenAI provides self-serve Ads Manager tools for businesses to create accounts, set budgets, upload ads, launch campaigns, and view performance.
An agency becomes more useful when you want someone else to handle the ongoing work.
That can include:
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Account setup
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Campaign structure
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Product-feed setup
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Shopify integration
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Conversion tracking
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Ad creation
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Testing
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Optimization
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Reporting
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Troubleshooting
The decision ultimately depends on your internal resources, technical experience, product catalog, advertising budget, and how much campaign management you want to handle yourself.
Final Thoughts
Finding a ChatGPT Ads agency for ecommerce is not simply about finding an agency that uses the words "AI" or "ChatGPT" on its website.
Look for practical experience.
Look for ecommerce knowledge.
Look for technical understanding.
Look for transparent reporting.
And look for an agency that can explain exactly how it plans to turn your products, catalog, customer data, and advertising budget into measurable campaigns.
ChatGPT Ads is still an evolving advertising platform. That makes hands-on experience, careful testing, accurate measurement, and a willingness to adapt particularly important for ecommerce businesses entering the channel.
The best agency for your business will ultimately depend on your products, market, goals, budget, and internal capabilities. The most useful first step is to ask detailed questions and compare the answers before handing over your advertising account.