Podcast Summary: "How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy"

Episode 204 | Get ChatGPT to Sell Your Etsy Products FOR YOU – with Gloria Chou
Host: Lizzie Smiley
Guest: Gloria Chou
Date: October 23, 2025

Overview

This episode explores how Etsy sellers can harness AI—specifically ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai—to supercharge PR campaigns, get featured in gift guides, and leverage the latest one-click checkout capabilities within ChatGPT. Host Lizzie Smiley and PR strategist Gloria Chou discuss why traditional marketing methods are being disrupted and how small business owners can act now to claim outsized visibility without big budgets. Listeners learn practical steps, tools, and mindset shifts to capitalize on this rare window of opportunity, with actionable strategies and timely industry insights throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The PR Opportunity in the Age of AI

• PR for Everyone, Not Just Big Brands

  • Gloria debunks myths that PR is only for big companies with large budgets. Even Etsy shops with only an Etsy store (no website) can get featured in top media.
  • Quote (Gloria, 10:37): “You can absolutely get featured… We had someone who does print on demand, like laser engraved Stanley mugs. She got featured in a back-to-school gift guide and she only has an Etsy store.”

• Gift Guides and Editorial Features

  • True PR means editorial features, not pay-to-play scams.
  • Gift guides aren’t just seasonal—they appear year-round (e.g., self-care, best of lists, trending items).
  • PR is high-leverage: One media feature provides third-party validation, long-lasting SEO, visibility, and considerably more trust than ads or social posts.
  • Quote (Gloria, 12:15): “Out of all the marketing activities we do, [PR] is the most compounded and highest leverage.”

• The New Role of AI: Trust Over Ad Spend

  • ChatGPT now enables one-click checkout for products—meaning AI recommends and sells products based on trust signals and media features, NOT advertising budget.
  • Quote (Gloria, 23:41): “As of, I think seven days ago, ChatGPT broke the E-commerce Internet by announcing that you can one-click checkout within ChatGPT. … You can’t buy your way on the top of search results.”
  • AI will recommend products that have credible media features (gift guides, roundups, traditional press mentions), not those who simply spend the most.

Practical Tools & Workflows

• Perplexity.ai for Real-Time Trends & Pitch Angles

  • Use Perplexity to research trending angles and statistics for your products; it gives real-time insights and citations—much better than ChatGPT for web data.
  • Workflow: Ask Perplexity to scan your shop, identify possible PR angles, and rank them by likelihood of media interest.
  • Quote (Gloria, 16:59): “[Perplexity] scrapes the Internet for all the trends, all the data, and then gives you all the angles with real-time data backed citations.”

• Gloria’s CPR Pitching Method

  • CPR = Credibility, Point of view, Relevance.
  • Both Perplexity and ChatGPT can write a pitch using Gloria’s method, which is now prevalent in AI models.

• Using ChatGPT vs. Perplexity

  • Perplexity = real-time research, fact-gathering, consumer insights.
  • ChatGPT = synthesizing, copy-editing, formatting.
  • Recommended workflow: “Start with Perplexity, then refine in ChatGPT.” (19:59)

• Finding the Right Journalists

  • Use Perplexity to research where competitors are featured or which outlets cover your niche.
  • Sign up for HARO (Help A Reporter Out) and Source of Sources for journalist requests.
  • Free resources = more time, low/no budget; Paid resources like Gloria’s program = save time, access curated journalist lists.

• Pitching & Outreach

  • Keep pitches short, specific, and highly relevant. Journalists are inundated and quickly scan for fit.
  • Personalize whenever possible, but done is better than perfect for many seasonal/roundup features.

The Window of Opportunity

• This AI-Driven PR Opportunity Won't Last

  • Early adopters will benefit from less competition; as knowledge spreads, PR features will become more competitive.
  • Media features “feed into the AI ecosystem,” making your products discoverable for “decades to come.” (Gloria, 25:59)
  • Quote (Gloria, 28:38): “This is a one-time in a lifetime opportunity… the window is closing and you do that with PR features.”

• Example Scenario

  • Lizzie gives an example: If a wreath seller is featured in Southern Living, someone asking ChatGPT for a fall wreath might see that feature and buy directly—without ever browsing Etsy. (26:28)

The Evolution of AI, PR, and E-commerce

• Shift from Pay to Play → Meritocracy

  • AI now values “credibility, trust, and user reviews”—not ability to outspend on ads.
  • Quote (Gloria, 33:13): “For the first time, the AI algorithms are rewarding people based on reviews, based on Reddit threads, based on media features. And that is not something you can buy your way into.”
  • Sellers should focus on what is truly unique—handmade items and authentic brand stories will hold their value as AI-generated products increase.

• Practical Action Steps

  • [34:59]
    1. Use Perplexity to generate potential PR angles and draft pitches.
    2. Sign up for HARO and Source of Sources to find journalist opportunities.
    3. Use ChatGPT to screen and refine applicable opportunities and pitches.
  • Spend 10-20 minutes daily on this for maximal leverage.

Tactical Advice & Pro Tips

• Keep it Short:
  • Lizzie: “The more paragraphs you send me, the less I’m. I’m just going to delete it.” (42:28)
  • Only pitch journalists or podcasts relevant to your product.
• Follow Up:
  • Follow up weekly, reframe/re-angle each time.
  • Use updates or milestones as new hooks in your follow-ups (badges, sales, “in 20+ carts,” etc.).
• Email Tools & Deliverability:
  • Use Gmail with Mail Suite or similar for tracking opens.
  • Outlook has worse deliverability; avoid if possible.

Mindset & Motivation

• Abundance & Accessibility
  • Gloria and Lizzie emphasize that PR is accessible, not gatekept, and encourage listeners to seize this moment.
  • Quote (Gloria, 48:04): “If people are making things very complex, they probably want to monetize on you. But if people are making things very clear and actionable… that’s empowerment.”
• Take Action—But Be Gentle with Yourself
  • The tech landscape is overwhelming; process what you’ve learned and start when ready. Even knowing this gives you a competitive edge.
  • Quote (Gloria, 50:03): “You don’t have to take action, like, all day, every day. So just be easy on ourselves… just being here… you’re already ahead of 90% of other people.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"When I think about PR, out of all the marketing activities we do, it is the most compounded and highest leverage thing that we can do."
— Gloria Chou (12:15)

"For the first time in small business history, it's not about who has the biggest budgets... ChatGPT is not taking any ad money... it is selecting which products people can choose and check out purely based on credibility, trust, signals."
— Gloria Chou (23:45)

"If you are featured in the media, you are 300% more likely to be recommended by these AI large language models. So the time is now."
— Gloria Chou (24:35)

"This is a one-time in a lifetime opportunity for small businesses who cannot afford big ad budgets to finally compete with big brands."
— Gloria Chou (28:38)

"It really feels like it's giving everyone an even playing field. And it just boggles my mind that like no PR person is talking about this, like they're still doing things the old way and gatekeeping."
— Gloria Chou (33:13)

"Just because I think we're in an era where people are just, like, our customers are smart... that's empowerment, that's creating access."
— Gloria Chou (48:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 08:32 – Gloria’s intro, PR and gift guide myth-busting
• 12:15 – PR as most leveraged marketing activity
• 16:59 – How to use Perplexity.ai for researching angles/trends
• 18:43 – Perplexity vs. ChatGPT for research vs. writing
• 21:06 – Finding the right journalists, free and paid tools
• 23:41 – ChatGPT’s new one-click checkout & the AI shopping revolution
• 25:59 – How media features translate to AI searchability & sales
• 28:38 – Why this window of opportunity matters for small sellers
• 31:32 – Predictions on the future of AI and PR
• 34:59 – Practical action steps for pitching media
• 40:49 – Email deliverability, tracking, and outreach best practices
• 43:19 – Quick PR pitching tips and common pitfalls
• 46:28 – Importance of follow-up (with examples)
• 50:03 – Encouragement and self-care while adopting new strategies
• 51:31 – Gloria’s free resources: Masterclass & Perplexity prompt guide

Resources & How to Go Deeper

• Gloria’s Free PR Workshop:
  gloriachoupr.com/masterclass
• Instagram: @gloriachoupr — DM "Lizzie" for a free Perplexity prompt guide.
• Free Tools Mentioned:
  • Perplexity.ai
  • Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
  • Source of Sources (Substack)

Final Takeaways

• PR and AI are democratizing visibility—small businesses can now compete with larger brands like never before, but only for a limited window.
• Focus on authentic, third-party media features. They matter for both human buyers and AI recommenders.
• Start using AI-powered research tools and simple outreach strategies now to secure your spot before the market floods.
• Don’t let perfectionism stop your progress—brevity, relevancy, and consistency win.

"If you've ever wanted to see your Etsy shop explode and scale without big spending, your moment is here. Take action before everyone catches on." — Paraphrased from Gloria & Lizzie