Home Depot improves its search engine

For customers shopping at The Home Depot, “our search bar has always been a reliable starting point,” said the retailer.

As the number of customer searches grow – now to more than 400,000 unique searches daily – the technology team is constantly analyzing how to improve the experience for everyone, said the company.

“But as a retailer with millions of shelves, our teams couldn’t identify an ‘off-the-shelf’ search solution to fit our needs. The answer? Build one from scratch,” said Home Depot.

Not all search engines are created equal, said the retailer, especially when “our customers bring various levels of home improvement knowledge to what they type into the search bar.”

That’s why Home Depot said its team “focuses on the intent of the person searching, rather than the actual words.”

This also solves any complications that could arise from geographic terminology differences (for example, “weed whacker” vs. “string trimmer”), the firm said.

Plus, Home Depot said its learning algorithm uses ongoing search data to more accurately show customers exactly what they’re looking for the first time.

In addition to building accurate search results, said the company, “we’re also creating a personalized search experience for customers.”

Home Depot said, “our technology team has built our online channels to consider location, past searches, personalized deal and guide recommendations when populating search results.”

The retailer said this is especially helpful for customers in specific trade professions, such as an electrician searching for “pliers,” which the app will properly search for as “electrician’s pliers.”