They built a ChatGPT store. Here’s why.

Lotte Duty Free, a retail powerhouse, just launched Korea’s first ChatGPT shopping service (Asiae.co.kr, July 16, 2026). They built a direct conversational storefront within AI. This isn’t a small experiment. It’s a clear signal about where buyer behavior is headed.

This is not some new chatbot on their company website. It’s a major retailer recognizing that buyers are shifting how they discover and decide. People increasingly ask AI for recommendations before they ever click to a search engine or browse a store. Lotte wants to own that initial conversation. They want to be the brand the AI names.

Your customers are already doing the same thing. They ask ChatGPT for the best winter jacket, the most comfortable mattress, or the perfect protein powder. The AI provides answers. The buyer makes their decision right there, inside that conversation. They then click through to purchase.

This channel, when you are visible on it, converts about double what you typically see on Google or Meta. It is still cheap. And you are not on it yet.

Lotte understands this shift. They are building a new front door for their business. They are making a significant bet on being the answer when a buyer asks.

You don’t need to build a custom ChatGPT storefront like Lotte. What you need is for your brand to be the answer in those critical AI conversations. That’s exactly what ChatGPT ads do. They ensure your brand is directly visible to buyers who are already asking questions relevant to your products. It’s about being present in the moment of decision.

Here’s a simple action you can take today: Ask ChatGPT a question about your product category, as if you were a customer looking to buy. See what brands it names first. Is your brand one of them? If not, you understand the gap.

Sacha July 20, 2026 · Issue #33

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Sources

Asiae.co.kr, “Lotte Duty Free Launches First-Ever ‘ChatGPT Shopping’ Service in Korea’s Duty-Free Industry,” July 16, 2026 - https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2026071608125847648

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