Search isn’t the only thing ChatGPT is disrupting
In just 5 minutes on ChatGPT, Nordstrom and Sephora lost a sale and a beauty company gained a new customer. Here's how.
I needed to buy a replacement refill for my Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. It was out of stock on the Nordstrom website (my usual go-to), and when I looked at the price on Sephora I thought maybe I could do better.
Me to ChatGPT: "Can you recommend a face cream that is similar to Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream?"
ChatGPT: Why yes I can! (recommends 5 products I've never heard of)
Me: "Tell me more about the Revolution Pro Miracle Cream. Where can I buy it?"
ChatGPT: (summarizes text from Revolution's website) "In Bellevue, Washington [near where I live], you can purchase Revolution Pro Miracle Cream through several online retailers" (lists retailers)
Me: "How much does the cream cost on Amazon?"
ChatGPT: "As of January 15, 2025, the Revolution Pro Miracle Cream is available on Amazon in two sizes:
• 1.69 fl oz (50 ml): Priced at $9.99, which equates to approximately $5.91 per fl oz.
• 3.38 fl oz (100 ml): Available for $15.99, making it about $4.73 per fl oz."
Me: clicks direct link to Amazon. Reviews say it's heavily scented, blech. "The reviews on Amazon say the cream is heavily scented, and I don't like that. Can you tell me more about the Paula's Choice cream?"
ChatGPT: "Paula’s Choice offers several moisturizers that are fragrance-free and have been compared to Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream. Here are some options you might consider" (lists 4 products)
Me: "How much is the Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer on Amazon?"
ChatGPT: "As of January 15, 2025, the Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer is available on Amazon for $35.00 for a 2 fl. oz. (60 ml) tube."
Me: Clicks link, buys product. Arriving today.
What’s the lesson here?
More and more consumers will be doing the same thing I did. In September 2024, 12.5% of unique users of Amazon visited an AI site in the same session, up from 9.9% in March. It was one of the most compelling stats that came out of my recent research with Datos, “AI, Amazon and Walmart: Four User Behavior Trends to Know.”
The lesson for retailers and marketers is this:
ChatGPT isn't just disrupting search, it's a full funnel marketing platform.
It took just five minutes for me to go from unaware to new customer.
The speed of disruption is incredible. Are you prepared?
