A French fashion brand has partnered with a U.S.-based AI firm to boost search results, a push that is now responsible for a third of the retailer’s digital revenue.
Gémo partnered with Algolia to leverage a menu of AI-powered tools that aim to turn search results into sales, regardless of how the consumer may phrase their online search.
Algolia, which has powered more than 1.75 trillion queries for over 18,000 businesses globally, announced the partnership in a statement on Tuesday. These AI tools include Algolia’s AI ranking, which boosts popular search results based on real-time user behavior.
The tech firm distinguishes its AI-powered search platform from others in the market that otherwise prioritize a product’s popularity in a search results. For example, its “Multi-Signal Ranking” tool allows brands to select which criteria to prioritize, such as those that have excess inventory or those that have high profit margins for the company, which the AI would then optimize for the best search results.
“Though it is a common approach, popularity isn’t always the search ranking businesses want to prioritize. A brand-new product, for example, won’t be popular, but it could still drive conversions because it is fresh and new,” said Algolia in one of its white papers.
So far, Algolia said the partnership has already turned “search” into a measurable growth driver, with more than twice the increase in conversions and a return on investment that is 160 times larger.
Elsa Souillart, category manager at Gémo, said in a statement that Algolia how now become core to their digital strategy.
“Beyond delivering exceptional returns, it has helped us build a more intuitive, seamless search journey for our customers, whilst equipping our teams with the tools to continuously optimize relevance and drive conversions,” she said.
“This was something that was once exceptionally challenging to achieve given the scale of our catalog,” she added.
Gémo, founded in 1991, sells affordable clothes primarily to family-oriented consumers through over 400 stores both in and outside of France. The partnership with Algolia is designed to make shopping easier for its target market.
“Fast, seamless AI-powered search plays a critical role in that mission, by helping busy parents find the right apparel quickly and at the right price,” said Nate Barad, vice president of product and technical marketing at Algolia.
