Over the last few months, a surprising shift has been happening in online shopping. It’s not coming from Amazon or Google—it’s coming from AI. A new report shows that ChatGPT is now one of the top referral traffic sources for major retailers, and Etsy is right at the front of the pack.
If you sell on Etsy, this shift matters. Shoppers are starting to find products in new ways, and the platforms they use to discover listings are evolving quickly. Let’s break down what’s happening, how Etsy compares to other retailers, and what you can do today to make sure your listings are discoverable inside AI-powered search.
ChatGPT’s Role in Referral Traffic
According to new data from Similarweb, ChatGPT is rapidly becoming a significant source of referral clicks for large online retailers. Here’s how the numbers stack up:
- Walmart: 20% of referral traffic in August (up 15% from July)
- Etsy: More than 20% of referral traffic
- Target: Nearly 15%
- eBay: About 10%
- Amazon: Less than 3% (down 18% after blocking AI crawlers)
At first glance, those numbers might look enormous.
But here’s the reality: Referral traffic itself makes up less than 5% of overall site visits for these retailers. Most shoppers still arrive through direct visits, search engines, and paid ads.
So while ChatGPT isn’t the biggest traffic driver today, the speed of its growth is what makes this worth paying attention to. In just months, ChatGPT has carved out a spot in the top tier of referral sources. That’s the kind of trend sellers can’t afford to ignore.
Why Etsy Is Winning in AI Referrals
Etsy’s performance in this report is especially noteworthy. With more than 20% of its referral traffic now coming from ChatGPT, Etsy is performing at the same level as Walmart—despite Walmart’s massive SKU depth.
Why is Etsy punching above its weight here? Two big reasons:
Unique product catalog
AI assistants like ChatGPT thrive on answering very specific, long tail search queries. Shoppers aren’t just typing “necklace.” They’re asking, “What’s a good handmade necklace for a bridesmaid gift under $30?” Etsy’s catalog of personalized, handmade, and niche products matches those types of searches perfectly.
Domain authority
Etsy is one of the strongest eCommerce domains online. Whether ChatGPT pulls data from its own crawlers or falls back on Google search results, Etsy’s listings are highly likely to appear. Etsy’s strength in organic search is carrying over into AI-driven referrals.
This creates a sweet spot for Etsy: Products are both highly relevant to natural language queries and easy for AI to index.
How Shoppers Use ChatGPT to Discover Etsy Products
Think about how people use ChatGPT versus Google. A Google search might look like:
“custom leather wallet Etsy”
But a ChatGPT query looks more like:
“What are some unique leather wallet gifts under $50?”
“Find me a personalized wallet for Father’s Day.”
The difference is conversational intent. Shoppers are asking for recommendations in full sentences. ChatGPT responds with answers that often include clickable Etsy links, leading buyers directly to your listings.
Pro Tip: With Marma AI, you can actually practice this. It’s like having an AI buyer in front of you—ask it the kinds of questions shoppers would, and see how your listings stack up. This helps you uncover gaps in your titles, descriptions, and tags so you can align with how real people (and AI tools) search.
Here are a few more examples of a typical product search might flow in ChatGPT:
- A user asks: “What’s a good handmade Halloween decoration?”
→ ChatGPT surfaces Etsy listings for Halloween wreaths, banners, and table décor. - A user asks: “I need a personalized gift for a teacher.”
→ ChatGPT suggests Etsy shops with custom mugs, tote bags, or stationery. - A user asks: “Where can I find affordable minimalist wall art?”
→ Etsy prints appear alongside other online retailers.
This is where Etsy sellers have an edge: AI conversations naturally line up with the way buyers already search for unique, handmade, or personalized products.
How Etsy Listings Are Indexed Inside ChatGPT
So how exactly does ChatGPT find and display Etsy products? There are two main pathways:
1. Direct AI crawling
Unlike Amazon, Etsy has not blocked AI crawlers. That means ChatGPT (and other AI tools) can scrape Etsy’s listings directly—titles, descriptions, pricing, and sometimes images. Those listings are then part of ChatGPT’s internal knowledge set, ready to be pulled into responses.
2. Google search integration
When ChatGPT doesn’t have direct data, it often leans on Bing or Google search. In that case, Etsy listings appear the same way they do in traditional search results. This means the usual rules of Etsy SEO apply:
- Title tags → Etsy listing titles act as the clickable headline.
- Meta descriptions → Etsy pulls from listing descriptions to display under the link.
- Engagement signals → Listings with higher clicks, saves, and purchases tend to rank higher.
- Domain authority → Etsy’s strong reputation ensures its pages show up early.
The takeaway: Your Etsy SEO is now your AI SEO. If your listing ranks well on Google, it’s also more likely to be surfaced in ChatGPT answers.
What This Means for Etsy Sellers
The shift to AI-driven referrals is still in its early days, but it’s already changing how products are discovered online. Here’s why it matters for Etsy shops—and how Etsy keyword tools like Marmalead can help you adapt.
1. More traffic opportunities today
Etsy listings are already showing up in ChatGPT results. If you optimize your listings for long tail, conversational searches, you increase the chances of being the answer AI serves to shoppers. With Marmalead, you can see which keywords buyers actually use in real searches—and adjust your titles and tags to align with those same natural language queries.
2. A window of advantage over Amazon
Amazon’s decision to block AI crawlers has pulled its 600 million listings off the AI “shopping shelf.” That gives Etsy more visibility—for now. This window won’t last forever, but Marmalead’s predictive keyword data can help you spot rising trends and position your listings before competitors or platforms like Amazon take back market share.
3. AI SEO will mirror Etsy SEO
The same strategies that help you rank on Etsy and Google—clear titles, detailed descriptions, updated listings—are also what get you surfaced by ChatGPT. Marmalead helps you fine-tune all of these with real search volume, competition, and engagement data. When you optimize with Marmalead, you’re not just improving Etsy SEO, you’re future-proofing for AI discovery too.
4. Monetization is coming
Right now, traffic from ChatGPT is free. But OpenAI is already building checkout and affiliate systems into its platform. That means visibility could shift toward optimized, higher-authority listings. Sellers who already use Marmalead to dial in their SEO will be the ones most ready to keep showing up when AI search becomes a pay-to-play channel.
Action Steps for Sellers
Here’s how you can prepare your Etsy shop for this shift in AI-search traffic:
#1. Write conversational titles and descriptions
Think beyond keywords. Use phrasing that mirrors what a shopper might type into ChatGPT. Example:
Instead of “Personalized Necklace, Custom Jewelry, Gift for Her,”
try: “Personalized Name Necklace – Custom Jewelry Gift for Birthdays or Bridesmaids.”
#2. Include context buyers mention in queries
Shoppers ask about price, occasions, and personalization. Work these into your descriptions:
- “Handmade in Florida”
- “Ships in 2 business days”
- “Perfect for Mother’s Day gifts under $50”
#3. Keep listings updated
Freshness matters. AI and search engines both reward content that isn’t stale. Updating titles, descriptions, and photos seasonally can improve visibility.
#4. Track your traffic sources
Use Etsy stats and Google Analytics to monitor referral clicks. If you start seeing spikes from “chat.openai.com” or other AI domains, that’s a sign your listings are being surfaced.
#5. Stay ahead of monetization
Assume this traffic won’t be free forever. Just as Google shifted to paid shopping ads, AI platforms will too. Sellers who adapt early will be best positioned when Etsy rolls out tools to participate.
Over To You
ChatGPT isn’t replacing search engines overnight, but it is rapidly becoming a new shopping discovery channel. Etsy is already benefiting, with more than 20% of its referral traffic coming from AI conversations. For sellers, this creates both a new opportunity and a new challenge.
The opportunity: Etsy products are naturally aligned with the way shoppers ask questions in ChatGPT.
The challenge: competition will increase, and eventually, the traffic will come with a price tag.
For now, the best move you can make is to treat your Etsy SEO as your AI SEO. Optimize your listings for natural, conversational queries. Think like a buyer, not just a search algorithm. The sellers who do this now will be the ones most discoverable as AI-driven shopping becomes the norm.
What do you think about this shift in search traffic? Let us know in the comments below.
And as always, happy selling!
