ChatGPT Ads: affiliate channel guide

About this guide

This is a ChannelEngine guide on the US-based affiliate channel ChatGPT Ads. Here you can find information on how to request a ChatGPT Ads account, how to configure this affiliate channel on ChannelEngine, and what the specific requirements are.

Table of contents

About this channel

Commercial information

How to request an account

Associated costs

Channel features

Settings and configuration

Channel-specific requirements and exceptions

• Setup
• Product selection
• Mappings
• Pricing

Additional information

FAQs

About this channel

ChatGPT Ads enables merchants to advertise in ChatGPT, reaching buyers as they explore options and make purchase decisions. Ads are matched to the context of a conversation, helping merchants present relevant products when buyers are actively researching what to buy.

By connecting your product feed to ChatGPT Ads, you can use your existing product data to promote your catalogue, increase product visibility, and drive traffic to your webstore. This provides an additional advertising channel alongside your existing marketing activities.

Commercial information

How to request an account

To start advertising on ChatGPT, go to the ChatGPT Ads website and sign up for an account. After you sign up, you are taken to Ads Manager, where you can create, enrich, and launch ad campaigns.

See Ads manager account setup (OpenAI) for details on completing your account setup.

Requirements

To be eligible for a ChatGPT Ads account, you must meet the following requirements:

• Provide official business details (company name, registration number, industry, and location), and complete business/identity verification.
• Have a valid business payment card or billing setup attached to your account.
• Have active digital presence: a functional business website or application.
• Your product or service must comply with OpenAI's standard Usage policies and Ad policies.

Associated costs

Creating a ChatGPT Ads account is free. There is also no fixed subscription or monthly maintenance fee – you only pay for the ad traffic delivered to your webstore, per click or per impression:

• Cost per click - you pay only when a user clicks your ad link.
• Cost per thousand impressions - you pay a flat rate for every 1,000 times your product is viewed.

Most campaigns require a minimum budget of approximately 15-20 USD per day to stay active.

Channel features

ChatGPT Ads is an affiliate channel. This channel generates a feed that you can upload to your ChatGPT Ads account, but all order handling is done directly in your webstore.

Settings and configuration

Setting up each channel on ChannelEngine follows the same flow, though not every channel includes the steps listed below.

1. Add the channel.
2. Go through the Setup.
3. Create a Product selection.
4. Complete the Categorization.
5. Set up the Mappings: content, offers, and carriers.
6. Configure the Pricing: rules and currency conversion.
7. Fill in the Stock settings.
8. Finish the Activation.
9. Check the Listed products overview.

Channel-specific requirements and exceptions

Setup

On ChatGPT

In the ChatGPT Ad Manager, configure the settings for the product feed:

1. Review the product requirements in Create campaigns from product feeds (OpenAI).
2. Create your product feed on ChannelEngine by completing all the steps from Setup through Activation. See On ChannelEngine below.
3. To submit your product feed to ChatGPT Ads, copy the feed URL on ChannelEngine, and follow the steps in Create campaigns from product feeds (OpenAI).

On ChannelEngine

Settings

• Do not expose actual stock - if enabled, the stock of available products is shown as 1 (one), and the stock of unavailable products is shown as 0 (zero).

Product selection

To generate a product feed, create a selection of all the products to be listed on ChatGPT Ads. Once you save the selection, it can take up to one hour before the feed is first generated. After this, it is generated hourly.

You can find the product feed location on ChannelEngine in the Product selection step. The feed is available in two formats: CSV or JSONL. Choose whichever fits your needs best.

The URLs do not change unless you remove the affiliate channel and re-add it later – and they are what you need to add to your ChatGPT Ads account.

Map all of your products and product attributes before submitting the product feed to ChatGPT. Otherwise, your products are either not listed or listed with insufficient information.

Mappings

Content

It is recommended to map as much content as possible to improve your conversion rate. For the latest specifications, see the OpenAI Ads creative guide and Product feeds documentation.

Required

• Brand - the brand name of the product, as displayed on the product page.
• Description - a factual description of the product. Include relevant details such as its features, materials, intended use, and specifications.
  • Use plain text. Do not use HTML formatting.
  • Aim for a maximum of 5,000 characters.
  • Keep the description accurate and relevant to the product.
• Image URL - the direct URL of the main product image. Requirements:
  • Use JPEG, PNG, or WebP file formats.
  • Use high-quality images of at least 640×640 px where possible.
  • Make sure the image matches the product variation, especially its color.
  • Use a consistent background and image style across the catalog.
  • Use a valid, publicly accessible URL. Prefer HTTPS.
  • Keep the URL unchanged between feed updates.
• Item ID - a unique identifier for an individual product or variation. Use a stable identifier, such as a SKU. The requirements:
  • Keep the identifier unchanged between feed updates.
  • Assign a different Item ID to each distinct product variation.
  • Do not reuse an identifier for a different product.
• Seller name - the name of the seller supplying the product offer.
• Title - the product name displayed to customers. Include the relevant variation details, such as color or size, when these distinguish the item from other variations.
  • Keep the title concise and descriptive.
  • Aim for a maximum of 150 characters.
  • Avoid promotional wording that does not describe the product.
• URL - the URL of the product detail page. Where possible, link directly to the page with the relevant variation selected.

Optional

• Additional image URLs 0-8 - additional images showing the product from different angles or highlighting relevant details. These images supplement the main Image URL. For image requirements, see Image URL.
• Age group - the intended age group for the product. Select one of the following values: newborn, infant, toddler, kids, adult.
• Color - the color of the specific product or variation. Use a clear, consistent color name that matches the product image and product page.
• Condition - the condition of the product. Select one of the following values:
  • New - the product is new.
  • Refurbished - the product has been restored or refurbished.
  • Used - the product has been used.
• Dimensions height - the height of the product, expressed as a positive decimal number. Provide the measurement in the unit specified by Dimensions unit.
• Dimensions length - the length of the product, expressed as a positive decimal number. Provide the measurement in the unit specified by Dimensions unit.
• Dimensions unit - the unit used for the product's height, length, and width. Use the same unit for all supplied dimensions. Select one of the following values:
  • mm - millimetres
  • cm - centimetres
  • m - metres
  • in - inches
  • ft - feet
• Dimensions width - the width of the product, expressed as a positive decimal number. Provide the measurement in the unit specified by Dimensions unit.
• Gender - the intended gender category for the product. Select one of the following values:
  • Male
  • Female
  • Unisex
• Group ID - (required for variations) the identifier shared by all variations belonging to the same parent product. Use this attribute to associate different sizes, colors, or other options with the same product listing. Requirements:
  • Use the same Group ID for all variations of the same product.
  • Give each variation a distinct Item ID.
  • Keep the Group ID unchanged between feed updates.
  • The Group ID must differ from the Item ID for each variation.
• GTIN - the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) assigned to the product, such as a UPC or EAN. Submit the identifier assigned to the specific product or variation.
• Is eligible search - indicates whether the product is eligible to appear in ChatGPT search and product discovery results. Select one of the following values:
  • Yes - search eligibility is enabled. This is the default value.
  • No - search eligibility is disabled.
• Item weight unit - the unit used for the product's net weight. Provide this attribute when Weight is supplied. Use the product's weight without packaging. Select one of the following values:
  • g - grams
  • kg - kilograms
  • oz - ounces
  • lb - pounds
• Listing has variations - (required for variations) indicates whether the product listing has multiple variations. Select Yes on every child variation. 
• Material - the main material or materials used to manufacture the product. E.g.: rubber.
• MPN - the Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) assigned by the manufacturer. This identifier distinguishes the manufacturer's product or model. Requirements:
  • Preserve the original punctuation and capitalization.
  • Leave the field empty if no MPN has been assigned.
• Offer ID - an identifier for a specific seller's offer. Use this attribute to distinguish offers for the same product, including cases where multiple sellers offer a product at the same URL.
• Product category - the category trail that describes the product, from the broadest category to the most specific category. E.g.: Apparel & Accessories > Shoes. Requirements:
  • Separate category levels with >.
  • Use a consistent category structure across the feed.
  • Ensure that the category accurately describes the product.
• Review count - the number of customer reviews for the product or variation. Requirements:
  • Use a non-negative whole number.
  • Include product reviews only, not seller or store reviews.
  • Ensure that the count corresponds to the same group of reviews used for Review rating.
  • Use 0 if there are no reviews; leave the field empty if the count is unknown.
• Review rating - the average customer rating for the product, on a scale from 0 to 5. E.g.: 4.50. Requirements:
  • Use a decimal value with up to two decimal places.
  • Supply the matching Review count.
  • Leave the field empty if no rating is available.
• Seller URL - the URL of the seller's storefront or profile page. For a marketplace offer, use the page for the specific seller where available.
• Size - the size of the product or variation, such as a clothing size, shoe size, or another relevant size label. For products with multiple sizes, provide the selected size for each variation.
• Variant dict color - the color of the variation. The Variant dict color attribute helps distinguish a variation from other variants of the same product. 
• Variant dict size - the size of the variation. The Variant dict size attribute helps distinguish a variation from other variations of the same product. 
• Weight - the net weight of the product, excluding packaging. Provide a positive decimal number and specify the corresponding Item weight unit.

Offer

Required

• Availability - indicates whether the product is currently available for purchase. Select one of the following values:
  • In stock - the product is available.
  • Out of stock - the product is not currently available.
  • Preorder - the product can be ordered before its release.
  • Backorder - the product can be ordered but is awaiting stock.
• Currency code - the ISO 4217 currency code for the product's price. Use the appropriate three-letter currency code in uppercase. E.g.: USD.

Optional

• Allow promotion below min price - set to true to allow the promotion price to drop below your product's minimum price. See ChannelEngine: promotions for details.
• Accepts returns - indicates whether the product can be returned under the applicable return policy. Use a Boolean value:
  • Yes - returns are accepted.
  • No - returns are not accepted.
• Return deadline in days - the number of days allowed for returning a product under the applicable return policy. Requirements:
  • Use a positive whole number.
  • Provide this attribute only when Accepts returns is true.
  • Ensure that the value matches the published return policy.
• Return policy - the public URL of the return policy that applies to the product. The policy should explain the applicable return conditions, including any relevant restrictions. The policy must be consistent with Accepts returns and Return deadline in days.
• Shipping price - the shipping charge for the product, expressed in the same currency as Price. Requirements:
  • Use a positive amount.
  • Use 0.00 when shipping is free.
  • Leave the attribute empty when the shipping cost is unknown.

Pricing

ChatGPT Ads requires all prices to be submitted in the currency mapped under Currency code. If you do not have pricing attributes in that currency, set up a currency conversion.

Working with discounts

Configure discounts using the Price and Sale price attributes. 

• Price (required) - the regular selling price of the product. Requirements:
  • Use a positive amount.
  • Use a decimal point as the decimal separator.
  • Do not include thousands separators.
  • Keep the price accurate and up to date.
• Sale price (optional) - the current discounted price of the product, when a sale is active. Requirements:
  • Use a positive amount.
  • Sale price must be lower than the regular Price.
  • Update or remove the sale price when the promotion ends.

The ad displays the Sale price alongside the strikethrough original price (Price) and a calculated discount.

Additional information

Product variations

To set up product variations in the Mappings step:

1. Assign each variation a unique Item ID.
2. Give all variations of the same product the same Group ID. The Group ID must differ from Item ID.
3. Set Listing has variations to Yes for every variation.
4. Map Variant dict color and/or Variant dict size, depending on which attributes distinguish the variations. You do not need to map both if the product varies by only one attribute.

Example

• Each has a different Item ID: TRAIL-BLK-10 and TRAIL-RD-11.
• Both have Group ID set to TRAIL and Listing has variations set to Yes.
• Product 1 - TRAIL-BLK-10
  •  Variant dict size is 10
  •  Variant dict color is black
• Product 1 - TRAIL-RD-11
  •  Variant dict size is 11
  •  Variant dict color is red

FAQs

Where can I find the feed required by ChatGPT?
The URL of the product feed is found in the channel's Product selection step. The URL is static, but it is not populated with products until you explicitly create your product selection on the channel.