Each category has 24 answers (2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines). Brands are ranked only within their own category; pooled totals do not rank brands across categories.
RESEARCH · Published June 22, 2026 · Updated November 7, 2026
DTC Brands Index 2.0: How AI Engines Rank DTC Brands in 12 Categories
Published June 22, 2026 · Updated November 7, 2026
× 24
12
Each category has 2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines = 24 answers. Brands are…
brands
60
All previously tracked DTC brands, survivors, incumbents and competitors remain,…
288
AI answers analyzed across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity
12
categories ranked separately; no cross-category brand leader
24
four-engine answers per category; all 60 tracked brands retained
78.7%
of Google searches showed an AI Overview (48 of 61)
Version 2. This version replaces the first version of this study, first published June 22, 2026. It uses measured counts, so the two versions are not comparable. Version 2 asks 24 questions three times each on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity (288 answers) and adds Google AI Overviews. Every rate comes with its count and a 95% interval.
What the data shows
01
12 × 24
Each category has 2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines = 24 answers. Brands are ranked only within their assigned category. Counts include each answer once per brand; equal counts share a competition rank. Wilson 95% intervals are descriptive; overlapping intervals do not establish a sole leader.
02
24/288 = 8.3%
Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings.
03
60 brands
All previously tracked DTC brands, survivors, incumbents and competitors remain, including former brands and original operating-status notes.
04
48/61 (78.7%)
Google AI Overviews appeared on 48 of 61 searches (CI 66.9–87.1%). On the other 13, no overview was shown.
05
97/288 (33.7%)
forbes.com was cited in 97 of 288 grounded four-engine answers, with 112 of 2,265 citations (4.9%). en.wikipedia.org came second with 46 citations in 36 answers (12.5%).
Mattresses
Each category has 2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines = 24 answers. Brands are ranked only within their assigned category. Counts include each answer once per brand; equal counts share a competition rank. Wilson 95% intervals are descriptive; overlapping intervals do not establish a sole leader. Highest observed count: Leesa (20/24). The top two 95% intervals overlap; neither can be called the sole leader.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leesa | 20/24 | 83.3% | 64.1–93.3% | 5 | DTC |
| 2 | Helix | 17/24 | 70.8% | 50.8–85.1% | 14 | DTC |
| 3 | Nectar | 15/24 | 62.5% | 42.7–78.8% | 1 | DTC |
| 4 | Saatva | 13/24 | 54.2% | 35.1–72.1% | 3 | DTC |
| 5 | Tuft & Needle | 7/24 | 29.2% | 14.9–49.2% | 0 | DTC |
| 6 (tie) | Purple | 2/24 | 8.3% | 2.3–25.8% | 0 | DTC |
| 6 (tie) | Tempur-Pedic | 2/24 | 8.3% | 2.3–25.8% | 0 | Incumbent |
| 8 | Casper | 1/24 | 4.2% | 0.7–20.2% | 0 | DTC; Carpenter Co. subsidiary since November 2024 |
| 9 | Sealy | 0/24 | 0.0% | 0.0–13.8% | 0 | Incumbent |
Sneakers
Highest observed count: Allbirds (24/24).
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allbirds | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 12 | DTC; signed an asset sale to an American Exchange Group affiliate on March 29, 2026 |
| 2 | Nike | 12/24 | 50.0% | 31.4–68.6% | 12 | Incumbent |
| 3 | Rothy's | 9/24 | 37.5% | 21.2–57.3% | 0 | DTC |
| 4 | Veja | 6/24 | 25.0% | 12.0–44.9% | 0 | Competitor |
Eyewear
Highest observed count: EyeBuyDirect, Warby Parker, Zenni Optical (24/24 each). These brands are tied; their display order does not break the tie.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | EyeBuyDirect | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 0 | Online eyewear |
| 1 (tie) | Warby Parker | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 3 | DTC survivor |
| 1 (tie) | Zenni Optical | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 21 | Online eyewear |
| 4 | LensCrafters | 2/24 | 8.3% | 2.3–25.8% | 0 | Incumbent |
| 5 | Glasses.com | 0/24 | 0.0% | 0.0–13.8% | 0 | Online eyewear |
Activewear
Highest observed count: Alo Yoga, Athleta, Girlfriend Collective, Lululemon, Vuori (24/24 each). These brands are tied; their display order does not break the tie.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | Alo Yoga | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 0 | Not labelled |
| 1 (tie) | Athleta | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 0 | Incumbent |
| 1 (tie) | Girlfriend Collective | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 0 | DTC |
| 1 (tie) | Lululemon | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 24 | Incumbent |
| 1 (tie) | Vuori | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 0 | Competitor |
| 6 | Gymshark | 18/24 | 75.0% | 55.1–88.0% | 0 | DTC |
| 7 | Outdoor Voices | 4/24 | 16.7% | 6.7–35.9% | 0 | DTC (acquired 2024) |
Skincare
Highest observed count: CeraVe, The Ordinary (23/24 each). These brands are tied; their display order does not break the tie.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | CeraVe | 23/24 | 95.8% | 79.8–99.3% | 11 | Incumbent |
| 1 (tie) | The Ordinary | 23/24 | 95.8% | 79.8–99.3% | 13 | Competitor |
| 3 (tie) | Drunk Elephant | 4/24 | 16.7% | 6.7–35.9% | 0 | Competitor |
| 3 (tie) | Glossier | 4/24 | 16.7% | 6.7–35.9% | 0 | DTC survivor |
| 5 | Rhode | 0/24 | 0.0% | 0.0–13.8% | 0 | DTC survivor |
Men's razors
Highest observed count: Gillette (23/24).
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillette | 23/24 | 95.8% | 79.8–99.3% | 12 | Incumbent |
| 2 | Dollar Shave Club | 13/24 | 54.2% | 35.1–72.1% | 11 | DTC |
| 3 | Schick | 7/24 | 29.2% | 14.9–49.2% | 0 | Incumbent |
| 4 | Harry's | 2/24 | 8.3% | 2.3–25.8% | 1 | DTC |
Luggage
Highest observed count: Briggs & Riley, Samsonite (24/24 each). These brands are tied; their display order does not break the tie.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | Briggs & Riley | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 6 | Incumbent |
| 1 (tie) | Samsonite | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 2 | Incumbent |
| 3 | Travelpro | 23/24 | 95.8% | 79.8–99.3% | 16 | Incumbent |
| 4 | Monos | 6/24 | 25.0% | 12.0–44.9% | 0 | DTC |
| 5 | Away | 3/24 | 12.5% | 4.3–31.0% | 0 | DTC |
Meal kits
Highest observed count: Home Chef (24/24). The top two 95% intervals overlap; neither can be called the sole leader.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Chef | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 4 | Competitor |
| 2 | HelloFresh | 23/24 | 95.8% | 79.8–99.3% | 20 | Competitor |
| 3 | Green Chef | 19/24 | 79.2% | 59.5–90.8% | 0 | Competitor |
| 4 | Blue Apron | 12/24 | 50.0% | 31.4–68.6% | 0 | DTC (sold 2023) |
| 5 | Factor | 2/24 | 8.3% | 2.3–25.8% | 0 | Competitor |
Pet supplies
Highest observed count: Chewy (24/24). The top two 95% intervals overlap; neither can be called the sole leader.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chewy | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 18 | DTC survivor |
| 2 | The Farmer's Dog | 20/24 | 83.3% | 64.1–93.3% | 6 | DTC |
| 3 | Petco | 13/24 | 54.2% | 35.1–72.1% | 0 | Incumbent |
| 4 | PetSmart | 10/24 | 41.7% | 24.5–61.2% | 0 | Incumbent |
Canned water
Highest observed count: Liquid Death (24/24). The top two 95% intervals overlap; neither can be called the sole leader.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liquid Death | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 14 | DTC survivor |
| 2 | Open Water | 20/24 | 83.3% | 64.1–93.3% | 10 | Not labelled |
| 3 | Mananalu | 7/24 | 29.2% | 14.9–49.2% | 0 | Competitor |
| 4 | Flow | 0/24 | 0.0% | 0.0–13.8% | 0 | Not labelled |
Clear aligners
Highest observed count: Invisalign (24/24).
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Invisalign | 24/24 | 100.0% | 86.2–100.0% | 24 | Incumbent |
| 2 | SmileDirectClub | 9/24 | 37.5% | 21.2–57.3% | 0 | DTC; bankrupt and closed 2023 |
| 3 | Byte | 3/24 | 12.5% | 4.3–31.0% | 0 | DTC |
| 4 | Candid | 1/24 | 4.2% | 0.7–20.2% | 0 | DTC |
Home fitness
Highest observed count: NordicTrack (22/24). The top two 95% intervals overlap; neither can be called the sole leader.
| Rank | Brand | Named answers | Rate | 95% interval | Named first | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NordicTrack | 22/24 | 91.7% | 74.2–97.7% | 6 | Incumbent |
| 2 | Peloton | 17/24 | 70.8% | 50.8–85.1% | 13 | DTC |
| 3 | Bowflex | 14/24 | 58.3% | 38.8–75.5% | 5 | Incumbent |
| 4 | Echelon | 5/24 | 20.8% | 9.2–40.5% | 0 | Competitor |
Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings.
Pooled appearance chart (secondary)
Nike
11.1%
Allbirds
8.3%
Alo Yoga
8.3%
Athleta
8.3%
Briggs & Riley
8.3%
Chewy
8.3%
EyeBuyDirect
8.3%
Girlfriend Collective
8.3%
Home Chef
8.3%
Invisalign
8.3%
Liquid Death
8.3%
Lululemon
8.3%
Samsonite
8.3%
Vuori
8.3%
Warby Parker
8.3%
| # | Name | Named in | Appearance rate | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | 32/288 | 11.1% | 8.0–15.3% |
| 2 | Allbirds | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 3 | Alo Yoga | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 4 | Athleta | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 5 | Briggs & Riley | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 6 | Chewy | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 7 | EyeBuyDirect | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 8 | Girlfriend Collective | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 9 | Home Chef | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 10 | Invisalign | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 11 | Liquid Death | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 12 | Lululemon | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 13 | Samsonite | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 14 | Vuori | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
| 15 | Warby Parker | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% |
All 60 brands: pooled full list (secondary)
Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings. Own-domain citation is the share of 288 grounded answers that cited the tracked name's own domains (subdomains included). Citation share is of all 2,265 citations.
| # | Brand | Named in | Appearance rate | 95% interval | First mention | Own-domain citation | Citation share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | 32/288 | 11.1% | 8–15.3% | 3.3 | 1% (3/288) | 0.1% |
| 2 | Allbirds | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1.5 | 1.7% (5/288) | 0.2% |
| 3 | Alo Yoga | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 3.6 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 4 | Athleta | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 3.3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 5 | Briggs & Riley | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 6 | Chewy | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1.3 | 0.7% (2/288) | 0.1% |
| 7 | EyeBuyDirect | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 2.5 | 0.7% (2/288) | 0.1% |
| 8 | Girlfriend Collective | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 4.4 | 1% (3/288) | 0.1% |
| 9 | Home Chef | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1.9 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 10 | Invisalign | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1 | 1% (3/288) | 0.1% |
| 11 | Liquid Death | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1.5 | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 12 | Lululemon | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 13 | Samsonite | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 2.8 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 14 | Vuori | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 4.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 15 | Warby Parker | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 2.4 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 16 | Zenni Optical | 24/288 | 8.3% | 5.7–12.1% | 1.1 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 17 | CeraVe | 23/288 | 8% | 5.4–11.7% | 1.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 18 | Gillette | 23/288 | 8% | 5.4–11.7% | 1.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 19 | HelloFresh | 23/288 | 8% | 5.4–11.7% | 1.1 | 0.7% (2/288) | 0.1% |
| 20 | The Ordinary | 23/288 | 8% | 5.4–11.7% | 1.4 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 21 | Travelpro | 23/288 | 8% | 5.4–11.7% | 1.3 | 1.7% (5/288) | 0.2% |
| 22 | NordicTrack | 22/288 | 7.6% | 5.1–11.3% | 1.8 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 23 | Leesa | 20/288 | 6.9% | 4.5–10.5% | 3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 24 | Open Water | 20/288 | 6.9% | 4.5–10.5% | 1.5 | 3.5% (10/288) | 0.8% |
| 25 | The Farmer's Dog | 20/288 | 6.9% | 4.5–10.5% | 2.4 | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 26 | Green Chef | 19/288 | 6.6% | 4.3–10.1% | 3.3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 27 | Gymshark | 18/288 | 6.3% | 4–9.7% | 6.1 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 28 | Helix | 17/288 | 5.9% | 3.7–9.2% | 1.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 29 | Peloton | 17/288 | 5.9% | 3.7–9.2% | 1.2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 30 | Nectar | 15/288 | 5.2% | 3.2–8.4% | 2.7 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
All 60 brands: pooled full list (secondary) (continued)
None means no own site is tracked for that name.
| # | Brand | Named in | Appearance rate | 95% interval | First mention | Own-domain citation | Citation share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Bowflex | 14/288 | 4.9% | 2.9–8% | 2.1 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 32 | Dollar Shave Club | 13/288 | 4.5% | 2.7–7.6% | 1.2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 33 | Petco | 13/288 | 4.5% | 2.7–7.6% | 2.2 | 0.7% (2/288) | 0.1% |
| 34 | Saatva | 13/288 | 4.5% | 2.7–7.6% | 1.9 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 35 | Blue Apron | 12/288 | 4.2% | 2.4–7.1% | 3.1 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 36 | PetSmart | 10/288 | 3.5% | 1.9–6.3% | 3 | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 37 | Rothy's | 9/288 | 3.1% | 1.7–5.8% | 2.8 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 38 | SmileDirectClub | 9/288 | 3.1% | 1.7–5.8% | 2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 39 | Mananalu | 7/288 | 2.4% | 1.2–4.9% | 2.6 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 40 | Schick | 7/288 | 2.4% | 1.2–4.9% | 2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 41 | Tuft & Needle | 7/288 | 2.4% | 1.2–4.9% | 3.9 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 42 | Monos | 6/288 | 2.1% | 1–4.5% | 3.7 | 0.7% (2/288) | 0.1% |
| 43 | Veja | 6/288 | 2.1% | 1–4.5% | 3 | 1% (3/288) | 0.1% |
| 44 | Echelon | 5/288 | 1.7% | 0.7–4% | 3.2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 45 | Drunk Elephant | 4/288 | 1.4% | 0.5–3.5% | 3.8 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 46 | Glossier | 4/288 | 1.4% | 0.5–3.5% | 3.3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 47 | Outdoor Voices | 4/288 | 1.4% | 0.5–3.5% | 7.3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 48 | Away | 3/288 | 1% | 0.4–3% | 3.3 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 49 | Byte | 3/288 | 1% | 0.4–3% | 2.7 | None | None |
| 50 | Factor | 2/288 | 0.7% | 0.2–2.5% | 4 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 51 | Harry's | 2/288 | 0.7% | 0.2–2.5% | 2 | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 52 | LensCrafters | 2/288 | 0.7% | 0.2–2.5% | 4 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 53 | Purple | 2/288 | 0.7% | 0.2–2.5% | 2.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 54 | Tempur-Pedic | 2/288 | 0.7% | 0.2–2.5% | 3.5 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 55 | Candid | 1/288 | 0.3% | 0.1–1.9% | 3 | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 56 | Casper | 1/288 | 0.3% | 0.1–1.9% | 2 | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 57 | Flow | 0/288 | 0% | 0–1.3% | – | 0.3% (1/288) | 0% |
| 58 | Glasses.com | 0/288 | 0% | 0–1.3% | – | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 59 | Rhode | 0/288 | 0% | 0–1.3% | – | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
| 60 | Sealy | 0/288 | 0% | 0–1.3% | – | 0% (0/288) | 0% |
Pooled brand profiles (secondary)
| # | Name | Appearance rate | Answers and interval | Other measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | 11.1% | 32/288 answers · 95% CI 8–15.3% | first-mention position: 3.3; owned-domain citation (3/288): 1%; citation share: 0.1% |
| 2 | Allbirds | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 1.5; owned-domain citation (5/288): 1.7%; citation share: 0.2% |
| 3 | Alo Yoga | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 3.6; owned-domain citation (0/288): 0%; citation share: 0% |
| 4 | Athleta | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 3.3; owned-domain citation (0/288): 0%; citation share: 0% |
| 5 | Briggs & Riley | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 2; owned-domain citation (0/288): 0%; citation share: 0% |
| 6 | Chewy | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 1.3; owned-domain citation (2/288): 0.7%; citation share: 0.1% |
| 7 | EyeBuyDirect | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 2.5; owned-domain citation (2/288): 0.7%; citation share: 0.1% |
| 8 | Girlfriend Collective | 8.3% | 24/288 answers · 95% CI 5.7–12.1% | first-mention position: 4.4; owned-domain citation (3/288): 1%; citation share: 0.1% |
Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings. See the category-by-engine table for comparable within-category counts.
ChatGPT
72 asked · 72 returned · 72 grounded
Pooled engine charts (secondary)
Nike
11.1%
Allbirds
8.3%
Alo Yoga
8.3%
Athleta
8.3%
Briggs & Riley
8.3%
Chewy
8.3%
Claude
72 asked · 72 returned · 72 grounded
Nike
12.5%
Allbirds
8.3%
Alo Yoga
8.3%
Athleta
8.3%
Briggs & Riley
8.3%
Chewy
8.3%
Gemini
72 asked · 72 returned · 72 grounded
Nike
8.3%
Allbirds
8.3%
Alo Yoga
8.3%
Athleta
8.3%
Briggs & Riley
8.3%
Chewy
8.3%
Perplexity
72 asked · 72 returned · 72 grounded
Nike
12.5%
Allbirds
8.3%
Alo Yoga
8.3%
Athleta
8.3%
Briggs & Riley
8.3%
Chewy
8.3%
Google AI Overviews were captured through 61 U.S. desktop searches and scored only where an overview appeared, so five-engine figures use 288 + 48 = 336 answers. Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings.
Google AI Overviews (secondary pooled results)
79%
Trigger rate: 48 of 61 searches
Google AI Overviews appeared on 48 of 61 searches (78.7%, CI 66.9–87.1%). The other 13 searches showed no overview.
| Five-engine rank | Name | Five-engine rate | Four-engine rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | 10.4% | 1 |
| 2 | Briggs & Riley | 8.9% | 5 |
| 3 | Samsonite | 8.9% | 13 |
| 4 | Lululemon | 8.6% | 12 |
| 5 | Travelpro | 8.6% | 21 |
| 6 | Home Chef | 8.3% | 9 |
| 7 | Alo Yoga | 8.0% | 3 |
| 8 | Athleta | 8.0% | 4 |
| 9 | EyeBuyDirect | 8.0% | 7 |
| 10 | Invisalign | 8.0% | 10 |
Google AI Overview mentions by category
Secondary only. Denominator is the number of returned overviews within that category, not 24 chat answers. Failed lookups are excluded, not scored as zero.
| Category | Brand | Named / shown overviews | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mattresses | Leesa | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Mattresses | Helix | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Nectar | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Saatva | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Mattresses | Tuft & Needle | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Purple | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Tempur-Pedic | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Casper | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Mattresses | Sealy | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Sneakers | Allbirds | 2/2 | 100.0% |
| Sneakers | Nike | 1/2 | 50.0% |
| Sneakers | Rothy's | 0/2 | 0.0% |
| Sneakers | Veja | 2/2 | 100.0% |
| Eyewear | EyeBuyDirect | 3/3 | 100.0% |
| Eyewear | Warby Parker | 3/3 | 100.0% |
| Eyewear | Zenni Optical | 3/3 | 100.0% |
| Eyewear | LensCrafters | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Eyewear | Glasses.com | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Activewear | Alo Yoga | 3/5 | 60.0% |
| Activewear | Athleta | 3/5 | 60.0% |
Google AI Overview mentions by category (continued)
| Category | Brand | Named / shown overviews | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activewear | Girlfriend Collective | 2/5 | 40.0% |
| Activewear | Lululemon | 5/5 | 100.0% |
| Activewear | Vuori | 2/5 | 40.0% |
| Activewear | Gymshark | 2/5 | 40.0% |
| Activewear | Outdoor Voices | 0/5 | 0.0% |
| Skincare | CeraVe | 2/2 | 100.0% |
| Skincare | The Ordinary | 2/2 | 100.0% |
| Skincare | Drunk Elephant | 0/2 | 0.0% |
| Skincare | Glossier | 0/2 | 0.0% |
| Skincare | Rhode | 0/2 | 0.0% |
| Men's razors | Gillette | 2/5 | 40.0% |
| Men's razors | Dollar Shave Club | 3/5 | 60.0% |
| Men's razors | Schick | 2/5 | 40.0% |
| Men's razors | Harry's | 0/5 | 0.0% |
| Luggage | Briggs & Riley | 6/6 | 100.0% |
| Luggage | Samsonite | 6/6 | 100.0% |
| Luggage | Travelpro | 6/6 | 100.0% |
| Luggage | Monos | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Luggage | Away | 0/6 | 0.0% |
| Meal kits | Home Chef | 4/4 | 100.0% |
Google AI Overview mentions by category (continued)
| Category | Brand | Named / shown overviews | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal kits | HelloFresh | 4/4 | 100.0% |
| Meal kits | Green Chef | 3/4 | 75.0% |
| Meal kits | Blue Apron | 0/4 | 0.0% |
| Meal kits | Factor | 3/4 | 75.0% |
| Pet supplies | Chewy | 2/3 | 66.7% |
| Pet supplies | The Farmer's Dog | 1/3 | 33.3% |
| Pet supplies | Petco | 1/3 | 33.3% |
| Pet supplies | PetSmart | 1/3 | 33.3% |
| Canned water | Liquid Death | 3/3 | 100.0% |
| Canned water | Open Water | 2/3 | 66.7% |
| Canned water | Mananalu | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Canned water | Flow | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Clear aligners | Invisalign | 3/3 | 100.0% |
| Clear aligners | SmileDirectClub | 2/3 | 66.7% |
| Clear aligners | Byte | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Clear aligners | Candid | 0/3 | 0.0% |
| Home fitness | NordicTrack | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Home fitness | Peloton | 6/6 | 100.0% |
| Home fitness | Bowflex | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Home fitness | Echelon | 0/6 | 0.0% |
Who each question surfaces first
Six questions from the set. Each tile uses that question's own four-engine answers as the denominator.
| Question | Leader | Next | AI Overview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q01 · 12 answers | Leesa 66.7% | Helix 41.7%; Nectar 41.7% | AI Overview shown on 3 of 3 searches |
| Q02 · 12 answers | Saatva 100.0% | Helix 100.0%; Leesa 100.0% | AI Overview shown on 3 of 3 searches |
| Q03 · 12 answers | Allbirds 100.0% | Rothy's 33.3%; Veja 16.7% | AI Overview shown on 1 of 3 searches |
| Q04 · 12 answers | Zenni Optical 100.0% | Warby Parker 100.0%; EyeBuyDirect 100.0% | AI Overview shown on 3 of 3 searches |
| Q05 · 12 answers | Lululemon 100.0% | Alo Yoga 100.0%; Girlfriend Collective 100.0% | AI Overview shown on 2 of 3 searches |
| Q06 · 12 answers | CeraVe 91.7% | The Ordinary 91.7%; Glossier 8.3% | AI Overview shown on 2 of 3 searches |
The four engines produced 2,265 citations in total. forbes.com was cited most often, with 112 citations (4.9%) across 97 answers. Next came en.wikipedia.org (46), cnet.com (42), goodhousekeeping.com (42), outdoorgearlab.com (39), youtube.com (39).
Four AI engines · share of 288 grounded answers
Most-cited domains
forbes.com
33.7%
cnet.com
14.6%
outdoorgearlab.com
13.5%
youtube.com
13.5%
en.wikipedia.org
12.5%
goodhousekeeping.com
12.5%
cnn.com
10.8%
nbcnews.com
9.0%
reddit.com
8.0%
fortune.com
7.3%
Google AI Overviews · share of 48 overviews
google.com
54.2%
youtube.com
52.1%
reddit.com
35.4%
outdoorgearlab.com
18.8%
naplab.com
12.5%
cntraveler.com
12.5%
garagegymreviews.com
12.5%
nytimes.com
12.5%
packhacker.com
12.5%
amazon.com
10.4%
Citation share by source type
Share of all citations by the type of site cited.
| Source type | Four AI engines (of 2,265 citations) | Google AI Overviews (of 291 citations) |
|---|---|---|
| Other / unclassified | 799 (35.3%) | 70 (24.1%) |
| General news / business press | 704 (31.1%) | 29 (10%) |
| Review / comparison publishers | 326 (14.4%) | 24 (8.2%) |
| Company / brand sites | 166 (7.3%) | 89 (30.6%) |
| Community / social | 68 (3%) | 73 (25.1%) |
| Reference | 46 (2%) | 0 (0%) |
| Research / data providers | 39 (1.7%) | 0 (0%) |
| Directories / rankings | 31 (1.4%) | 1 (0.3%) |
| Institutions / trade bodies | 29 (1.3%) | 0 (0%) |
| Trade / specialist press | 26 (1.1%) | 4 (1.4%) |
| Health publishers | 23 (1%) | 1 (0.3%) |
| Official / government | 5 (0.2%) | 0 (0%) |
| General news / sports media | 3 (0.1%) | 0 (0%) |
How can a DTC brand improve its AI visibility?
These steps follow from the measured results above. They describe what the engines cited in this study and are not a guarantee of results.
| Step | What this study measured |
|---|---|
| Put your facts on your own domain. | Allbirds' own domains were cited in 1.7% of grounded answers, Nike's in 1.0% and Invisalign's in 1.0%. |
| Keep your facts accurate on the sites engines cite. | The most-cited sites other than the tracked names' own were forbes.com (in 33.7% of grounded answers), cnet.com (14.6%), outdoorgearlab.com (13.5%), youtube.com (13.5%) and en.wikipedia.org (12.5%). General news and business press supplied 31.1% of citations and review and comparison publishers 14.4%. |
| Check each engine separately. | Claude named Nike in 12.5% of answers against 8.3% on Gemini. |
| Do not ignore video and community sites. | Community and social sites supplied 12.8% of Google AI Overview citations against 3.0% in the four chat engines. youtube.com was cited in 52.1% of overviews, reddit.com in 35.4% and instagram.com in 6.3%. |
| Watch names outside the tracked list. | ClearCorrect (18 answers), Vanicream (17 answers), EveryPlate (16 answers), La Roche-Posay (16 answers), Cariuma (14 answers) were named often but were not tracked. |
| Re-run the same questions every month. | Compare counts and intervals, not ranks. The 24 questions are in the appendix. |
What AI answers
Is there an overall cross-category brand leader?
No. Secondary pooled results use all 288 chat answers. A brand appearing only in its category is capped at 24/288 (8.3%); this is a question-design cap, not weak visibility. Cross-category mentions can exceed that cap: Nike has 12/24 sneaker answers and 20 mentions elsewhere (32/288 overall). Pooled totals are not comparable cross-category leader rankings.
How are category rankings and ties calculated?
Each category has 2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines = 24 answers. Brands are ranked only within their assigned category. Counts include each answer once per brand; equal counts share a competition rank. Wilson 95% intervals are descriptive; overlapping intervals do not establish a sole leader.
Which brands have the highest observed count in each category?
mattresses: Leesa (20/24 each); sneakers: Allbirds (24/24 each); eyewear: EyeBuyDirect, Warby Parker, Zenni Optical (24/24 each); activewear: Alo Yoga, Athleta, Girlfriend Collective, Lululemon, Vuori (24/24 each); skincare: CeraVe, The Ordinary (23/24 each); men's razors: Gillette (23/24 each); luggage: Briggs & Riley, Samsonite (24/24 each); meal kits: Home Chef (24/24 each); pet supplies: Chewy (24/24 each); canned water: Liquid Death (24/24 each); clear aligners: Invisalign (24/24 each); home fitness: NordicTrack (22/24 each). Tied counts share a rank; consult category intervals before interpreting differences.
How often do Google AI Overviews appear for these questions?
An overview appeared on 48 of 61 searches (78.7%, CI 66.9–87.1%). Within-category brand mentions appear in the separate category AIO table.
Which sources do the engines cite?
Across 2,265 four-engine citations, forbes.com was cited most (112 citations, in 97 of 288 grounded answers), followed by en.wikipedia.org (46 citations).
How this study was measured
24 questions × 3 runs each × 4 AI engines = 288 answers + 61 Google searches · 48 AI Overviews
24 questions asked three times on each of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity, measured October 30 to 31, 2026. United States, English; Google retrieval uses desktop results. Models: gpt-5-mini, claude-sonnet-5-5, gemini-3.6-flash only, sonar-pro. Google AI Overviews come from DataForSEO, not inferred chat answers. Appearance counts returned text, including ungrounded answers; citation rates use grounded answers. Longer overlapping names suppress shorter ones; First mention is the earliest eligible name order. Own-domain rates include declared domains and subdomains; shared parent scopes may count for multiple names and cannot be summed as unique citations. Each category has 2 questions × 3 runs × 4 chat engines = 24 answers. Brands are ranked only within their assigned category. Counts include each answer once per brand; equal counts share a competition rank. Wilson 95% intervals are descriptive; overlapping intervals do not establish a sole leader.
| Engine | Model IDs called | Asked | Returned | Grounded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | gpt-5-mini | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Claude | claude-sonnet-5-5 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Gemini | gemini-3.6-flash | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Perplexity | sonar-pro | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Google AI Overviews | DataForSEO Google SERP (live, advanced) | 61 | 48 shown | 48 |
Own-domain citations count a domain plus all its subdomains, with the same rule in every table.
Definitions
- Appearance rate: answers naming the tracked name ÷ answers returned, with Wilson 95% intervals.
- First mention: average order in which the tracked name first appears (1 = first).
- Own-domain citation: grounded answers citing the tracked name's domains ÷ grounded answers.
- Citation share: citations to the tracked name's domains ÷ all citations.
Limits
- Only 60 tracked brands are ranked; results are not an exhaustive market ranking.
- Only the tracked brands were scored. Untracked names that appeared often were not scored, including ClearCorrect (18 answers), Vanicream (17 answers), EveryPlate (16 answers), La Roche-Posay (16 answers), Cariuma (14 answers).
- Answers were collected over two days, October 30 and 31, 2026. 349 of 360 planned results were returned. 11 AI Overview lookups were excluded after at most three total attempts.
- 61 successful Google searches: 48 overviews shown; 13 without an overview. Failures are excluded, not scored as zero. All returned chat answers had search sources.
- Names with no tracked own site are shown as None. Source types use Company / brand sites only for verified official organisations; other unresolved sites are Other / unclassified.
- Wilson 95% intervals are descriptive; overlapping leading intervals do not establish a sole leader. Measurements do not endorse medical, legal, financial or product claims.
- Status is the earlier edition's group (DTC, DTC survivor or incumbent); "Competitor" marks main competitors added in this edition; "Not labelled" means neither. Status notes come from public reports: Casper has been a Carpenter Co. subsidiary since November 2024; SmileDirectClub shut down after its 2023 bankruptcy; Blue Apron was sold in 2023; Outdoor Voices was acquired in 2024; Allbirds agreed on March 29, 2026 to sell its footwear assets and brand to an American Exchange Group affiliate; it is still sold as Allbirds.
- Answers came from each engine's API (model IDs above); the consumer apps can answer differently.
The 24 questions
Questions marked "Core question" are the original study questions, asked word for word. The others are added neutral questions.
| # | Question | Group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | What is the best mattress in a box? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 02 | Which online mattress brands are worth buying? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 03 | What are the most comfortable sustainable sneakers? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 04 | Where is the best place to buy prescription glasses online? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 05 | What are the best activewear brands for women? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 06 | What are the best skincare brands for a simple routine? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 07 | What is the best razor subscription? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 08 | What is the best carry-on luggage brand? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 09 | Which meal kit delivery service is best? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 10 | Where is the best place to buy pet food online? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 11 | What are the best canned water brands? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 12 | What are the best clear aligner options? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 13 | What is the best at-home exercise bike? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Core question |
| 14 | Which sneaker brands use recycled materials? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 15 | What are the best affordable eyeglasses brands? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 16 | What are the best leggings brands? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 17 | What are the best minimalist skincare brands? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 18 | What are the best razors for men? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 19 | What is the best checked luggage brand? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 20 | What is the best meal kit for families? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 21 | What is the best pet food delivery service? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 22 | Which canned water brands are most sustainable? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 23 | Which clear aligner brands are most popular? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
| 24 | What is the best home gym equipment brand? | DTC Brands Index 2.0 | Added question |
About 5W
5W is an independent PR, creative and GEO agency founded in 2003, and we get you in the chatbox. All of our work is done in house, including media relations, site building and content. Learn more about our GEO practice or write to info@5wpr.com.
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