The triple impact of AI search, enriched catalogs, and smart merchandising
As consumerism inevitably evolves, retailers must find new ways to understand their customers and refine their digital and in-store experiences. At the heart of this evolution is an AI-powered eCommerce platform with AI search, enriched product catalogs, and precision merchandising—key elements that determine how effectively businesses can connect shoppers with the right products.
Many retailers have invested millions in modern search solutions to replace outdated lexical search engines, yet they often fail to see the full impact. Incomplete, inaccurate, or unengaging product catalogs, and a lack of merchandising control prevent them from optimizing search performance and personalization.
So, what does it take to create a product discovery experience that boosts revenue per visitor, drives conversions, and meets business goals? Download this white paper to explore how the combination of Google’s Vertex AI Search for Commerce, GenAI Content and Catalog Enrichment, and Grid Dynamics’ Merchandising Experience Platform, tied together on a Pre-composed Commerce foundation, is making waves in the eCommerce industry.
Sneak peak: What’s inside our white paper
Below is a small taste of what you’ll discover, but when you download the full white paper, you’ll get a comprehensive deep dive into each solution’s advanced capabilities, with real-world examples and integration strategies from seasoned experts.
The compelling case for AI-powered eCommerce search: Delivering measurable results with Google Cloud and Grid Dynamics
The ROI case for AI-powered eCommerce platforms is clear and quantifiable. Early adopters of AI for customer experience are already seeing tangible returns, with nearly two-thirds of organizations experiencing ROI of generative AI now or expecting it within one year.
This rapid return on investment is particularly noteworthy given the relatively recent emergence of generative AI technologies in the commercial sector.
And the financial impact is substantial:
Product discovery
Retailers implementing AI-powered search and discovery solutions see up to 50% uplift in conversion rates, 12% increase in click-through rates, and approximately 30% uplift in revenue per visitor—delivering up to 15x return on investment.
Retail automation
Operational efficiency gains are equally impressive, with 30-40% productivity improvements from automating marketing content generation and 5-25% productivity gains for employees leveraging retail generative AI tools.
Customer loyalty
Customer experience improvements directly translate to retail business results, with 56% of consumers saying they’ll become repeat customers if they have a personalized experience. These preferences align with the 5-10% revenue uplift seen from personalized shopper communications and experiences.
Customer service
With 67% of customers preferring quick, self-service options to resolve issues, and retailers already seeing tangible returns—34% reporting ROI from GenAI customer service applications and 27% from sales and marketing initiatives—the business case for investing in AI-powered retail solutions is undeniable.
Understanding customer intent: The power of AI-driven search relevance and personalization
Imagine a world where your online store understands exactly what customers want, even when they’re not sure how to ask for it. That’s the reality of AI-powered search. While traditional keyword searches often leave shoppers scrolling through irrelevant results, AI search is like a skilled sales associate, interpreting nuances and delivering spot-on recommendations.
Vertex AI Search for Commerce taps into Google’s advanced AI matching system and natural language processing to interpret both text and image-based queries, finding the best matches within a product catalog. Picture this: a customer types in “coffee machine for bachelor.” Instead of a generic list of all coffee makers, the AI recognizes the context. It knows that “bachelor” likely means someone living alone, prioritizing compact, single-serve options that fit a solo lifestyle.
This level of perception transforms the entire shopping experience. Customers find exactly what they need with less effort, leading to higher satisfaction and increased likelihood of purchase. For retailers, it means fewer abandoned searches, more time spent browsing, and ultimately, a significant boost in conversion rate and revenue.
But the magic doesn’t stop at text. Vertex AI Search for Commerce also interprets image-based queries, opening up new possibilities for visual product discovery. A shopper can upload a photo of a style they love, and the AI will find similar items in your inventory, creating an engaging and highly personalized shopping journey.
Catalog automation: AI-driven content enrichment
With a powerful AI site search in place, maintaining an up-to-date and well-structured product catalog is just as crucial for effective eCommerce operations. While manual catalog upkeep often feels like a never-ending game of catch-up, AI tools are transforming this tedious task into a streamlined, intelligent process.
Google’s GenAI Content and Catalog Enrichment solution acts like a tireless digital curator, sifting through vast amounts of data to enhance your product data listings. This AI-powered approach goes beyond simple data entry—it fills in gaps and uncovers hidden gems of information that can set your product data apart.
- It can read between the lines of product manuals, decode the nuances in customer reviews, and even interpret visual cues from product images.
- It creates a living, breathing catalog that adapts to market trends and customer preferences.
- For global businesses, it’s like having a local expert in every market, automatically tailoring product descriptions and attributes to resonate with different cultures and languages.
The result? A product catalog that’s complete and compelling—one that speaks directly to customer needs, anticipates their questions, and presents your products in the best possible light—all without your team spending countless hours on manual work and updates. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and letting AI handle the heavy lifting of catalog management while you focus on growing your business.
Maximizing revenue opportunities through merchandising intelligence
AI search: tick! AI catalog optimization: tick! Now, add Grid Dynamics’ Merchandising Experience Platform (MXP) to turn your online store into a dynamic, responsive environment that adapts to your business goals and your customers’ unique journeys:
- MXP’s product ranking customization allows you to showcase your best sellers or promote new arrivals strategically.
- Taxonomy control ensures customers can navigate your store as easily as they would a well-organized physical shop.
- When shoppers use specific terms, linguistic overrides ensure they find exactly what they’re looking for, even if they don’t use the exact product name.
- Facet bucketing organizes search results into meaningful categories, making it easy for customers to narrow down their options.
- Visual search navigation transforms browsing into an engaging, almost tactile experience.
- Personalized product recommendations act like a knowledgeable friend, suggesting items that complement the customer’s taste and past purchases.
This intelligent approach to merchandising improves the shopping experience and directly impacts your bottom line. By creating targeted experiences, running smart promotions, and adapting to seasonal trends, MXP helps turn browsers into buyers, increasing engagement and boosting revenue.
Seamless integration and scalability: Overcoming implementation challenges
One of the biggest hurdles in adopting AI-powered search is integration with a network of existing systems. Grid Dynamics’ Composable Commerce Starter Kit is designed to seamlessly connect best-of-breed commerce solutions, including commercetools, Shopify, Kibo, Contentstack, the eCommerce search trifecta discussed in this paper, and many, many more.
This compatibility ensures:
- Faster time-to-market
- Reduced complexity in implementation
- Scalability to handle large product catalogs
- Real-time updates and performance optimization
Better search performance: Automation and efficiency at scale
Search engines often struggle with large catalogs, resulting in slow load times and poor discoverability. To scale search and enhance performance, Grid Dynamics’ advanced search engineering expertise addresses this by employing advanced techniques like semantic search, vector embeddings and neural hashing.
These technologies enable:
- Near real-time query processing (less than 20 milliseconds)
- Efficient handling of millions of SKUs
- Automatic improvement of relevant results over time
- Scalable search capabilities without compromising performance
Embracing the future of eCommerce with AI-powered eCommerce site search
AI-powered search has become a crucial technology for businesses looking to stay competitive. By addressing key pain points such as search relevance, catalog management, and merchandising control, these solutions enable businesses to create more engaging and profitable online experiences.
The combination of Vertex AI Search for Commerce, Content and Catalog Enrichment tools, and the Merchandising Experience Platform offers a comprehensive suite of AI-powered technologies that can transform eCommerce operations. As businesses continue to prioritize digital transformation and seek ways to do more with less, investing in AI-powered search solutions presents a clear path to boosting revenue, cutting costs, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
