Competitor Analysis Using ChatGPT Agent
Where wonder meets due diligence.
The Memory That Sparked an Idea
Porters of Racine was a destination high-end furniture store. Its 80,000 square feet commanded the corner of 6th & Wisconsin in Racine, Wisconsin. The massive brick façade was punctuated by wide, elegant windows at street level, each window framing a room designed around a theme. Mid-century modern or Victorian, each room was an impressive curated ensemble of furniture and art.
Inside, guests signed a registry and received a map to explore treasures on multiple floors. Unexpected stairways, room vignettes, and accessorized nooks wove together like threads in a marvelous tapestry. One employee’s full-time job was to replace burnt-out light bulbs so Porter’s refined ambience never dimmed.
People lined the sidewalks for the unveiling of new displays. Tour buses arrived. Women’s Leagues planned outings. My mom went with friends, my sister and I in tow. We ditched them, of course and touched everything, imagining life inside each room. Porters was something fun, wonderful, and magical.
It’s gone now. Closed in 2009. The grand building was reduced to rubble. But the delight it created in me remains vivid.
Reimagining the Delight
Let’s say I want to launch a company that brings that delight back: transforming forgotten storefronts into glowing portals of imagination. Using light, art, and story, I’d create experiences so others can gather on a sidewalk and gaze into a wondrous world.
I’d call it Something Fun, Wonderful & Magical.
And before installing the first light bulb, I need to do something so very unfun but essential: research my competition.
Where Human Wonder Meets AI Method
Due diligence matters, even for things fun, wonderful, and magical. So to ground my idea in strategy, I’ve turned to an effective business-research tool for help: ChatGPT’s Agent.
The difference between ChatGPT’s chat function and the Agent tool is simple:
Chat is for conversation.
Agent can act outside the chat by searching, analyzing, and completing structured tasks in real time.
How to Run a Competitor Analysis with ChatGPT Agent
Step 1 – Create a Project
Open ChatGPT → Projects → New Project. This creates a workspace for your files, instructions, and output.
Step 2 – Write the Behavior Context
This is your detailed instructions on what to search for and how to record results.
Step 3 – Prepare the Spreadsheet Template
Your spreadsheet and your behavior context must share identical column names.
Example headers:
competition name | website address | AI competition notes | AI suggestions for differentiating from the competition
Step 4 – Invoke the Agent
Inside the Project’s text box, type /agent. The Agent icon will appear.
Click it to enable or disable Agent mode.
Step 5 – Run the Task
Paste the behavior context into the message area, drop in your spreadsheet template, and press enter.
The Agent’s workspace (the terminal) pops open. You’ll see its live search and decision logic as it gathers competitor data, fills the spreadsheet, and produces a downloadable file. Each row lists:
Competitor name
Website URL
Why it’s competition
Suggestions for differentiation
A Few Tips
Agent request limits: You have a capped number per month, so use them for high-value analyses.
Clarity is key: Draft your behavior context in Chat first; then upload the polished version to the Agent.
Use simple headers: Keep spreadsheet column names short and consistent.
Exercise patience: Complex research takes longer for the Agent to process.
Sample Behavior Context
Objective
Search Nashville, Tennessee–area websites to identify businesses or events that could be considered competitors to Something Fun, Wonderful & Magical.
Something Fun, Wonderful & Magical transforms forgotten storefronts into glowing portals of imagination. Inspired by the department-store displays of childhood, each installation reawakens wonder with light, art, and story — reminding passersby that magic still lives right on Main Street.
Instructions
Research scope: lighting events, immersive art experiences, pop-up installations, and holiday displays in the Nashville area.
For each relevant competitor, populate the spreadsheet with:
competition name: Business or event name
website address: Primary website or ticket URL
AI competition notes: 1–2 sentences explaining why it’s competition
AI suggestions for differentiating: 1–2 actionable ideas for standing apart
Include at least 4–6 competitors. Avoid duplicates. Save and output the completed spreadsheet.
Tone
Professional yet creative — concise, insightful, and suitable for business-strategy use.
So Dream Big
And use AI tools and data to help you move the dream one step closer to reality.