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Levels the playing field
Tying search results to customer popularity also helps Tan deal with vendors – all of whom want their products listed at or near the top. “This levels the playing field with vendors and shows we don’t favor any particular ones,” she says.

And while the primary benefits of the system are tied to the internal search function, having the SLI system in place also helps American Bridal gain higher placement on outside search engines, as well. A recent search for “wedding bubble favors,” for instance, found that American Bridal had three listings among the top five on Google’s search engine. That’s because SLI designed the system to get optimal results for the keywords customers typically type into outside search engines.

Because new products don’t have a history of use and customer interest, they would not automatically show up high on the search list. American Bridal has adapted its system to place new products near the top, and the site also highlights these products on its main pages and a “What’s New” list.

“It’s like in a retail store,” Tan says. “You put your new stuff up front to get attention.”

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