Your PIM and Product Catalog were not built for AI
AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Amazon's Rufus are rapidly changing the ecommerce experience. Shoppers aren't just Googling anymore-they're asking questions like, "What's the best coffee maker for small kitchens?" or "Can I get a backpack with fast shipping?" AI answers with curated product recommendations, and if your catalog isn't optimized, you're missing out.
What's worse: traditional Product Information Management (PIM) systems aren't built for this new world. You need an AI-native product catalog that can optimize your data in a faster, smarter way to make your products shine in AI search. In this post, we'll show why catalog optimization is your secret weapon for AI search traffic and conversions, and how Merchkit gets you there without the headaches of an old school PIM. Let's dive in.
Why Merchkit Beats Traditional PIM for AI Commerce
PIM systems promise to tame your product data, but they often come with a catch: months of onboarding, complex integrations, and costs that make your CFO wince. For retailers racing to capture AI search traffic, that's too slow. Merchkit's catalog optimization, on the other hand, focuses on what matters most-getting your products live, ranking, and converting, fast.
Here's why it's better for AI-driven commerce:
- Speed: Optimization tools like Merchkit onboard SKUs 10x faster than traditional PIMs.
- Agility: Iterate content based on real-time performance data, not rigid workflows.
- Affordability: Skip the enterprise bloat and focus on ROI-driven features.
Catalog optimization is about action, not overengineering. Let's break down how it works.
How Catalog Optimization Drives AI Search Success
Geneative AI engines like ChatGPT rely on three things to recommend products, per OpenAI's April 2025 Improved Shopping Results guide: user intent, structured metadata, and external signals. Optimization nails all three with a lean, iterative approach. Here's how:
1. Clean and Centralize Your Data
AI needs clear, unified data to find your products. Optimization starts by pulling your catalog together-no matter how messy it is.
How It Works:
- Extract data from spreadsheets, vendor files, or APIs.
- Standardize SKUs, prices, and specs for consistency.
Why It Matters: A clean catalog ensures AI doesn't skip you for errors like mismatched prices.
Pro Tip: Merchkit's Catalog Cleanup Tool unifies your data in days, not weeks.
2. Generate Conversational, AI-Ready Content
AI loves content that sounds human and answers shopper questions. Optimization creates titles, descriptions, and FAQs that align with how people search.
How It Works:
- Craft titles like "Natura Organic Coffee Maker for Small Kitchens."
- Add FAQs like "Does this backpack fit a 15-inch laptop?"
- Write descriptions that highlight benefits (e.g., "Brews barista-quality coffee in under 5 minutes").
Why It Matters: Conversational content matches AI queries, boosting your visibility.
Pro Tip: Merchkit generates on-brand content at scale, saving hours of manual work.
3. Syndicate to Every Channel, Seamlessly
AI pulls data from all your platforms-Shopify, Amazon, Google-so your catalog needs to be consistent everywhere. Optimization makes syndication effortless.
How It Works:
- Push optimized listings to multiple channels with perfect formatting.
- Update regularly to keep data fresh.
Why It Matters: Uniform data builds AI's trust, improving your ranking odds.
Pro Tip: Merchkit's Feed Optimizer syncs your catalog to any channel, keeping it AI-ready.
4. Iterate with Performance Data
Optimization isn't set-it-and-forget-it. It's an ongoing loop-use sales and visibility data to refine your catalog.
How It Works:
- Track which products show up in AI search and convert.
- Tweak content based on insights (e.g., add "fast shipping" to top performers).
Why It Matters: Continuous improvement keeps you ahead of competitors.
Real Example: Thrive Market used Merchkit's Performance Iteration Tool to refine their catalog, driving a 20% traffic increase from AI searches.
Pro Tip: Merchkit's analytics make iteration simple, no data science degree needed.
Why Merchkit Is Your AI Search Advantage
Merchkit isn't just another tool-it's built to get your catalog live, ranking, and converting in the AI era. Here's how we deliver:
- 10x Faster Onboarding: Clean and unify SKUs in days, not months.
- On-Brand Content & Visuals: Generate conversational titles, FAQs, and images that AI loves.
- Channel Syndication: Sync your catalog to Shopify, Amazon, and beyond, flawlessly.
- AI Search Discoverability: Optimize for ChatGPT, Amazon Rufus, and other AI engines.
The Future Is AI Search-And It Starts with Optimization
AI search isn't a distant dream-it's driving traffic and sales right now. Merchkit's catalog optimization is your fastest path to capturing that opportunity, without the baggage of traditional PIMs.
Don't let your competitors steal the spotlight. Clean your data, create AI-ready content, syndicate it everywhere, and keep improving. With Merchkit, you'll be live, ranking, and converting in no time.