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How to sell more with less effort is the riddle of all businesses. The fierce competition in the eCommerce world makes this challenge even more brutal to tackle. Boost AI Search & Discovery (previously Boost Product Filter & Search) was made for this purpose: Help online merchants get their products sold faster and smarter!
Kathryns is among thousands of Boost users with incredible benefits from using the app. In this article, Simon Large - eCommerce Manager of Kathryns’ retail outlet - will share more about how the online store:
✔️ Saved well over £3,000 in development costs for an advanced search and discovery tool
✔️ Gained £148,505.44 Sales generated by Boost in 2022
Introduction: Kathryns' Online Store Journey
Kathryns embarked on its journey in 1975 as a brick-and-mortar establishment in Liverpool specializing in handmade dresses. Over the years, it evolved into a renowned boutique, collaborating with esteemed European designers, including Stella McCartney, Missoni, and Fendi.
With a commitment to personalized service, the heads behind Kathryns decided to expand their reach by launching an online store five years ago, catering to a global clientele.
The Challenge Of Online Transformation: Navigating a Vast Product Inventory
Stocking over 2000 products, the need for an efficient product filtering and site search system became apparent. Simon and the team agreed that a seamless experience for online customers to filter products based on brands and sizes was essential for retention and conversion rates.
The Decision to Use Third-Party Apps
Recognizing the importance of the online shopping experience, Simon looked to third-party apps to address their specific challenges. He tried another app at first, but it failed because it did not work well with the theme. Once it was working, there was a lack of flexibility to be able to set up custom search rules and filters, which Boost provides as standard.
Having a software background, he actually engaged with developers at Boost to ensure a mutual understanding of fashion retail nuances. Boost Product Filter & Search (now Boost AI Search & Discovery) stood out for its ability to offer advanced filtering and search functionality tailored to unique fashion retail requirements.
P.S.: Fashion & Apparel stores make up the largest proportion of our customer base, so we have a great deal of experience working in this industry vertical.
After a successful trial and rigorous testing, Boost AI Search & Discovery became one of the important contributing factors to the success of Kathryns' eCommerce store.
The Solution: How Boost AI Search & Discovery Solved The Problem
Boost AI Search & Discovery seamlessly integrated with their chosen theme. This app is flexible and easy to use for not only the operation team of Kathryns but also the online customers on the storefront.
Seamless Integration and Support
Boost AI Search & Discovery was a perfect fit for Kathryns' online store. Its integration with the store's theme was seamless, receiving positive feedback from both staff and customers. The initial trial phase was followed by continued excellence in customer support, with prompt responses and practical solutions, which solidified their decision to continue using the app.
Standout Features and Benefits
The app's Custom sort options were particularly useful for the store. As there are over 40 collections with manual sorting types, Boost AI Search & Discovery automated sorting rules to prioritize new stock, streamlining the shopping experience.
The app's filter flexibility and mobile readiness were also highly valued, allowing the store to adapt its appearance based on the device being used.
The app's Analytics provided insights into customer filtering preferences and gender-based buying trends. These are unavailable through standard Shopify analytics.
For example, Boost's analytics showed that more people are searching for “girls” than “boys”. This information guided buying decisions, particularly for each season's inventory.
The filter combinations in Collection analytics reveal customers’ buying habits. Simon and the team saw summer a massive boost in Dresses during summers, which the Analytics' stats confirm.
In addition, identifying Searches without results informed future stock decisions, enabling proactive expansion into new brands.
Embracing AI and Enhancements
Boost AI's subsequent updates, including AI Search, Merchandising, Product Recommendation, and Variant Display, were received with enthusiasm. The incorporation of AI-driven features highlighted the platform's commitment to evolving with merchants' needs. The built-in Product recommendations, according to Simon, avoid having to use more third-party apps on Shopify. This means fewer apps to slow down the system and keep all these functions in one place.
This was also our target when expanding the app's capabilities. The ultimate goal is to provide an all-in-one solution for online product discovery, so stay tuned for more helpful features in the future.
Exceptional Customer Support
Besides the functionalities, the customer support of Boost is another thing that impressed Simon. The store has quite a lot of bespoke requests for Kathryns' website, and all were discussed, tested, and implemented in a timely manner.
Simon usually gets a quick fix done within 48hrs. For more complicated requests, it may take a few days. However, this is not a problem for Simon and Kathryns' team as it saved them so much time in development. Henry and Miguel were specially mentioned as the regular contacts from Boost that helped Simon a lot.
Thank you, Henry and Miguel, you brought credits to our team!
The Results: Enhancing UX, Driving Sales, and Saving Costs
Boost AI Search & Discovery significantly enhanced user experience in Kathryns' online store. With the ability to efficiently filter products and utilize advanced search functionalities, the store witnessed heightened user engagement and conversion rates. In 2022, Boost helped the eCommerce store earn £148,505.44 thanks to filter and search engagement, equivalent to £12,375.45 per month. 
Simon also shared that his team saved well over £3000 in development costs. Since Boost developed bespoke rules in the app for them, they have not needed to use external developers for this work. As a small business, this money can be reinvested back into the company.
Awesome to know that!
Start Selling Faster & Smarter With Boost
Achieving great success like Kathryns is not a piece of cake, but you can take the first step to optimize the storefront with a leading Shopify search and filter app like Boost. The first 14 days are on us; you don't need to input the credit card details to start. It's time to prepare for the year-end sales with a better solution to enhance customer experience!
