Battle for Data: Retailers Rush to ChatGPT but Refuse to Hand Over Their Customers to OpenAI

In August 2026, retail is experiencing a fundamental paradigm shift. Shoppers are increasingly trusting artificial intelligence for product recommendations, specifically OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Gemini. However, behind the scenes of this technological revolution, a hidden war for data is unfolding. Major retailers such as Walmart, Ulta Beauty, and Wayfair are actively optimizing their websites to appear in chatbot search results, yet they are categorically unwilling to part with their customer data.

The "Attract, But Don't Let Go" Strategy

Retailers have developed a clear strategy: they aim to maximize the presence of their products in AI search results, but they want to keep the checkout process exclusively on their own platforms. This decision is driven by the desire to maintain control over valuable data: browsing habits, cart sizes, and purchase history. It is these metrics that allow companies to stimulate future sales and build loyalty. Analysts predict that in 2026, revenue from shoppers attracted via AI platforms will reach a substantial $8 billion.

Effectiveness of AI Traffic

The numbers speak for themselves: in June 2026, 41% of American consumers used generative AI to make online purchases. Moreover, visitors to online stores attracted by AI services generated 41% more revenue per session compared to users from other sources. Ulta Beauty noted that from customers arriving via Gemini and ChatGPT platforms, "conversion and intent doubled." This confirms that the AI audience is not just looking for information but is ready to make expensive purchases.

Contradictory Data

There is a divergence in integration approaches. On one hand, companies like Ulta are actively collaborating with Google to integrate shopping carts and loyalty programs into the Gemini ecosystem. On the other hand, they insist that the final ordering process takes place on their own website. This creates a situation where the AI platform acts as a powerful marketing and navigation tool, but the retailer retains the status of "transaction owner." Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services urges clients to use AI for promotion but emphasizes that seller websites must remain the "best place to shop".

Changing the Rules of the Game and Abandoning Instant Checkout

Unlike traditional search engines that rank results by keywords, chatbots work based on the meaning of queries. This forces sellers to rewrite product descriptions and rethink brand search mechanisms. A significant marker of the shifting balance of power was OpenAI's decision in March 2026 to discontinue support for the Instant Checkout feature — direct purchase completion within ChatGPT. Now, the company positions itself as a search assistant, directing users to marketplace websites. This confirms that retailers have won the first round of the battle to retain data: they retain the advantage, as they know much more about their buyers and products than general-purpose AI services.