Skip to content

AI Shelf Report and Playbook

Sample Paddle Co.

OpenAI 59/60, Perplexity 59/60, Claude 56/60 completed answers, 20 buyer questions, 3 runs each, Nov 2, 2026. Full method

What this adds to Shopify's Agentic home and Merchant Center AI insights: the competitors named across the 3 engines in this report, the sources those answers cite, and the full method.

AI engines named you in 9% of 174 completed API answers to 20 buyer questions, across 3 engines.

Named instead: Brand A (154), Brand B (131) and Brand C (83)

Brand A was named 9.6x as often as Sample Paddle Co.

Sites cited most in the answers that named them: forum.example (in 110 answers), retailer-b.example (in 75 answers) and reviews.example (in 72 answers). All cited sources

1 of 174 answers warned against Sample Paddle Co.

Some reviewers say to avoid Sample Paddle Co.

OpenAI (GPT via API, web search), run 2, answering “Is an inflatable or a hard paddle board better for a lake?” Read the full answer

The three changes to make first

16 of 174
completed API answers named Sample Paddle Co.
154 of 174
named Brand A, the brand named most
96,400
times your pages were shown in Google search in 28 days, and clicked 1,842
  1. Put width, weight and what's in the box in the first two lines of the All-Round 10'6" page

    Answers repeat what Brand A's page says in its first line. Your width is only in the spec table, and the package is only in a photo.

  2. Add review ratings to your product structured data

    Your reviews app shows stars on 48 product pages, but none of them carry AggregateRating markup.

  3. Offer the forum.example moderators a disclosed brand Q&A

    forum.example was cited in more answers than any other site.

All 40 changes are in the playbook, in order.

Brand A was named most: 154 of 174 answers

Share of the 174 completed answers that named each brand. Retailers are counted separately below.

  1. 1Brand Ayou asked about89% (154)

    OpenAI 51 / Perplexity 54 / Claude 49

  2. 2Brand B75% (131)

    OpenAI 45 / Perplexity 45 / Claude 41

  3. 3Brand Cyou asked about48% (83)

    OpenAI 34 / Perplexity 22 / Claude 27

  4. 4Brand D43% (74)

    OpenAI 24 / Perplexity 28 / Claude 22

  5. 5Brand E25% (43)

    OpenAI 13 / Perplexity 15 / Claude 15

  6. 6Brand F20% (34)

    OpenAI 12 / Perplexity 13 / Claude 9

  7. 7YouSample Paddle Co.9% (16)

    OpenAI 7 / Perplexity 5 / Claude 4

Prompt coverage: OpenAI 0/20, Perplexity 0/20, Claude 0/20

Marketplace A was named as a place to buy in 50 answers

Retailers and marketplaces the answers named as places to buy, out of 174 answers.

  1. 1Marketplace A29% (50)

    OpenAI 12 / Perplexity 17 / Claude 21

  2. 2Outdoor Retailer B23% (40)

    OpenAI 14 / Perplexity 9 / Claude 17

Selected examples: 3 of the prompts where you were named least, where competitors were named most

Taken by hand in the ChatGPT app, never retaken or swapped for what they show. Each sits beside that question's share in the API answers.

ChatGPT app answering “What is the best paddle board for a beginner on flat water?”. Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location
“What is the best paddle board for a beginner on flat water?” Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location. Via API: you were named in 0 of 9 answers to this question (0%).
ChatGPT app answering “Which inflatable paddle board is the most stable?”. Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location
“Which inflatable paddle board is the most stable?” Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location. Via API: you were named in 0 of 9 answers to this question (0%).
ChatGPT app answering “What is a good paddle board under 500 dollars?”. Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location
“What is a good paddle board under 500 dollars?” Sample placeholder. A real report's caption gives the date, the app (ChatGPT, temporary chat, memory off), the account state and the location. Via API: you were named in 0 of 9 answers to this question (0%).

forum.example was cited most: 112 answers

Sites the engines cited in their 174 answers, each counted once per answer and grouped by domain. Open one to see its pages.

  1. 1forum.example64% (112)

    OpenAI 41 / Perplexity 40 / Claude 31

    2 pages cited
  2. 2retailer-b.example44% (76)

    OpenAI 27 / Perplexity 26 / Claude 23

    1 page cited
  3. 3reviews.example42% (73)

    OpenAI 25 / Perplexity 31 / Claude 17

    1 page cited
  4. 4gearsite.example41% (72)

    OpenAI 27 / Perplexity 23 / Claude 22

    1 page cited
  5. 5news.example39% (68)

    OpenAI 18 / Perplexity 28 / Claude 22

    1 page cited
  6. 6video.example33% (58)

    OpenAI 18 / Perplexity 18 / Claude 22

    1 page cited
  7. 7magazine.example33% (57)

    OpenAI 18 / Perplexity 20 / Claude 19

    1 page cited

7 sites the answers cite, and who to approach

Every pitch is disclosed as made by the brand. No posting as a customer, no fake accounts, and free product only with the required disclosure and no condition on a review.

  1. The paddleboarding forum forum.example, cited in 112 answers

    Approach: Moderators. A disclosed brand Q&A, if the community's rules allow it.

  2. How to choose a paddle board retailer-b.example, cited in 76 answers

    Approach: Category buyer and guide editor. Stocking the All-Round, and a place in the guide.

  3. The best paddle boards reviews.example, cited in 73 answers

    Approach: Roundup editor. A board to test, disclosed, with no condition on the review.

  4. Most stable boards we tested gearsite.example, cited in 72 answers

    Approach: Reviewer. Your stability test data and a board for their own test.

  5. Why paddle boards sold out again news.example, cited in 68 answers

    Approach: Reporter. Anonymized data on what first-time buyers choose.

  6. We tested 8 boards on flat water video.example, cited in 58 answers

    Approach: Creator. A disclosed sample for the next test, with no conditions.

  7. Paddle board buying guide magazine.example, cited in 57 answers

    Approach: Editor. Sizing data from your returns and exchanges for the next update.

10 searches where your pages sit at positions 4 to 20

Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026, against the 28 days before. “Shown” is Search Console's impressions.

1,842
clicks from Google search, up from 1,610
96,400
times shown in Google search, up from 88,100
4,210
times shown in AI Overviews and AI Mode, up from 2,930

Average positions 4 to 20, closest first

  1. “kids paddle board”

    Average position 4.6, shown 2,800 times, clicked 61. /products/kids-8-6

  2. “paddle board package”

    Average position 5.8, shown 4,200 times, clicked 63. /collections/paddle-board-packages

  3. “touring paddle board”

    Average position 6.3, shown 3,900 times, clicked 44. /products/touring-11-6

  4. “inflatable paddle board for beginners”

    Average position 7.4, shown 6,900 times, clicked 41. /collections/inflatable-paddle-boards

  5. “paddle board for dog”

    Average position 8.7, shown 2,300 times, clicked 12. /products/yoga-10-8

  6. “10'6 inflatable paddle board”

    Average position 9.1, shown 5,100 times, clicked 37. /products/all-round-10-6

  7. “paddle board size chart”

    Average position 11.8, shown 3,600 times, clicked 9. /pages/size-guide

  8. “paddle board for heavy person”

    Average position 12.3, shown 1,900 times, clicked 6. /products/all-round-10-6

  9. “best inflatable sup under 500”

    Average position 14.2, shown 2,700 times, clicked 5. /collections/inflatable-paddle-boards

  10. “how to inflate a paddle board”

    Average position 16.5, shown 1,500 times, clicked 3. /blogs/learn/first-day

Shown often, rarely clicked

  1. /products/all-round-10-6

    Shown 18,300 times, clicked 140.

  2. /collections/inflatable-paddle-boards

    Shown 15,800 times, clicked 96.

  3. /pages/size-guide

    Shown 7,400 times, clicked 22.

  4. /products/touring-11-6

    Shown 6,100 times, clicked 51.

  5. /collections/paddles

    Shown 4,900 times, clicked 19.

6 things to fix in 15 checks

Checked on Nov 2, 2026: robots.txt, the product pages' structured data, the Shopify catalog and Merchant Center, and Search Console's speed report.

AI crawlers

  • OK

    OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot and ClaudeBot. Allowed by robots.txt.

  • Check

    GPTBot. Blocked by a rule an app added. It gathers OpenAI's training data, not its search results; keep or remove it on purpose.

  • OK

    Googlebot. Allowed. Googlebot, not Google-Extended, is the crawler behind AI Overviews and AI Mode.

  • OK

    agents.md and llms.txt. Shopify's defaults are in place and point to your catalog.

Product pages

  • OK

    Product and Offer structured data. On 48 of 48 product pages, with price and availability.

  • Fix

    Review ratings in structured data. Stars show on 48 pages; AggregateRating is on none.

  • Fix

    Shipping and return policy markup. Not on any product page, and not set in Merchant Center.

  • OK

    Duplicate product URLs under collections. Collection-path URLs point their canonical to /products/.

  • Check

    Discontinued products. 6 load as sold out with no link to a replacement.

Catalog and feeds

  • Fix

    Shopify product category. Set on 31 of 48 products.

  • Fix

    Metafields for width, length, weight and rider limit. On 8 of 48 products.

  • Fix

    GTINs. Missing on 14 of 112 variants; 9 products disapproved in Merchant Center.

  • OK

    Variant grouping. Sizes and colors are variants of one product, not separate products.

Speed and images

  • Check

    Mobile loading speed. Search Console lists 22 product URLs as needing improvement.

  • Fix

    Image alt text. 312 of 510 product images have none.

40 changes over 90 days, in order

About 220 hours of work for the first 35, by our estimate, and the last 5 are habits for every month. Each change says where it goes, how long it takes and what it's meant to move. Run it yourself, hand it to your team, or have us do it.

Month 3 The bigger bets.

  1. Build a board findera few days, AI answers and Google
  2. Film one stability test and publish the numbersa few days, AI answers and Google
  3. Pitch magazine.example an update to its buying guidehalf a day, AI answers
  4. Publish what first-time buyers choose, from your own ordersa few days, AI answers and Google
  5. Rework the Yoga 10'8" pagehalf a day, AI answers and Google
  6. Add a care and storage guide, linked from every boarda day, AI answers and Google

Every month Habits that keep you in the answers.

  1. Re-run the 20 questions and compare the countsongoing, AI answers
  2. Refresh the page that lost the most clicksongoing, Google
  3. Recheck AI crawler access after every app installongoing, AI answers
  4. Ask every new buyer for a reviewongoing, AI answers and Google
  5. Launch new products with their facts on day oneongoing, AI answers and Google

Week 1

Where: /products/all-round-10-6Time: an hourMoves: AI answers and Google

1. Put width, weight and what's in the box in the first two lines of the All-Round 10'6" page

Why: Answers repeat what Brand A's page says in its first line. Your width is only in the spec table, and the package is only in a photo.

What to do: Open with: "32 in wide and 19 lb, with a pump, paddle, leash and bag in the box. Stable enough for a first day on flat water."

Where: every product pageTime: an hourMoves: AI answers and Google

2. Add review ratings to your product structured data

Why: Your reviews app shows stars on 48 product pages, but none of them carry AggregateRating markup.

What to do: Turn on the reviews app's structured data setting, then check two product pages in Google's Rich Results Test.

Where: /collections/inflatable-paddle-boardsTime: an hourMoves: Google

3. Retitle the inflatable boards collection for the search buyers use

Why: It was shown 15,800 times in 28 days and clicked 96 times. It sits at average position 7.4 for "inflatable paddle board for beginners".

What to do: Title: "Inflatable Paddle Boards for Beginners | Sample Paddle Co." (57 characters). Description: width, weight and what's in the box, under 155 characters.

Where: /robots.txtTime: an hourMoves: AI answers

4. Decide on GPTBot on purpose

Why: An app added a rule that blocks GPTBot. GPTBot gathers training data; OpenAI's search crawler is OAI-SearchBot, which your robots.txt allows.

What to do: Keep the block or remove it as a choice, write the choice down, and recheck the file after every app install.

Where: 14 variantsTime: an hourMoves: Google

5. Add the 14 missing GTINs

Why: Merchant Center has disapproved 9 products for a missing GTIN, so they're out of free listings.

What to do: Add the barcode to each variant in Shopify, then request a recheck in Merchant Center.

Where: 17 productsTime: an hourMoves: AI answers and Google

6. Set a Shopify product category on the 17 products without one

Why: 31 of 48 products have a Shopify product taxonomy category. Shopify's documentation says products without one are left out of Shopify Catalog, which feeds AI shopping surfaces.

What to do: Set the matching paddleboarding category (boards, paddles, leashes) on each, from the Shopify product taxonomy.

Where: every board pageTime: an hourMoves: Google

7. Link the package collection from every board page

Why: Your package collection sits at average position 5.8 for "paddle board package", with 63 clicks from 4,200 times shown, and no board page links to it.

What to do: Add one line under the price: "Want the pump, paddle and bag together? See board packages."

Where: 6 product pagesTime: an hourMoves: Google

8. Send discontinued boards to their replacement

Why: 6 discontinued boards still load as sold out with no way forward, and 2 of them are still shown in search.

What to do: Redirect each to its closest current board, or add a "Replaced by" link above the fold.

Where: every pageTime: an hourMoves: AI answers and Google

9. Hold big page changes from Nov 24 to Dec 2

Why: Black Friday and Cyber Monday traffic makes before and after numbers hard to read, and a broken page costs most that week.

What to do: Ship this week's fixes before Nov 24, then pause rewrites and template changes until Dec 2.

Weeks 2 to 4

Where: /products/all-round-10-6Time: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

10. Rewrite the All-Round 10'6" page around the five facts answers repeat

Why: Your page leaves out two of the five facts the answers repeat for Brand A, and buries or blurs the other three (see why your competitors get named).

What to do: One short paragraph per fact, in buyers' words: stability, what's in the box, packed size, rigidity, deck room. Keep the spec table.

Where: /products/all-round-10-6Time: an hourMoves: AI answers

11. Answer the valve question on the All-Round page

Why: 1 answer warned against Sample Paddle Co. over valves that leak after a season, and Jake confirmed it reads that way (the warning under the verdict).

What to do: Show the valve, say what it's made of and how to check it, and link the warranty. Don't argue with the thread.

Where: every boardTime: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

12. Add width, length, weight and rider limit as metafields on every board

Why: 8 of 48 products carry these as metafields. The rest have them in description text, if at all, so filters and feeds can't read them.

What to do: Create four product metafields, fill them for every board, and show them in the same order on every page.

Where: every inflatable board pageTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

13. State packed size on every inflatable page

Why: Answers repeat that Brand B "rolls up small enough for a car trunk", and Brand B's page gives its rolled size. None of your inflatable pages give one.

What to do: Add "Rolls to 36 x 16 x 10 in, about the size of a carry-on" (with each board's real numbers) under the price.

Where: /products/touring-11-6Time: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

14. Rewrite the Touring 11'6" page for distance paddlers

Why: It sits at average position 6.3 for "touring paddle board", shown 3,900 times and clicked 44.

What to do: Lead with tracking and speed, give the length and width, and say who should pick the All-Round instead.

Where: /products/kids-8-6Time: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

15. Rewrite the Kids 8'6" page for parents

Why: It sits at average position 4.6 for "kids paddle board", shown 2,800 times and clicked 61.

What to do: Say the age and weight range, the board's weight a child can carry, and whether an adult can ride it too.

Where: /pages/size-guideTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

16. Publish rider weight limits in one table

Why: "Which paddle board is best for a heavier rider?" is one of your 20 questions, and the size guide sits at average position 11.8 for "paddle board size chart".

What to do: One table: every board, its rider limit, and the limit with a second rider or a dog. Link it from every board page.

Where: every product pageTime: half a dayMoves: Google

17. Add shipping and return policy markup

Why: No product page carries shipping or return policy structured data, which Google reads for free listings and product results.

What to do: Set your return window and shipping times in Merchant Center, or add OfferShippingDetails and MerchantReturnPolicy markup.

Where: every product pageTime: a dayMoves: Google

18. Write alt text for the 312 product images without it

Why: 312 of 510 product images have no alt text.

What to do: Describe what each image shows, with the board's name and what it's doing: "All-Round 10'6" rolled into its bag beside a car trunk".

Where: 4 collection pagesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

19. Add a short "Who it's for" block to each collection page

Why: Your collection pages open with a photo and a product grid, with no words above the fold.

What to do: Two sentences each: who the collection suits and how to choose within it, with a link to the size guide.

Where: 22 product pagesTime: a dayMoves: Google

20. Speed up the 22 product pages Search Console flags

Why: Search Console's Core Web Vitals report lists 22 product URLs as needing improvement on mobile for loading speed.

What to do: Serve the first product image at 1,200 px wide and remove the unused review widget script from product templates.

Month 2

Where: a new page: /blogs/learn/inflatable-or-hardTime: a few daysMoves: AI answers and Google

21. Publish "Inflatable or hard paddle board for a lake?"

Why: "Is an inflatable or a hard paddle board better for a lake?" is one of your 20 questions, and the answers cite a forum thread, not a store.

What to do: Answer in the first paragraph, then compare on stability, storage, price and durability, with your own boards and your rivals' named fairly.

Where: a new pageTime: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

22. Publish a fair "Sample Paddle Co. vs Brand A" page

Why: Brand A was named in 154 of 174 answers, more than any other brand.

What to do: Compare the two closest boards on the five repeated facts and price. Say plainly where Brand A wins.

Where: a new pageTime: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

23. Publish "Paddle boards under $500: what you give up"

Why: Two of your 20 questions set a price limit, and none of the answers to them cite a page on your site.

What to do: Name what changes below $500 (weight, rigidity, pump quality) and which of your boards fit the budget.

Where: other sitesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

24. Offer the forum.example moderators a disclosed brand Q&A

Why: forum.example was cited in more answers than any other site.

What to do: Ask the moderators first, follow the community's self-promotion rules, and answer as the brand, named. No posting as a customer.

Where: other sitesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

25. Pitch the reviews.example roundup editor

Why: reviews.example's paddle board roundup is among the most cited pages, and it doesn't include your boards.

What to do: Offer a board to test, disclosed as the brand, with no condition on the review. One paragraph on what your board does differently.

Where: other sitesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

26. Send gearsite.example your stability test data

Why: gearsite.example's "most stable boards" page is cited often in answers to the stability questions, and it doesn't list your boards.

What to do: Share each board's width, rider limit and your return data on stability, and offer a board for their own test.

Where: other sitesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

27. Ask Outdoor Retailer B about its buying guide and range

Why: Answers point shoppers to Outdoor Retailer B, and its buying guide on retailer-b.example is widely cited.

What to do: Contact the category buyer about stocking your All-Round, and the guide's editor about listing it.

Where: a new pageTime: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

28. Publish a page for paddling with a dog

Why: "What paddle board can I take my dog on?" is one of your 20 questions, and your Yoga page sits at average position 8.7 for "paddle board for dog".

What to do: Deck length, traction pad, rider plus dog weight limits, and which of your boards suit which dog sizes.

Where: emailTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

29. Ask every buyer from the last 90 days for a review

Why: Your boards average 14 reviews each, and a third of them are more than a year old.

What to do: One email to every recent buyer, happy or not, with a direct link to the review form. No incentive tied to a rating.

Month 3

Where: a new page: /pages/board-finderTime: a few daysMoves: AI answers and Google

30. Build a board finder

Why: Nine of your 20 questions ask which board suits a rider, a place or a car.

What to do: Four questions (rider weight, water, storage, budget) to one recommendation, with the reason written out so it can be quoted.

Where: a new pageTime: a few daysMoves: AI answers and Google

31. Film one stability test and publish the numbers

Why: video.example's board test is cited in answers to the beginner questions, and it doesn't include your boards.

What to do: Same rider, three boards, flat water and chop. Publish the video with a written summary and offer it to video.example's creator.

Where: other sitesTime: half a dayMoves: AI answers

32. Pitch magazine.example an update to its buying guide

Why: magazine.example's buying guide is cited in answers across the size and beginner questions.

What to do: Offer your sizing data (rider weight to board width, from your own returns and exchanges) for its next update.

Where: a new pageTime: a few daysMoves: AI answers and Google

33. Publish what first-time buyers choose, from your own orders

Why: news.example's story on paddle board demand is cited in many answers, and it quotes no store's data.

What to do: Sizes, packages and colors first-time buyers chose this year, anonymized, with a chart. Send it to the reporter.

Where: /products/yoga-10-8Time: half a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

34. Rework the Yoga 10'8" page

Why: "What is the best paddle board for yoga?" is one of your 20 questions, and this page is clicked 38 times from 3,100 times shown.

What to do: Lead with deck length and pad, say how stable it is standing still, and link the dog page.

Where: a new pageTime: a dayMoves: AI answers and Google

35. Add a care and storage guide, linked from every board

Why: Answers to the durability question repeat which brands "hold up". Your pages don't say how to make a board last.

What to do: Rinsing, drying, storage pressure and valve care, with the warranty terms in plain words.

Every month

Where: your reportTime: ongoingMoves: AI answers

36. Re-run the 20 questions and compare the counts

Why: Answers change as models and the web change. Small moves between runs are often noise.

What to do: Re-run monthly; act on changes that hold for two runs in a row.

Where: one page a monthTime: ongoingMoves: Google

37. Refresh the page that lost the most clicks

Why: Search Console shows which pages are slipping before sales do.

What to do: Compare the last 28 days with the 28 before, pick the biggest drop, and update its facts and title.

Where: /robots.txtTime: ongoingMoves: AI answers

38. Recheck AI crawler access after every app install

Why: An app changed your robots.txt without telling you once already.

What to do: Check the file for OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot and Googlebot after each install.

Where: emailTime: ongoingMoves: AI answers and Google

39. Ask every new buyer for a review

Why: A steady flow of reviews keeps the ratings on your pages current.

What to do: Send the review request 14 days after delivery to every buyer.

Where: every new productTime: ongoingMoves: AI answers and Google

40. Launch new products with their facts on day one

Why: Missing categories, metafields and GTINs were most of this month's catalog fixes.

What to do: A checklist for each new product: category, the four metafields, GTIN, alt text, and the first-line facts.

What the playbook is built on

  • Search Console: Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026, read from the Performance report and, where shown, the AI features report.
  • Site, catalog and feed checks: Nov 2, 2026.
  • Competitor facts: counted in the answers that named each brand, then checked against both pages.
  • Effort: our estimate per change, in five sizes from an hour to a few days.