With the launch of ChatGPT’s new shopping feature, the battle for AI-powered product recommendations is heating up. Google has long dominated personalized shopping with tailored search results, price comparisons, and sponsored listings.
Like many busy moms, I shop online frequently for products for my family, which is why I just had to know if ChatGPT’s conversational approach would be a game-changer.
From running shoes to noise-canceling earbuds, I evaluated which assistant — ChatGPT or Google — truly helps shoppers make smarter decisions. Here’s what happened when I put each one through the same five prompts.
1. Tech gadget
Prompt: "Find the best wireless earbuds under $100 with noise cancellation."
ChatGPT explicitly focused on "wireless earbuds under $100 with active noise cancellation (ANC)” as the prompt requested. Although it did include premium earbuds above $100 (likely for comparison), it clearly labeled the budget-friendly ANC options.
Google listed wireless earbuds under $100 but did not explicitly highlight noise cancellation (ANC) as a feature for most options. It included a mix of earbuds, some of which may not have ANC. The “10 more” section suggests additional options, but without details on ANC.
Winner: ChatGPT wins for the more targeted and informative response for someone specifically looking for noise-cancelling earbuds under $100, whereas Google’s response is broader and less detailed.
2. Fashion
Prompt: "Show me women’s running shoes with good arch support under $150."
ChatGPT directly addressed the prompt with a curated list of running shoes (e.g., Brooks Ghost 16, HOKA Clifton 9, ASICS Gel-Kayano 28). The AI highlighted arch support features implicitly (e.g., "stability focus," "balanced cushioning," "supportive design") and stayed within budget as all options were under $150.
Google delivered a mix of running shoes and non-running shoes and included duplicates (e.g., multiple Orthofeet listings). There was no clear focus on arch support, just generic terms like "supportive" or "comfortable" appear.
Winner: ChatGPT wins for a more targeted, informative response that closely adheres to the prompt requirements.
3. Everyday items
Prompt: "Find the top-rated air fryer for a family of four, under $200."
ChatGPT showcased a wide range of air fryers within budget (except for one that was slightly over) and included details and links to each one.
Google also delivered results for air fryers, but the images did not include prices or any details. I would have had to click on each one to learn about the features.
Winner: ChatGPT wins for the more thorough and detailed response that enables smart shopping without any extra clicks or further research.
4. Home goods
Prompt: "Show me a stylish floor lamp for a living room under $75."
ChatGPT offered multiple lamps with the option to scroll through a carousel to see more options. The prices were clearly stated.
Google showcased a wide range of floor lamps all within the prompted price range. It included local stores with information about how I could pick up a floor lamp today.
Winner: ChatGPT wins because it took the search a step further and explained the top results and what makes the product a good choice. While this test was closer than the previous ones, ChatGPT ultimately wins for being more detailed.
5. Gifts
Prompt: "Find unique birthday gifts for a 10-year-old boy under $50."
ChatGPT took a slightly different approach to this prompt by breaking down the gift ideas into various categories. This would be helpful for a parent or grandparent to better narrow down what the child might like. However, it did not include links to any of these gifts like it did with the products in the other prompts.
Google divided the gift ideas into categories as well but offered links to the gifts. It also included a list of other gift ideas to considered and included links to each one.
Winner: Google wins for a more user-friendly shopping experience that allowed me to simply click on the gift I wanted to buy rather than reading from a list and searching for it.
Final thoughts
In this head-to-head comparison, ChatGPT emerged as the clear winner, delivering more tailored, detailed, and user-friendly shopping recommendations than Google’s personalized search results.
While Google relies on algorithms and sponsored listings, ChatGPT’s conversational AI proved to excel at delivering a better shopping experience by understanding nuanced requests including budget limits, specific features and personal preferences.
ChatGPT proved that AI-powered shopping assistants can offer a smarter, more intuitive alternative to traditional search. Have you tried the new ChatGPT shopping feature? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!
More from Toms Guide
- I use Perplexity every day — here are 7 prompts I can't live without
- I put ChatGPT-4o vs Claude 3.7 Sonnet through a 5-round face-off — one left the other in the dust
- I use Gemini every day — here are 9 mind-blowing prompts I can’t live without
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
