AI engines deliver a shortlist of trusted answers: not a scroll of blue links. Big-name competitors like Sports Direct still pour budgets into classical SEO. But for SMEs like FootAsylum: and every ambitious multichannel retailer: embracing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) gives you a real shot at leapfrogging the giants.

Most multi-location retailers chase raw numbers. Vanity metrics that look great in reports but don't move product off shelves. The real challenge is getting the right eyeballs at the moment they're ready to buy. We wanted to prove something different: that AI-driven local visibility could explode reach while sharpening focus on high-value customers. The results exceeded expectations.

AI engines don't crawl and interpret websites the way humans do. They need structured, machine-readable data that explicitly connects products to locations. Without it, your brand doesn't exist in their world.

The retail landscape has shifted. Your customers aren't just Googling anymore, they're asking ChatGPT "where can I buy organic dog food near me" and getting instant recommendations. If you're not in those AI-generated answers, you're invisible to the next generation of shoppers. Here's what actually works for multi-location retailers who want to dominate AI search results without drowning in dashboards.