Quick answer: Shoppers now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot "where's the best place near me to buy a mattress?" In 20 minutes, at no cost, you can check what they say about your store and fix the gaps that keep you out.
Why it matters
ChatGPT search draws on partner search providers, including Microsoft's Bing, plus the shopper's general location. If your Bing listing is missing or your website is vague about what you sell and where, the AI has little to go on. In an October 2026 study of 27 small U.S. and Canadian online stores, ChatGPT named the store in only 17% of buyer-question answers.
Irish retailer Shamrock Electrical was named in 1 of 10 buyer questions in April 2026. After it added FAQ content and fixed its Google and directory listings, ChatGPT named it first of five retailers for smart electric radiators by June (agency case study).
Price
Nothing. The no-cost versions of ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot work, and Google Business Profile and Bing Places listings cost nothing.
Try it in 20 minutes
Open ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot in a private browser window.
Ask each one the prompt below.
Measure: in those 9 answers, how often is your store named, and are your hours, phone and website right?
Fix the easy gaps: claim your listing at bing.com/forbusiness ("Import from Google" copies your Google profile), and add one plain sentence to your website and Google profile naming what you sell, your main brands and the towns you deliver to.
Re-run the questions in 30 days. Bing Places support says new listings typically publish in 7 to 10 days in North America.
Copy-paste prompt
I live in [TOWN, PROVINCE/STATE]. 1) Where's the best place near me to buy [PRODUCT, e.g. a sectional sofa, laminate flooring, a washer and dryer]? 2) Which local stores carry [A BRAND YOU SELL]? 3) What do people say about [YOUR STORE NAME] in [TOWN]? For every store you mention, list the websites you got the information from.
FAQ
Same answer every time? No. Answers vary by run and person, so judge the pattern across all nine.
Do I need a new website? No. Start with accurate listings, steady new reviews and a clear "what we sell, where we deliver" line.
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