One of the most beloved functions of Rapid Search is AI search: the app displays the most relevant/popular results at the top of the search. To make the most of the search app as a marketing tool, it is now possible to move products of your choice to the front or the back of the search suggestions and search results.


To do that, create merchandising rules in the Settings / Merchandising menu of your Rapid Search admin.


You can create a rule in just 4 steps: 1. name a rule, 2. define the products for the rule, 3. choose if you want to promote these products in a search (make them appear in the front of the search) or demote them (put them at the back of the search), and 4. create the rule with no time limit or for a specific time period.


Here is how to do it:


0. To start a new rule click on the Add a new rule button:


1. Rule name: As you can create more than one rule, choose a name for each to be able to distinguish between them: i.e. Xmas promo for a rule to promote Christmas products, etc.


2. Define products: Name the products you wish to have at the front or the back of the search, or choose tags, collection, or stock status for your promotions:


To define products, simply select Browse products, and you can select the specific products from your own product list:


To give you a few examples of how you can use the merchandising rules:

  • you can choose specific products to be placed forward or at the back of the search, as well as 
  • name a specific collection for that purpose; 
  • tag anything you want to promote in a Black Friday campaign with a Black Friday tag and you can select those with the tag to be placed in the front of the search during the campaign,
  • move out-of-stock status products to the back of the search.

3. Define promotion: 


Firstly decide if you wish want the promotion based on match or keywords.


Match means that the chosen products would be promoted/demoted exactly when they would be returned as a result of the search term entered by the visitor (i.e. your chosen raincoat products would be promoted when a visitor searches for raincoat).


Keywords means that you add extra keywords; if these keywords are entered by the visitor then the chosen products would be promoted/demoted in search (i.e. you add the keyword "sporty"; in this case if the visitor searches for sporty raincoat then your chosen raincoat products would be promoted).


You can choose the promotion weight: you can either promote products to be at the front of the search suggestions and search results or simply increase their weighting in search 2x or 4x compared to other products. You can also have the products appear at the back of the search, or simply demote them, or in other words give them a 0.5x weighting compared to other products.


4. Date range: Rules can be set either with no time limit or you may define a specific time range for them

  • i.e. you may want to permanently place out-of-stock items at the back of the search
  • or promote Xmas tagged product between Nov 1 - Dec 24


5. After you created your brand new merchandising rule, click Save. You can then create other rule(s) if you wish and test them in your store.


Enjoy!