When was the last time you searched for something online and found exactly what you needed in seconds? That kind of seamless experience doesn’t just happen by chance—it’s powered by sophisticated technology working quietly behind the scenes. At Smal.dev, we wanted to bring that same ease to our client’s platform by completely rethinking and upgrading their site’s search functionality.
Our client, a major retailer with a catalog of over 200,000 products, faced a big challenge: how to deliver a fast, accurate, and user-friendly search experience. With such a vast inventory, helping customers quickly find what they were looking for wasn’t easy. Together, we built a system that transformed their search capabilities, turning their website into a powerhouse for sales and customer satisfaction.
In today’s world, users expect search to be lightning-fast, accurate, and tailored to their needs—all in real time. If a search system doesn’t deliver, frustration quickly sets in, and users leave. For us, the mission was clear: to make search feel effortless. To achieve that, we leveraged the power of Elastic Search Cloud and developed a customized solution that not only met expectations but exceeded them.
Before we began, the retailer’s search functionality was passable, but far from ideal. Users often encountered irrelevant results, slow load times, and outdated product data. These issues posed a critical problem for a platform of this size. Our goal was to create a solution that could:
The first and most crucial step was migrating to Elastic Search Cloud, a powerful and scalable solution for high-performance search. Its distributed architecture allowed us to handle enormous datasets without compromising speed or reliability. It also offered advanced features that gave us greater control over the search experience:
With over 200,000 products to manage, keeping data updated was no small feat. We automated the indexing process, ensuring that search results reflected changes to product information in real time. Key attributes we indexed included:
Not all products are equal—some deserve more visibility in search results, like bestsellers or highly rated items. To account for this, we implemented custom boosting strategies that prioritized these products.
Upgrading from Elastic Search v7 to v8 was a game-changer. The latest version brought significant improvements:
By incorporating real-time updates and customized boosting, we significantly improved the precision of search results. Customers could now find exactly what they were looking for without frustration.
Our automated indexing ensured that every price change, stock update, or new product was instantly reflected in search results. This transparency built trust with users, who knew they could rely on the platform for accurate information.
The improvements in accuracy and relevance had a direct, measurable impact on business outcomes:
The new search system delivered clear, quantifiable benefits:
This project was a rich learning experience that highlighted key principles for success:
This collaboration not only enhanced the user experience but also set a new standard for scalable, intelligent site search solutions that any retail platform can aspire to achieve.