ChatGPT Checkout represents a critical window for British brands
As ChatGPT rolls out direct purchasing without needing to exit its platform, Charlie Terry argues “the old playbook is obsolete” for brands looking to market their products. The CEEK Marketing founder suggests that quality – rather than quantity – of communication will be key for getting noticed, looking ahead.
ChatGPT has begun the process of rolling out direct-purchase functionality across its platform. This represents a colossal shift in commerce and marketing, far beyond just being another sales channel, argues Terry. Rather, he believes it is “a fundamental restructuring of how brands compete for customers.”
He adds, "We’ve already seen emerging brands like Skims thrive precisely because they built multi-channel presence from day one, blending influencer marketing, strong SEO, and cultural visibility. That approach, once considered comprehensive, is now the baseline for survival, especially for brands in the UK that want to say competitive."
For years, performance marketing has dominated. Success meant data-led targeting, keyword bidding, and optimising cost-per-click. But Terry believes that era is ending, as in AI-first commerce, the biggest ad budget doesn’t win – the most visible brand does.
When AI makes purchasing decisions on behalf of users, a platform like ChatGPT currently does not optimise for the smartest retargeting campaign. Instead, it is programmed to recommend things based on brand authority, social presence, influencer reach, and omnichannel visibility. If a brand isn’t showing up everywhere its customers are, it won’t show up when AI makes the purchase.
“The old playbook is obsolete” in this case, the CEEK Marketing Managing Director asserts. Brands that have relied solely on paid search and performance metrics are about to discover they’re invisible to AI. Meanwhile, brands that have invested in authentic influencer partnerships, robust SEO strategies, and genuine social engagement will dominate recommendations.
With the US launch already live and the UK rollout imminent, British brands now have a rare window of opportunity to get ahead before the market shifts entirely. The shift to AI-first commerce is already underway, and the priorities for businesses are clear.
Terry recommends that brands look to build an AI visibility strategy, strengthening brand presence across every channel, not just paid search. They should use omnichannel and influencer-led campaigns, as authentic voices and engaged networks are signals AI uses when deciding which products to recommend. And investing in authoritative content is also important – as robust SEO and “trusted resources give AI the confidence to choose your brand over a competitor’s.”
New rules: authority and quality over quantity
This marks “a pivotal moment” where AI increasingly decides not just what gets searched, but what gets purchased. The question every business must confront is simple according to Terry. “When your customer lets AI choose, will it choose you?” As a result, “businesses must act now” – building genuine influencer partnerships that signal trust, and invest in authoritative content that commands credibility.
The “game has fundamentally changed”; winners won’t be those with the biggest ad budgets. They will be “those with the most credible, consistent presence across the channels AI scans and trusts”. Brand is king again, and marketing is “no longer about flooding the internet with content”; but rather about producing the right content. Quantity alone won’t move the needle anymore.
As AI prioritises authority, trust signals, and contextual relevance when recommending products and brands, this means a decisive shift from volume to quality. Authoritative backlinks, expert-led content, verified reviews, and credible sources now carry exponentially more weight. In an AI-mediated world, influence isn’t about being loud – all to gain trust of tools which will become go-to sales platforms.
"In this landscape, visibility is everything - and only those brands that build trust, authority, and genuine presence will thrive" concludes Terry.
