“Ask the Expert” is an occasional feature where we pose questions to seasoned e-commerce professionals. For this piece, we reached out to Louis Camass, Product Director at Rithum, an orchestration platform in the marketplace. He is also a serial entrepreneur and occasional contributor to Practical E-Commerce.
It deals with the basics of generative engine optimization for e-commerce.
Practical e-commerce: How can marketers optimize product visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and other generative AI platforms?
Louis Camassa: There is currently no one-size-fits-all guide to product integration, but retailers can take proactive steps to prepare.
Louis Camassa
Start by evaluating the current visibility of genAI. Marketers should look for their brand names to understand how the platforms present them. Experiment with shopper-like queries and see how the systems rank and mention offers against the competition. Consider search queries like “Find me running shoes with maximum cushioning for marathon training” or “What are the top rated coffee makers that brew one cup in less than 2 minutes?”
Also, read the product information carefully. Again, standardized genAI product formats do not yet exist, yet companies have a solid foundation with existing product resources. Make sure your source includes key details such as dimensions, color options, materials, weight specifications and intended applications.
ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini have yet to open the gates to share product data directly, but small and medium-sized merchants can prepare now.
Generative AI platforms thrive on structured, accurate, real-time data.
Here are some optimization tips:
1. Keep product data clean and consistent
• A unique ID that never changes
• Names and descriptions in plain text
2. Write for people, not just machines
• Short, specific names (brand + product + key attribute)
• Benefits of natural language in descriptions
3. Use structured attributes
• Brand, price, size, color and material
• Group product variants with a shared ID (e.g. parent-child relationship)
4. Optimize images
• Use the content delivery network
• Extra angles or lifestyle shots help
5. Update resources often
• Refresh yourself at least daily
6. Use custom fields
• Add category-specific details (battery life, fabric, eco-friendliness)
7. Localize content
• Language and country codes
• Simple, clear native text
8. Be transparent about price
• Always list price in ISO format (eg $29.99)
• Include sale price if available
9. Don’t skip the details
• Submissions, handling, promotions and other data build trust and improve ratings