Internal product search
Internal product search finds items in the shop from a query. Customer vocabulary and maintained catalogue data need to match.
Connecting customer queries with the shop’s range
Internal product search is the search function within a shop that lets customers find items from its range. A query can contain a product term or item identifier, for example. Search compares it with the catalogue data available for searching and ranks suitable matches. Handling of spelling mistakes, word forms or additionally assigned terms depends on the system and its configuration. Filters can narrow the resulting selection further.
A fictional cleaning-supplies merchant lists an item as a cleaning cloth, while a customer searches for cleaning rag. Preparing the search includes checking whether that item actually suits the intended cleaning task. If so, the additional customer term can be assigned to the catalogue item. The mapping applies to the range under consideration. These concrete queries can later be used to check whether customers find the right product even when they do not enter the name used in the catalogue.
Sources
Related terms
- Faceted navigationFaceted navigation narrows product lists using several attributes. Visible filters and structured product data need to describe the same selection.
- Product catalogueA product catalogue organises range information for search and selection. Catalogue entry, inventory availability and channel publication are separate data.
- Product data qualityProduct data quality describes how well information fits its intended use. Complete fields can still describe the wrong goods.
- Semantic searchSearch that finds and ranks results by their semantic relevance to the query.
- Delivery capabilityDelivery capability describes whether a specific request can be fulfilled. A stock value alone does not fully answer questions of quantity, destination and time.
- Order historyOrder history shows previous orders within an agreed account scope. Old prices, current availability and current processing remain separate information.
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