Enhancing UX and Conversions with AI-Powered Search

For any Magento 2 merchant, the search bar is often the most critical point of interaction on the storefront. It is the bridge between a customer's intent and a completed transaction. However, native search functionality can often struggle to interpret the nuances of human language, leading to the dreaded "no results found" page and lost revenue.

At outer/edge, we work closely with brands to eliminate these friction points. One of the most effective ways to do this is by moving beyond basic keyword matching and implementing AI-powered search. Two platforms that we frequently see delivering exceptional value in this space are Luigi's Box and Doofinder.

The End of Manual Optimisation

Perhaps the most significant advantage of moving to an AI-led solution is the operational freedom it gives the merchant.

In the past, e-commerce managers spent countless hours manually configuring search weights, predicting synonyms (e.g., linking "sofa" to "couch"), and painstakingly hand-picking "Related Products" for every SKU. It was a reactive, never-ending task.

With platforms like Luigi's Box and Doofinder, that manual workload effectively disappears. The AI learns from thousands of interactions every day, spotting patterns and connections that a human simply cannot process. If customers start searching for a trending term you haven't thought of, or if certain products are frequently bought together, the AI adapts automatically. It frees your team to focus on strategy and growth, safe in the knowledge that the system is optimising itself 24/7 with a level of precision manual configuration could never achieve.

Increasing Average Order Value

While "search" is in the name, these tools act as complete discovery suites that power the entire customer journey through AI-driven recommendations and cross-sells:

• Intelligent Cross-Selling: Both platforms use "Frequently Bought Together" logic to suggest complementary items. Instead of you manually linking a camera to a specific case, the AI identifies which accessories real customers are actually buying, placing these suggestions on the product and basket pages.  
• Personalised "You May Also Like": By tracking real-time browsing behaviour, the AI can serve up hyper-relevant recommendations. If a user is looking at high-end road bikes, the cross-sell carousels will automatically prioritise premium helmets and gear rather than entry-level alternatives.  
• Predictive Upselling: On the product page, the AI can suggest superior models or bundles, guiding the customer toward a higher-value purchase based on what similar "high-intent" shoppers have chosen.

Two Paths to Excellence

Luigi's Box: The Data-Led Approach

Luigi's Box is often the choice for merchants who view search as a primary source of business intelligence. Its strength lies in its deep analytical capabilities.

• Analytics First: It provides granular detail on why searches or recommendations are failing or converting. It acts as a feedback loop, helping merchants understand product gaps and customer intent.  
• Behavioural Personalisation: While both platforms personalise, Luigi's Box is particularly adept at ranking results and recommendations based on individual user behaviour, creating a highly tailored experience that feels unique to each visitor.

Doofinder: The Visual & Speed Approach

Doofinder is frequently favoured for its focus on immediacy and visual engagement. It's designed to capture the user's attention the moment they interact with the search bar.

• Visual Immediacy: Doofinder is renowned for its "layer" approach, offering a rich, visual search-as-you-type experience that displays product images and recommendations instantly.  
• Intuitive Merchandising: For teams that want to quickly "boost" a specific campaign or seasonal line visually, Doofinder offers an intuitive interface for visual merchandising and promotional banners.

Impact on Revenue

Regardless of whether you lean towards the analytical depth of Luigi's Box or the visual speed of Doofinder, integrating either platform drives conversion through shared, powerful mechanisms:

• Understanding Intent: Both tools understand that "crimson running shoes" implies both a colour and a category, delivering accurate results without the customer needing to be a keyword expert.  
• Mobile Optimisation: With limited screen space on mobile, the ability to predict queries and offer instant visual cross-sells is essential for maintaining momentum in the funnel.  
• Dynamic Filters: The AI automatically generates the most relevant filters (colour, size, brand) based on the specific query, helping users narrow down thousands of SKUs to the perfect product in seconds.

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Final Thoughts

In the competitive e-commerce landscape, providing a "good enough" search experience for your Magento or Adobe Commerce website is no longer sufficient. Customers expect the same level of intuition they find on global marketplaces like Amazon.

Whether it's the data-driven focus of Luigi's Box or the lightning-fast visual interface of Doofinder, integrating AI-powered search and recommendations is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to your store. At outer/edge, we specialise in helping merchants select and integrate the right tools to ensure their Magento platform is not just a catalogue, but a high-converting sales machine.

If you are looking to optimise your site search and free your team from manual configuration, feel free to reach out to our team to discuss which solution best fits your business goals.