So here's a one-minute test that shows you what an AI can work out about your product, plus a 12-point checklist to fill in whatever it can't find.
Nobody can promise an AI will recommend your product (not even Shopify!). What you CAN control is whether the facts are there to be found.
Where you stand in 2 minutes
In your Shopify admin, go to Sales channels > Agentic. This is where Shopify looks after your products showing up in ChatGPT, Google's AI Mode and Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Meta. Shopify says it's active by default for eligible stores, and you need to have agreed to its extra terms. Can't see it? Your store may not be eligible yet (Shopify doesn't list plans or countries on that page, so have a look in your own admin).
Check Google's AI performance tab
Google now has a report that shows how often YOUR products come up in its AI answers (AI Mode and AI Overviews), next to your competitors. It lives inside Google Merchant Center, and right now it's there for accounts in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Choose a product category and it shows your share of voice: how often you showed up, out of all the times you and your competitors showed up for related searches. It also lists Popular attributes, which are product details shoppers are looking for (size, color, material and so on) that may be missing from your product info. Add the ones that are true for your products, starting with your best sellers.
Source: Google Merchant Center Help
Can't see the tab? Your account may not have it yet, or you may be outside those five countries.
The one-minute test
Copy the description from your best-selling product page and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or whichever assistant you use, with this:
I'm going to paste a product description from an online store. Using ONLY what's written below, answer these questions. If the answer isn't there, reply "not stated". Don't guess. 1. What is this product, in one plain sentence? 2. Who is it for? 3. What is it made of? 4. What size is it, with measurements? 5. How do I use it or look after it? 6. What comes in the box? 7. How long does shipping take, and what does it cost? 8. Can I return it, and within how many days? [PASTE YOUR DESCRIPTION HERE]
Every "not stated" is a gap. And a real person skimming your page on their phone is hitting that exact same gap. 👀
The 12-point checklist
Run this on one product at a time.
| # | Check | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Title | ||
| 1 | The title says what the product IS, plus one key detail. "Soy Wax Candle, Cedar and Vanilla, 8 oz" beats "The Sunday One". (No need to stuff it with keywords until it reads like a search bar) | |
| Description | ||
| 2 | Says what it is, who it's for, what it does and why it's worth the price, in plain words | |
| 3 | Says what it's made of (materials or ingredients) | |
| 4 | Gives the size, weight or capacity with real units, and how long it lasts | |
| 5 | Says how to use it or care for it | |
| 6 | Says what's in the box | |
| The boring Shopify fields | ||
| 7 | Product category, type and vendor are filled in | |
| 8 | Barcode (UPC or GTIN) is entered, if your product has one | |
| 9 | Variant options have real names. "Color: Sage", never "Option 1: A" | |
| 10 | Every image has alt text that describes what's in the photo. If your size chart or ingredients ONLY live inside an image, pop them in the text too | |
| Trust | ||
| 11 | Shipping time, shipping cost and your returns window are on the product page AND in your store policies. A returns policy that says "contact us" needs an actual number of days | |
| Consistency | ||
| 12 | Same name, price and size everywhere you're listed (your store, Google, marketplaces). So no 8 oz on your store and 250 ml somewhere else |
Most of this comes from Shopify's own list of what to review for AI platforms: title, description, images, type, vendor, barcode and variant option names are all on it, and so is keeping your policies complete and up to date. Alt text and the consistency check are my additions. I'd do them regardless.
A before and after
I made this product up to show you the idea, so please don't copy the numbers.
Before:
Our dreamiest candle yet. Cozy vibes in a jar. You'll be obsessed.
Super cute! But run the test on it and you'll get "not stated" pretty much all the way down. It doesn't even say it's made of wax.
After:
Our dreamiest candle yet, made for slow Sunday mornings.
Soy wax candle, 8 oz (227 g), with about 45 hours of burn time. Scent: cedar, vanilla and orange peel. Cotton wick. Comes in a reusable glass jar with a lid, 3.1 in wide by 3.5 in tall, in a gift box.
Best for small rooms like a bedroom or bathroom. Trim the wick before each burn.
Ships in 2 business days. Returns accepted within 30 days if unlit.
The dreamy first line is still there! So please don't delete all the personality. Your brand voice gets the opening sentence, and the facts get everything after it. And because the whole fix is words, there's no redesign and nothing risky to change before Black Friday.
An 8-question FAQ starter
Answer these on the product page, in your own words. Each one is a question a customer (or an AI answering for a customer) is likely to ask.
- Will it fit ___? (a space, a body, a bag, a device)
- Is it safe for ___? (sensitive skin, kids, pets, the dishwasher)
- How long does it last? (per use, per bottle, per charge)
- What's it made of, and where is it made?
- How do I use it, clean it or care for it?
- What's the difference between this and your ___?
- How long does shipping take to ___, and what does it cost?
- What if it doesn't suit me?
Shopify also has a free Knowledge Base app where you can review the facts it has gathered about your store and add your own questions and answers. I can't speak to how much difference it makes yet (I'll definitely be playing with it myself!), so treat it as a small trial.
Top five sellers first
Please don't rewrite your whole catalog. Open your sales by product for the last 90 days, take the top five, and give each one about 15 minutes: run the test, fill the gaps, tick the checklist, then run the test again. You're after fewer "not stated" answers, ideally none. All up that's a little over an hour, on the products that bring in most of your sales. 📈
Then do the next five when you have a quiet afternoon.
One last thing. None of this will tell you whether ChatGPT recommended you last Tuesday. Google's AI performance report is the closest thing to a scoreboard so far, and it only covers Google's own AI. So judge it by your own pages.