Contents of this study
How it was done
This study belongs to the Radar IA series, which looks at what AI assistants answer when someone asks about businesses and services in Panama. Earlier installments, on dental clinics, SUVs, developers and residential projects and immigration lawyers, used two engines, Perplexity and Brave AI. This time only one was queried, ChatGPT, and only in Spanish.
On October 7, 2026, 10 general questions were asked about online shopping, groceries, deliveries and trust in merchants. Each question was asked in a new, independent conversation with no earlier context, so that no answer could influence the next. Radar Panamá was neither a source nor a criterion for choosing the recommendations: the test reproduces what a user gets by asking in general terms.
Mentions are counted per answer: a store counts when ChatGPT names it in the body of its answer to a question. The summary table ChatGPT added at the end does not add extra mentions. Everything said about each store in this text is what ChatGPT answered; Radar did not verify it and does not present it as its own data.
What ChatGPT recommended for each purchase
The table shows the first choice and the alternative ChatGPT gave for each need. Questions 8 and 10 produced no ranking, as explained below, and question 9 dealt with trust and named no stores.
| Need (question) | First choice per ChatGPT | Alternative per ChatGPT | How ChatGPT framed it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home appliances (Q1) | Rodelag | Panafoto | Rodelag for its range of large appliances; Panafoto when the purchase mixes appliances and technology. |
| Technology and phones (Q2) | Multimax | iShop (for Apple products) | Multimax as the general option; iShop if Apple is the priority. |
| Clothing with home delivery (Q3) | Zara | DDP and Félix | Zara for international fashion, DDP as a local alternative, Félix to combine fashion and beauty. |
| Furniture (Q4) | Do it Center | Novey | IKEA was named, but ChatGPT said it would not rank it above Do it Center or Novey for an immediate online purchase. |
| Beauty and personal care (Q5) | Arrocha | Félix | Arrocha for variety and everyday purchases; Félix for premium beauty. |
| Home and kitchen (Q6) | Novey | Do it Center and Rodelag | Rodelag, per ChatGPT, when the product is an appliance or a tech item. |
| Grocery delivery (Q7) | Riba Smith | Super 99 | Riba Smith for shopping experience and service; Super 99 as a practical alternative. |
| Delivery apps (Q8) | No winner | No winner | PedidosYa and Uber Eats as the main options; neither universally better. |
| Customer service (Q10) | No winner | No winner | Riba Smith and Panafoto as starting references, without presenting either as an absolute winner. |
Two patterns repeat across the answers. ChatGPT split the market by category and almost always gave a first choice plus a different alternative depending on use. Also, the sources attached to the nine answers that named stores were, according to the test log, the stores’ own websites. No answer cited independent reviews or press coverage.
The stores that came up most
Of the 10 answers, 9 named stores, adding up to 23 mentions of 16 stores and platforms. Six appeared in more than one answer and ten appeared only once.
| Store or platform | Answers in which it appears | Which questions |
|---|---|---|
| Novey | 3 | Furniture (Q4), home and kitchen (Q6), customer service (Q10) |
| Rodelag | 2 | Appliances (Q1), home and kitchen (Q6) |
| Panafoto | 2 | Appliances (Q1), customer service (Q10) |
| Félix | 2 | Clothing (Q3), beauty (Q5) |
| Do it Center | 2 | Furniture (Q4), home and kitchen (Q6) |
| Riba Smith | 2 | Groceries (Q7), customer service (Q10) |
| Multimax, iShop, Zara, DDP, IKEA, Arrocha, Super 99, PedidosYa, Uber Eats and Steven’s | 1 each | Multimax and iShop (Q2); Zara and DDP (Q3); IKEA (Q4); Arrocha (Q5); Super 99 (Q7); PedidosYa and Uber Eats (Q8); Steven’s (Q10) |
The total matches the per-question count: 2 mentions in Q1, 2 in Q2, 3 in Q3, 3 in Q4, 2 in Q5, 3 in Q6, 2 in Q7, 2 in Q8, 0 in Q9 and 4 in Q10, 23 in all. The repeats follow from the kind of question: Novey, Do it Center and Rodelag share the home and kitchen ground, and Riba Smith shows up both in the grocery question and in the service question.
On Novey, ChatGPT qualified its answer to the customer service question by saying its general reputation in Panama is strong, although specifically online experiences may vary. It shows that a repeated mention is not a quality rating.
Two questions with no winner
In question 8, on delivery apps and stores, ChatGPT named PedidosYa and Uber Eats as the main options and said the best one can vary by address, time, delivery fee, promotions and availability. Its conclusion was that neither is universally better and that availability, cost and time are worth comparing before paying.
In question 10, on Panamanian online stores with a good reputation for customer service, ChatGPT stated that there is no single official ranking that says which one is the best. It mentioned Riba Smith, Panafoto, Steven’s and Novey, and pointed to Riba Smith and Panafoto as starting references, without presenting any as an absolute winner absent a formal customer satisfaction methodology.
For that reason this study does not turn these two answers into a ranking. The mentions are counted in the table above but not ordered.
How to tell if an online store is trustworthy
Question 9 was the only one ChatGPT answered with a checklist instead of names. Each point is checked here against official Panamanian sources consulted on October 7, 2026. Where no official basis was found, the point is presented as what ChatGPT suggested, not as a rule.
- An identifiable company with a real presence in Panama. ChatGPT suggestion. Law 51 of 2008 created the General Directorate of Electronic Commerce within the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, in charge of overseeing the use of the internet as a means of providing commercial services (article 69), and tasked it with promoting the voluntary, free registration of companies that carry out commercial transactions over the internet (article 71). Because registration is voluntary, its absence proves nothing by itself.
- A verifiable address, phone number and support channels. ChatGPT suggestion, with no specific rule found for web stores. For reference, the customer service page of ACODECO publishes its own phone number (510-1300), email and hours.
- Clear exchange, return and warranty policies. Backed by Law 45 of 2007. The supplier must report on warranties and their conditions (article 36, item 4), and warranty terms must be in writing, clearly and precisely (article 45). When a refund applies, the buyer cannot be forced to accept store credit if payment was made in cash or its equivalent (article 57).
- Recognized payment methods. ChatGPT suggestion. No official source consulted backs it as a rule.
- Independent reviews outside the store itself. ChatGPT suggestion. No official rule found on this point.
- A domain consistent with the company. ChatGPT suggestion. No official rule found on this point.
- Clear information on prices, delivery and conditions. Backed by Law 45 of 2007. Consumers have the right to clear, truthful information about the product or service (article 35, item 2), advertising must state the conditions of offers clearly and the advertiser must honor what was offered (article 59), and any practice that confuses or misleads about price is prohibited (article 56). In addition, information and advertising transmitted by any means bind the supplier who requests, authorizes or pays for them (article 38).
- Proof of payment and order confirmation. ChatGPT suggestion. Article 69 of Law 45 says sales may be documented in a contract, an invoice or a similar document, although it appears in the chapter on home sales.
- Keeping screenshots of the offer, price, conditions and conversations. ChatGPT suggestion. Article 38, cited above, provides that advertising forms part of the sales contract, which helps explain why such records can matter in a claim.
On where to complain, the Consumer Directorate of ACODECO lists among its services conciliation between suppliers and consumers, the decision of complaints and free advice, according to its site. Law 45 also recognizes the consumer’s right to be heard by consumer protection bodies (article 35, item 5).
A caveat on the right of withdrawal. Article 71 of Law 45 gives consumers 3 business days to revoke acceptance in home sales of goods. The text published in the Gaceta Oficial in 2007 does not expressly mention online purchases, and this study did not check later reforms or how the authorities interpret the rule. For a specific case, the matter belongs with ACODECO or a lawyer. This section is general information and not legal advice.
Limits of the study
- One engine. Only ChatGPT was queried. Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and other assistants may answer differently.
- Spanish only. The same questions were not asked in English, and results may change with the language.
- Answers that change. The answers reflect October 7, 2026 and can vary over time, with the wording of the question and with each new conversation.
- Visibility, not quality. The study measures what the AI names, not which store serves best, sells cheapest or delivers fastest. The details about each store are what ChatGPT answered.
- No payments. No store paid to appear or was consulted for the study.
- Radar was not a source. Radar Panamá was not used as a source or criterion when the queries were made.
The Radar IA series is repeated every quarter, so a new measurement will show which stores hold their place and which change.
Frequently asked questions
Which online store does ChatGPT recommend in Panama?
It depends on the purchase: in a test on October 7, 2026, ChatGPT gave different first choices by category, such as Rodelag for appliances, Multimax for technology, Do it Center for furniture, Novey for home and kitchen and Riba Smith for groceries. Novey was the store named in the most answers (3 of 10).
Where can someone buy home appliances online in Panama?
ChatGPT pointed to Rodelag as the first choice for its range of large appliances, and to Panafoto as the alternative when the purchase combines appliances with technology. That is what the assistant answered, not a Radar evaluation.
Where can someone order groceries for delivery in Panama?
ChatGPT named Riba Smith for its online supermarket experience and Super 99 as a practical alternative, with delivery conditions that depend on the area and the order. These are AI answers and not an official ranking.
How can someone tell if an online store in Panama is trustworthy?
ChatGPT suggested checking that the company is identifiable, has real support channels, clear exchange and warranty policies, recognized payment methods and an order receipt. Law 45 of 2007 backs several of those points, such as clear price and condition information and written warranties.
Which delivery apps work in Panama?
ChatGPT named PedidosYa and Uber Eats as the main options and said neither is universally better, because availability, delivery fee and time vary by address and hour. No official ranking orders them.
Related articles
- Which dental clinics AI recommends in Panama
- Which SUV AI recommends in Panama
- Which developers and projects AI recommends in Panama
- Which immigration lawyers AI recommends in Panama
- How to verify an immigration lawyer in Panama: licence, bar association and scam warning signs
Sources
All sources were checked on October 7, 2026. ChatGPT’s answers were recorded the same day. Official sources are in Spanish.
- Law 45 of October 31, 2007, on consumer protection and defense of competition, Gaceta Oficial 25914, text as published in 2007.
- Law 51 of July 22, 2008, on electronic documents, electronic signatures and electronic commerce, Gaceta Oficial 26090.
- ACODECO, Consumer Protection and Competition Authority, Consumer Directorate and customer service.
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