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Cooking Up Ecommerce Growth: How Food & Beverage Retailers Can Win in 2025 18 Apr 10:21 AM (15 days ago)

The food and beverage ecommerce industry has seen rapid growth in recent years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. With increasingly busy lifestyles and changing consumer shopping behaviors, more and more shoppers are turning to online ordering as the new normal. 

According to Statista, the global online food delivery market is projected to reach $1.40 trillion in revenue in 2025. In the United States, the market is expected to hit $429.95 billion in 2025. This kind of growth presents a massive opportunity for retailers ready to meet the escalating demand.

But with opportunity comes competition, and competition in this industry is fierce. Major players dominate the market with already established infrastructure, extensive logistical capabilities and product catalogs, and fast delivery. For smaller or growing food and beverage retailers, staying competitive means embracing smarter strategies, from strong site search and merchandising to personalization and retention.

Product Recommendations That Drive AOV and Move Inventory

If you have perishable inventory, you can’t afford to let products sit unsold. With AI-driven product recommendations, you can serve up the right products at the right time to ensure you sell expiring or seasonal stock before it goes to waste. It’s also one of the most effective ways to increase average order value (AOV). Offering accurate and relevant product suggestions that pair well together (e.g., cheese and crackers or wine and chocolate) improves your customers’ shopping experiences, increases conversions, and boosts revenue. 

Relevant suggestions are especially critical in food and beverage ecommerce. Shoppers are more likely to add complementary products when they feel like they belong with what’s already in their cart. Timing matters as well, since seasonal merchandising plays a significant role. Suggesting the right types of products around certain holidays will put you on a path to success, such as recommending chocolate to shoppers around Easter or Halloween. With Searchspring, you can automate product suggestions and seasonal merchandising, ensuring the right products reach the right shopper at the right time—every time. 

Give Shoppers What They Crave with Personalization 

Personalization is the secret to making each interaction feel tailored and relevant. Research from McKinsey & Company found that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions and 76% get frustrated when they don’t get them. If you’re not delivering tailored experiences, you’re not just missing an opportunity; you’re losing conversions. 

Personalization helps you cater to past shopping behaviors, customer values, and even dietary preferences. For example: 

• If a shopper orders gluten-free items, offering them a selection of gluten-free products will greatly improve their shopping experience. 
• If someone frequently buys organic products, you could suggest organic products and sustainably sourced meals. 
• Repeat buyers of a specific brand or product should also receive customized offers.

These types of suggestions will show them that you support their preferences and values, which is likely to drive conversions. Tailoring offers based on past purchases can make customers feel seen and understood, and that’s what builds loyalty. 

Searchspring’s personalization tools help you serve up the right products for every shopper, creating more relevant shopping journeys that elevate customer experiences.

Your Products May Expire, But Your Customer Relationships Shouldn’t 

Considering how hard you work to acquire new customers, the last thing you want to do is let them slip away after just one order. You may have sustainable produce, but do you have sustainable customer relationships? 

Building long-term relationships with your customers is the key to long-term success in food and beverage ecommerce. A Statista report on Just Eat showed that 67% of active consumers worldwide returned for repeat orders. Nearly three-quarters of customers returned—many more than once. This kind of stickiness doesn’t just happen by accident. It’s driven by consistently exceptional experiences and thoughtful engagement. You can turn first-time buyers into loyal customers by: 

• Offering incentives like exclusive discounts or rewards for repeat orders. 
• Recommending products based on purchase history.
• Sending personalized offers tied to specific shopper preferences.
• Engaging customers through loyalty programs, seasonal offers, and birthday rewards.

Take it from Beer Cartel, a food and beverage retailer using Searchspring: “We get a lot of positive feedback about the site these days, compared to when our support line used to get swamped by customers that were struggling to find what they were looking for. Our returning visitors are up, which means the site is doing the job it’s meant to do in building and maintaining a loyal customer base. Search and navigation plays such a huge role in that.” 

Navigating a Crowded Market

The food and beverage ecommerce market is rapidly growing, but so is the competition. Large, major brands may have scale on their side, but that doesn’t mean smaller retailers can’t win. 

By focusing on accurate, relevant, and personalized product recommendations, strategic seasonal merchandising, and customer-first shopping experiences, you can boost AOV, grow revenue, and increase customer lifetime value (CLV).

Ready to serve up smarter shopping experiences? Request a demo to see how Searchspring helps food and beverage retailers increase conversions, loyalty, and long-term growth.

The post Cooking Up Ecommerce Growth: How Food & Beverage Retailers Can Win in 2025 appeared first on Searchspring.

5 Ways to Prepare for Black Friday 2025 Now 16 Apr 11:41 AM (17 days ago)

It’s never too soon to start preparing for the biggest ecommerce shopping period of the year. And in a year already shaped by economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behavior, and increased pressure to drive ROI across every channel, getting a head start isn’t just smart—it’s essential.

Waiting until Q3 to get ready for the holiday rush could mean missed opportunities and last-minute scrambling. Instead, lay the groundwork early and position your brand to stand out when it matters most. This article shares how (and why) you should start your Black Friday preparation long before the holidays approach. 

2025 Will Be Bigger Than Ever

Black Friday remains the biggest online shopping day of the year—topping $10 billion in sales in 2024. Every year, more and more consumers skip the never-ending lines and crushing crowds of in-store shopping, and savvy online shoppers are now fully aware that the best Black Friday bargains are accessible from the comfort of home or while they’re out and about. 

This Black Friday, the demand for seamless ecommerce experiences is sure to continue. However, with more and more retailers turning their focus to online promotions over in-store sales, it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. To compete in a crowded marketplace this Black Friday, you need to prepare your strategy now. 

5 Steps to Prepare for Black Friday Success in 2025 

Ready to get started? Here are five steps to win Black Friday 2025 by preparing early.

1. Start with Last Year’s Reports

Revisit your Black Friday ecommerce reports from last year to refresh your memory on what performed well, and how your site could have been better prepared. Take the time to examine how shoppers interacted with your store. What were they searching for? Which categories were they most likely to view? Which promotions resonated more than others? At what point in the journey did they drop off? These data-driven insights should shape your Black Friday 2025 campaigns. 

2. Plan Your Campaign Landing Pages

Once you have determined what your shoppers typically search for, it’s time to review where they land. For high profile events like Black Friday, it’s a good idea to create dedicated campaign or category landing pages to which you can direct all relevant search queries. These campaign landing pages can—and should—be planned, designed, and tested well in advance of Thanksgiving. Then, with campaign scheduling, all you need to do is set the precise dates and times that these pages will go live to coincide with your sale periods. 

3. Create Merchandising Banners and Badges

What kind of promotions will you offer on Black Friday 2025? Do you always run a standard site-wide discount? Will you vary your offers? Whichever approach you choose, you will need a pre-prepared gallery of merchandising banners and badges to showcase your offers. From teaser promotions on your homepage to specific highlights for each category, get all your collateral ready now. In addition to being ready to update your website when the time comes, you’ll also have a wealth of assets prepared for social media, email, and online advertising. 

4. Build Loyalty

One of the most common flaws of Black Friday promotions is that they tend to attract one-off, seasonal shoppers that never return. Extreme discounts may generate a single-day spike in sales, but how can you boost the customer lifetime value of this year’s shoppers? Nurture your database now with segmented messaging and personalized recommendations. Offer exclusive perks and pre-sale access for members of your loyalty program. Then, when Black Friday is all over, have a retention strategy in place to bring new visitors back again and again.

5. Test, Test, and Test Again

Pressing the launch button on Black Friday campaigns is always nerve-racking, but there are steps you can take now to prevent unnecessary stress later on. Check in with your tech stack and solution providers to see how they will handle spikes in traffic. Run a full site audit to identify issues like broken links, slow load times, or bugs in your mobile experience. Review and update key pages like your FAQ and delivery and return policies. Do this groundwork now so you have plenty of time to remedy problems that could otherwise crop up when your site (and team) is under heightened pressure. 

Get Ready to Win Black Friday 2025

Start by downloading Part 1 of Searchspring’s Black Friday 2025 Playbook Series to learn all you need to know about successfully preparing for this year’s holiday shopping season.

The post 5 Ways to Prepare for Black Friday 2025 Now appeared first on Searchspring.

How Searchspring Powers the Next Generation of Ecommerce 14 Apr 10:52 AM (19 days ago)

As discussed in our recent “Discovery Blueprint: Uncovering Ecommerce Success” webinar—now available on-demand—creating frictionless, personalized, and discovery-driven shopping experiences is no longer optional. In Part 1 of our blog series, we covered the key takeaways from that conversation, including the trends shaping product discovery today and the strategies high-performing brands are using to outperform their competitors.

Now, in Part 2, we’re taking a deeper dive into how Searchspring enables ecommerce brands to put those ideas into practice. From AI-powered personalization to intelligent merchandising and product discovery, here’s how Searchspring is helping retailers lead the next generation of ecommerce.

The Power of Searchspring

Ecommerce is no longer just about having an online store—it’s about delivering seamless, hyper-personalized shopping experiences that convert. That’s where Searchspring comes in. Leading brands use Searchspring to optimize search, merchandising, and personalization to boost conversion rates and drive repeat purchases.

Searchspring’s AI-driven search and merchandising platform helps retailers:

• Deliver personalized shopping experiences tailored to individual customer behavior.
• Enhance search relevance with AI-powered recommendations and dynamic filters.
• Boost conversions and average order value (AOV) through strategic product discovery.
• Reduce friction in the shopping journey, ensuring customers find what they need faster.
• Automate merchandising and search functions, saving time for ecommerce teams.

The ability to dynamically adjust search results based on real-time customer intent and behavior makes Searchspring an indispensable tool for modern online retailers.

How Leading Brands Leverage Searchspring

1. AI-Powered Personalization and Product Discovery

Searchspring helps brands build personalization-first ecommerce experiences by leveraging AI-driven search and merchandising:

• Predictive AI Personalization: Searchspring analyzes past interactions and browsing history to surface the most relevant products for each shopper.
• Enhanced Product Discovery: Shoppers are seamlessly guided toward the styles and products they are most likely to love.
• Dynamic Sorting and Merchandising: Top-selling and trending products are prioritized to increase engagement and revenue.

Brands also implement AI-powered recommendations across homepages, product listing pages (PLPs), and product detail pages (PDPs), ensuring shoppers are continuously met with highly relevant product selections.

2. Optimized Merchandising for Maximum Impact

Managing multiple product lines across diverse customer segments can be complex. Searchspring’s merchandising capabilities allow brands to:

• Use Advanced Merchandising Rules: Prioritize new collections over discounted inventory.
• Optimize Search Rankings: Adjust search dynamically based on sales performance, inventory levels, and customer behavior.
• Enhance Product Data: Improve search results by refining product attributes and metadata.

By leveraging AI-driven merchandising tools, brands increase engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction across their ecommerce channels.

3. Blending Search, Social, and Content

Discoverability isn’t just about search—it’s about inspiration. Searchspring enables retailers to combine intelligent search with rich content experiences:

• Integrate User-Generated Content (UGC): Leverage social proof and customer reviews within the discovery experience.
• Encourage Cross-Category Shopping: Recommend complementary products based on past purchase behavior.
• Create AI-Driven Navigation: Help customers find products faster with intelligent filtering and autocomplete features.

With Searchspring, brands enhance the customer journey by making search smarter, navigation easier, and product discovery more engaging.

Why Searchspring is a Must-Have for Ecommerce Brands

Today’s shoppers expect speed, relevance, and personalization. Searchspring empowers ecommerce teams to:

• Reduce bounce rates by immediately showing relevant search results. 
• Increase AOV with personalized recommendations.
• Improve search usability with natural language processing (NLP) and AI-driven ranking.
• Automate merchandising workflows to save time and align with business goals.
• Drive retention by delivering seamless and tailored repeat experiences.

Brands using Searchspring report higher engagement, stronger conversion rates, and improved customer satisfaction—all key drivers of long-term ecommerce success.

Final Takeaways 

As ecommerce continues to evolve, having a search and merchandising solution that adapts to customer needs is vital. Searchspring delivers the technology, automation, and AI-driven insights that allow brands to stay competitive in a crowded marketplace.

Want to see how Searchspring can transform your ecommerce strategy? Request a demo today.

The post How Searchspring Powers the Next Generation of Ecommerce appeared first on Searchspring.

Beyond the Showroom: How Home and Decor Retailers Win Online 3 Apr 6:37 AM (last month)

The market for stylish home living spaces is booming. Grand View Research shows that in the U.S., the home and decor market size hit $237.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$392.6 billion by 2030. This increase highlights an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2025 to 2030.

The U.K. is expected to see even faster growth of 10.6% CAGR, from US$53.7 billion revenue in 2024 to US$97.2 billion by 2030. Australia, though smaller in relative revenue, is tipped to see a massive 12.7% CAGR, from US$8.7 billion in 2024 to US$17.7 billion by 2030!

What’s driving this considerable growth in the industry? Inflation that has declined from lofty post-pandemic heights and stabilizing interest rates have a positive impact. Combined with jobs and wage growth, consumers may feel more secure in investing in their living spaces.

At the same time, home and decor retailers face evolving challenges. Tariffs and potential trade wars create uncertainty—especially in an industry reliant on imported materials and finished products. These tensions disrupt supply chains, impacting profitability and competitiveness.

Fortune Business Insights also cites growing consumer preferences toward home products made of eco-friendly, recycled/upcycled materials, and sustainable production processes, which may present additional challenges for retailers.

However, there is much opportunity for home and decor retailers right now. By connecting shoppers with the right products, off-site and on-site, retailers can significantly increase conversion, average order value (AOV), and long-term customer loyalty.

Furnishing Your Shoppers’ Dreams

Many home and decor retailers focus heavily on what happens once shoppers reach their sites. However, the journey starts long before that. Home and decor purchases aren’t just impulse retail buys. They often revolve around planned projects or carefully coordinated additions where every detail matters.

Data from Searchmetrics reflects these buyer perspectives, showing that the Furniture category attracts the highest frequency of transactional search queries. Nearly two-thirds of Google searches for these items are focused on deals, pricing, and other terms that display purchase-ready intent. As many shoppers already have products in mind, it’s vital to connect them with the most relevant results for their product searches—before they’ve even arrived at your site. How?

Ensure products are visible on search engine results pages (SERPs), Google Shopping, and social shopping networks such as Meta and that they have enticing Google Shopping listings with complete, relevant information.

What happens off-site can have a huge impact on attracting your ideal customers to your website. The challenge for home and decor retailers is keeping product feeds (the data that feeds into Google Shopping, social media, and marketplace listings) optimized for conversion.

Fortunately, technology is now doing much of the heavy lifting in attracting and converting those Google searchers and social scrollers into website browsers. Intelligent Reach—a division of Athos Commerce is one tool that uses advanced A/B and multivariate testing and automated product feed updates to ensure shoppers who see your listings are enticed to furnish their dreams with your products and click through to your site.

Making Your Online Store the First Destination for Shoppers

Shoppers are increasingly showing their preference for online shopping, particularly among younger generations. A report by L.E.K. Consulting reveals that 41% of Millennials prefer to buy online and either have their items delivered or picked up in-store. That’s closely followed by 38% of Gen X who say the same, and 36% of Gen Z.

The first stop in a shopper’s journey often determines whether they become customers. So, it’s crucial to make your online store their trusted destination.

(Former) Head of Digital & Ecommerce at Early Settler Dean Boudewyns notes, “We did the research and found that 9 out of 10 customers were starting their shopping journey on the website before they even visited a store. How those customers were discovering products online was pivotal to the way digital, in-store, and omnichannel experiences could all work together.”

To consistently make your ecommerce store the first destination for shoppers, consider how your on-site search affects the overall online shopping experience. Are your customers finding what they need or becoming frustrated by an endless loop of irrelevant items?

Ecommerce technology again holds the answers to helping shoppers find exactly what they want faster, promoting the items you want shoppers to see, and keeping your customers discovering more items they’re sure to love.

The intelligent on-site search technology offered by Searchspring, an Athos Company, analyzes shopper behavior and understands their intent to consistently provide the most relevant results. Natural language processing (NLP) also comes into the mix to allow shoppers to search in conversational language, like “I need waterproof cushions for a floral summer outdoor setting.”

The insights retailers can gain from on-site search data also hold valuable opportunities. Dean Boudewyns says, “I think when we first started, we had maybe five or six product filters on the site. Most of it was just around product type category, stock availability, stuff like that. By using Searchspring’s Search Insights reports, we’ve been able to pull data on things like patterns, shapes, extensions of colors, and material combinations.”

As a result, Early Settler has extended its search filters to match customers’ needs. This data-backed decision has had a significant impact on helping high-intent shoppers find what they need and convert.

Get Personal with Shoppers’ Home and Decor Needs

Finding the perfect item is just the beginning. The right recommendations can turn one purchase into a full room refresh. Searchspring’s personalized product recommendations are like an in-store assistant who knows your shopper’s interests and tastes and can offer the right advice at the right time.

Personalized recommendations understand a shopper’s browsing habits and purchase behaviors. They then suggest related, complementary, or even inspirational items your customer may not have even thought of yet. For example, picture your shopper on a product display page (PDP) for a table runner. Do they want to see more suggestions for table runners? Or do they really want to see color-contrasting plates, beautiful candelabras, and similarly styled wine glasses to complete their home dining dream?

The heart of effective personalization lies in knowing what shoppers want and opening up new paths to product discovery that let them fall in love with even more of what you have to offer.

Curating Inspirational Impressions

The home and decor industry is thriving, but success isn’t just about having the right products—it’s about creating an intuitive and inspiring shopping experience. As consumer expectations evolve, retailers who embrace innovative ecommerce solutions will stand out, making their online stores the first stop for shoppers looking to transform their spaces.

The right technology makes the difference, from intelligent search that helps customers find their perfect match to personalized recommendations that complete their vision. With tools like Searchspring and Intelligent Reach, retailers can ensure every shopper’s journey feels as personally curated as their dream home.

However, the question remains: is your ecommerce store ready to transform the experience and your shoppers’ homes?

Gain more insights from the complete Early Settler case study, or book your no-obligation demo of Searchspring now.

The post Beyond the Showroom: How Home and Decor Retailers Win Online appeared first on Searchspring.

Is Your Omnichannel Strategy Ready for Black Friday 2025? 31 Mar 12:25 PM (last month)

Linear shopping journeys are a thing of the past. Today’s always-on consumer continuously switches between in-store and online shopping and expects a seamless, predictable journey throughout their experience. 

Black Friday will be here before we know it, and shoppers will be more likely to engage with multiple touchpoints as they seek out the best deals. Whether they check inventory and prices on their smartphone and then travel to a physical store to complete their purchase—or vice versa—you need a fully integrated omnichannel strategy to deliver a consistent experience and win the sale. 

6 Ways to Optimize Your Omnichannel Strategy for Black Friday 2025

Deliver a cohesive path to purchase on Black Friday regardless of where your customers browse and buy. Start by optimizing the following six key areas.

1. Campaign Messaging

In the run-up to Black Friday, a customer might drop by your store, check out your social media channels, open your app, and visit your website for the latest deals and promotions. With so many touchpoints, cross-channel consistency is crucial. Every interaction should feature the same campaign messaging and branding. Launch Black Friday campaigns simultaneously across all channels and sync sale updates as the big day approaches. Coordinated in-store and online merchandising builds anticipation and keeps your brand top of mind. 

2. Product Discovery

For many shoppers, purchasing decisions are made long before Black Friday. Curate pre-sale displays in-store and on ecommerce landing pages so customers can research deals in advance. When Black Friday arrives, purchase-ready shoppers will make a beeline for the relevant department, so provide clear signage and directions—especially if your store layout changes during the sale. Online, facilitate quick conversions with prominent sale links throughout your merchandising and social media. Finally, test and configure your site search to deliver hyper-relevant, AI-driven results that are personalized for shoppers who know exactly what they want. 

3. Product Recommendations

Take product discovery to the next level with personalized recommendations. Remember, Black Friday shoppers don’t want finding the best deals to be a hassle. As they browse, surface relevant suggestions based on individual preferences. In physical stores, display complementary accessories and product bundle offers together. Cross-sell recommendations are particularly effective during flash sales, as shoppers are in the mood to impulse buy. Combine recommendations with retargeting ads and personalized emails to skyrocket average order value (AOV). 

4. Inventory and Fulfillment

Inventory forecasts are difficult during the best of times, and they’re especially important for your omnichannel strategy on Black Friday and during the rest of the holiday shopping season. Refer to last year’s site reports as well as recent trends to inform Black Friday stock allocation across your sales channels. Implement live indexing on your site to display accurate product availability during high traffic periods and offer alternative omnichannel options for sold-out inventory. For example, equip online shoppers with the ability to check stock levels at their local store and reserve products for pickup. For in-store shoppers who miss out, display signage that directs them to your website for restock notifications. 

5. Checkout

Whether in-store or online, nobody wants to spend Black Friday navigating a slow and complex checkout. At brick-and-mortar locations, take steps to manage crowds and accelerate payment processing. For shoppers who prefer to skip the store, ensure the ecommerce checkout process is effortless. Test for bugs and streamline forms on both the website and mobile app for easy conversions. Offer a guest checkout option and don’t forget to test the ease-of-use of external channels, including in-platform social media sales. If the customer experience doesn’t stack up, consider driving social traffic directly to your ecommerce site instead. 

6. Customer Service

Black Friday 2025 is almost guaranteed to place a strain on your customer service team. Minimize queries with clear communication and signage at every touchpoint. Update your website FAQ and add merchandising banners to highlight any delays to standard delivery times. For shoppers who need added support, clearly post your in-store customer service desks and make online contact options visible. Conduct specific Black Friday customer service training for in-store assistants, online agents, contact center staff, and social media teams. Regardless of the question or mode of contact, your omnichannel strategy for customer care should guarantee clear, quick, and consistent responses. 

Deliver a Seamless Omnichannel Experience for Black Friday 2025 Shoppers

Retailers have never had so many ways to attract, engage, and convert Black Friday shoppers. Ecommerce sites, brick-and-mortar stores, mobile apps, and social selling open new and innovative channels to drive higher conversions, AOV, and revenue as long as you’re prepared with the right omnichannel strategy. 

Ready to win Black Friday with a seamless shopping experience at every touchpoint? Start by downloading Part 1 of our Black Friday 2025 Playbook Series.

The post Is Your Omnichannel Strategy Ready for Black Friday 2025? appeared first on Searchspring.

6 Ecommerce Strategies for a Successful Black Friday 2025 31 Mar 12:18 PM (last month)

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, so does one of the most anticipated shopping events of the year: Black Friday. If you’re like most ecommerce brands and retailers, this is a make-or-break moment that can significantly impact your bottom line.

To help you reach your goals for Black Friday 2025, we’ve compiled six key ecommerce strategies from our top tech partners. Keep reading for easy ways to optimize your customers’ online shopping journeys and capture more revenue this holiday season.

6 Ecommerce Strategies from Our Tech Partners

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#1 Recycle Your User-Generated Content

Instead of creating new Black Friday-specific assets, Stamped.io suggests you recycle your user-generated content (UGC) to save on costs and time. This might mean sharing customers’ photos on social media or including your best reviews in a Black Friday promo email.

Reviews give customers the confidence they need to make their first purchase and are often more effective at driving sales than a typical marketing campaign. If you’re short on reviews, offer incentives like discounts and loyalty points to generate more review responses before the holiday season.

#2 Offer Pre-Paid Subscriptions

If you sell replenishable products, subscriptions are quick and easy to implement, as well as an effective driver of predictable revenue and customer retention, according to Yotpo. Consider offering pre-paid subscriptions for Black Friday and the rest of the holiday season, which remove friction from the process of gifting a recurring order. 

Ensure that your subscription provider integrates well with your other retention marketing tools. For example, offer loyalty points for a subscription or set up SMS or email flows suggesting a subscription when someone leaves a good review on an eligible product.

#3 Add QR Codes to Your Packaging 

Most Black Friday sales happen in retail and marketplaces, where brands likely have no clue who is buying and no way to follow up after. Brij recommends combating this is by adding a QR code on your packaging, inserts, necks, or in-store displays. 

With every scan, brands can convert those anonymous buyers to owned audiences, reclaiming first-party data and driving customer lifetime value. Whether you choose to connect shoppers to product education, engaging content, or one-tap reorder and subscription opt-in, use this opportunity to pair with a strong offer and clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages repeat purchases.

#4 Create An Upsell Opportunity After Checkout

As a way to capture additional revenue without adding any unnecessary friction, AfterShip suggests adding a one-click upsell (OCU) page as an added upsell opportunity. An OCU sits between your checkout and thank you pages, presenting shoppers that completed a purchase with relevant offers or related items without altering your existing checkout process. 

You can use this chance to serve up limited-time offers on related items based on purchase history. Their payment information is then pre-filled, making it genuinely “one click.”

#5 Curate Personalized Pop Ups On-Site

Justuno recommends curating personalized pop ups with your most impactful holiday messaging—from shipping deadlines to limited time offers and even UGC. By placing pop ups at key shopping touchpoints—like add to cart actions, cart abandonment, and return visits—you’re creating an engaging experience that ensures more time spent on-site which can impact the decision-making process. 

Make sure your messaging and offers are not complicated. Instead, aim to be competitive and present pop ups with timed and persona-driven offers. The ultimate goal is to help shoppers find the right product or service and get them to checkout.

#6 Optimize Your Retargeting Campaigns

As you head into the busy shopping season, take the time to optimize your retargeting campaigns to re-engage store and cart abandoners. This can go a long way toward improving performance during the holiday season.

AdRoll suggests considering the following strategies:

1. Properly segment your audience based on behavior, interest, and/or actions.
2. Cap the frequency of ads to prevent ad fatigue.
3. Optimize your ad creative by testing everything, from ad formats to headlines to CTAs.
4. Use conversion tracking to help you make informed decisions.
5. Implement burn pixels to exclude shoppers who have already purchased.
6. Use dynamic ads to display products based on shoppers’ browsing history.

Prepare for Black Friday 2025 Now

For ecommerce brands and retailers, this pivotal shopping event represents a significant opportunity to bolster year-end performance. The pressure is undeniable but embracing these quick and easy ecommerce strategies in the final stretch will help you make the most of the busiest shopping season, increase conversions and revenue, and build customer loyalty. 

Want to be an ecommerce champion this holiday season? Get Part 1 of Searchspring’s Black Friday 2025 Playbook Series to ensure a win this Black Friday and beyond.

The post 6 Ecommerce Strategies for a Successful Black Friday 2025 appeared first on Searchspring.

The Future of Ecommerce Product Discovery: Key Webinar Takeaways 26 Mar 12:42 PM (last month)

In the rapidly evolving world of ecommerce, optimizing product discovery is more crucial than ever. Our recent webinar, “The Discovery Blueprint: Uncovering Ecommerce Success,” featured industry leaders Roger Lee, Head of Performance Marketing at Brand Collective Group, Jarrod Calamante, Head of Ecommerce at Spotlight Retail Group, and Airi Sutherland, VP of Ecommerce and Technology at Outcast. 

They shared invaluable insights on optimizing the entire shopper journey with our very own Kate Massey, General Manager of APAC at Searchspring—from off-site engagement to on-site conversion and post-purchase re-engagement strategies. 

Product Discovery Strategies: Key Topics Covered

1. Increase Conversions Before Shoppers Even Land on Your Site

Retailers often focus on conversions once shoppers arrive on-site, but what about before they even get there? Roger from Brand Collective Group discussed how his team optimizes product visibility using Intelligent Reach, ensuring the brand’s Google Shopping feed surfaces the right products—with the right attributes—to attract more high-intent shoppers. 

Key strategies include:

• Product Feed Optimization: Enhancing product data to rank higher in Google Shopping and marketplaces.
• Enhanced Content: Improving titles, descriptions, and images to increase click-through rates.
• Personalized Ad Content: Tailoring ads based on shopper behavior and regional preferences.

2. Match Off-Site Strategies with On-Site Product Offerings

Jarrod from Spotlight Retail Group emphasized the importance of aligning off-site promotions with on-site experiences. The brand leverages Intelligent Reach to sync store inventory with its Google feed, ensuring that in-store shoppers can verify stock availability before visiting. 

Best practices include:

• Consistent Messaging: Ensuring uniformity across search ads, social media, and website content.
• AI-Powered Recommendations: Implementing personalized product suggestions reflecting recent customer interactions.
• Localized Feeds: Adapting product feeds to cater to regional terminology and buying behaviors.

3. Provide Seamless, Engaging, Personalized Shopping Experiences

Airi from Outcast shared how the brand adopts a social-first approach, using Instagram and TikTok to build an engaged community and drive ecommerce product discovery. Searchspring’s AI-driven personalization ensures that customers landing on the site see products tailored to their preferences. 

Personalization techniques include:

• Dynamic Recommendations: Suggesting products based on browsing history.
• AI-Powered Search: Understanding long-tail queries to deliver relevant results.
• Shoppable Social Content: Integrating social media content with product pages to enhance discovery.

4. Build Customer Loyalty and Re-Engagement

Converting a customer once is great, but repeat purchases drive long-term revenue. The panelists discussed ecommerce strategies to keep shoppers engaged post-checkout.

Drive repeat purchases with:

• Automated Post-Purchase Emails: Featuring personalized product suggestions.
• Back-in-Stock Notifications: Capturing high-intent buyers when products are restocked.
• Loyalty Programs: Encouraging repeat purchases and brand advocacy.

Optimizing Shopping Journeys: Final Takeaways 

1. Continuous Optimization: Regularly test, optimize, and refine strategies.
   
2. Team Alignment: Ensure marketing, digital, and ecommerce teams work cohesively.
   
3. Leverage AI Platforms: Utilize AI-driven platforms like Searchspring and Intelligent Reach to automate and personalize at scale.

Want to watch the full ecommerce product discovery discussion? Access the on-demand webinar now.

The post The Future of Ecommerce Product Discovery: Key Webinar Takeaways appeared first on Searchspring.

Black Friday 2025: How Product Bundling and Personalization Boost Ecommerce Conversions 19 Mar 9:44 AM (last month)

With the biggest shopping event of the year fast approaching, retailers who don’t start preparing now risk having subpar ecommerce operations and missing out on untold revenue. Ecommerce sales are expected to reach unprecedented heights in 2025 after hitting a record $10.8 billion on Black Friday last year—a 10.2% increase from the previous year. 

Competition will be fiercer than ever and the brands that stand out won’t just be the ones offering the biggest discounts. To capitalize on the Black Friday surge, retailers must implement ecommerce strategies that not only attract customers but also create seamless, personalized shopping experiences that make them feel understood and valued. Two such strategies—product bundling and AI-driven personalization—have proven effective in driving conversions, increasing revenue, and building brand loyalty.​

Bundling enables brands to present high-value offers while boosting average order value (AOV), while personalization ensures that shoppers receive relevant product recommendations, targeted promotions, and an intuitive experience that removes friction from the purchasing process. When these two ecommerce strategies work together, they don’t just drive conversions—they improve customer satisfaction and set the foundation for long-term relationships.

Why Black Friday 2025 Is Different

Black Friday is no longer a one-day event. The shopping period now extends across weeks, with early deals launching in November and post-Black Friday promotions stretching into December. In 2024, 57% of Black Friday-related searches occurred outside of the actual day, highlighting how consumers are researching, comparing, and waiting for the right deals before making a purchase.

Several key trends are shaping how retailers should approach Black Friday 2025. Mobile shopping continues to dominate, with smartphones driving the majority of ecommerce traffic (78%) and transactions (68%). A mobile-first approach is no longer optional—it’s essential. 

Additionally, the customer journey has become increasingly complex, with shoppers moving fluidly between brand websites, social media, and marketplaces before making a buying decision. Having a consistent, seamless multichannel strategy is critical to successfully attract and convert shoppers. 

Another major shift is the growing expectation for AI-powered personalization. Consumers no longer accept generic shopping experiences; they expect retailers to understand their shopping preferences, make relevant recommendations, and tailor promotions specifically to their interests.

For brands to succeed, Black Friday 2025 ecommerce strategies must be data-driven, highly personalized, and built around a seamless customer experience that spans multiple touchpoints. This is where product bundling and personalization can make a significant impact.

The Power of Product Bundling for Black Friday 2025

Product bundling has been a tried-and-true ecommerce tactic for years, but its impact is amplified during Black Friday. Bundles allow retailers to strategically group complementary products together, offering them at a perceived discount while increasing the overall purchase value. This approach simplifies the decision-making process for shoppers, encourages them to buy more, and helps retailers move both best-selling and slower-moving inventory.

Bundling works particularly well for Black Friday because it presents value in a way that resonates with deal-seeking consumers. When a product bundle is well-curated, it removes friction from the shopping experience. Instead of browsing endlessly for related items, shoppers are presented with a ready-made solution that aligns with their needs. For example, a beauty retailer might create a “Winter Skincare Essentials” bundle featuring a moisturizer, cleanser, facial oil, eye cream, and body lotion at a slightly reduced price compared to purchasing each item individually. In addition to driving AOV, this also encourages customers to discover and try additional products.

Retailers can maximize the effectiveness of bundling by using data to understand which products are frequently purchased together and offering tiered pricing structures to encourage larger purchases. Additionally, limited-time Black Friday bundles create urgency and exclusivity—further motivating shoppers to act quickly.

How Personalization Improves Black Friday Sales

While product bundling increases the value of each order, personalization ensures that the right offers reach the right customers at the right time. During Black Friday, shoppers are bombarded with endless promotions, and generic discounts often get lost in the noise. AI-driven personalization enables brands to cut through the clutter by curating a tailored experience for every shopper.

Ecommerce personalization strategies start with AI-powered search and dynamic merchandising. When shoppers land on a website, an intelligent search function can immediately guide them to relevant products based on their past browsing behavior, purchase history, or trending items within their preferred category. 

AI can also optimize product recommendations in real time, ensuring that customers are presented with options they are most likely to engage with. A shopper who frequently browses outdoor gear, for example, might see a homepage that highlights Black Friday deals on hiking boots and insulated jackets instead of generic promotions.

Beyond on-site personalization, targeted marketing through email and SMS plays a crucial role in conversion optimization. Instead of sending broad, one-size-fits-all promotional emails, brands can leverage AI to craft hyper-personalized messages based on individual shopping habits. A customer who recently purchased a laptop might receive an exclusive Black Friday offer for accessories like a wireless mouse, laptop stand, or protective case. In addition to boosting conversions, this level of personalization also strengthens brand trust by making customers feel valued.

Another effective way to leverage personalization is through customized Black Friday discounts. Instead of offering a blanket 20% off sitewide, brands can use AI to analyze customer data and offer tailored discounts based on purchase history or engagement level. This allows retailers to maximize revenue while maintaining profitability.

How Product Bundling and Personalization Work Together

When product bundling and AI-driven personalization are combined, they create a powerful ecommerce strategy that maximizes revenue potential. Personalization ensures that customers see the most relevant product bundles, while bundling increases the overall value of each transaction. Instead of presenting every shopper with the same pre-made bundles, AI can dynamically adjust recommendations based on user behavior. A customer who has previously purchased skincare products might be shown a personalized skincare bundle with items tailored to their skin type, while another shopper browsing fitness equipment might see a curated “Home Workout Essentials” package.

AI can also personalize the way bundles are priced and promoted. For example, a retailer could offer a small incentive—such as free shipping or a slight discount—for customers who build their own bundles. This strategy allows shoppers to feel like they have control over their purchase while still increasing AOV. By analyzing real-time shopping behavior, AI can also suggest the most relevant add-ons at checkout, making personalized upsells feel less intrusive and more like helpful recommendations.

For brands looking to optimize their Black Friday ecommerce strategies, combining bundling and personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity. Together, these tactics create a seamless shopping experience that encourages higher spending, reduces friction in the buying process, and leads to long-term loyalty.

Winning Black Friday 2025 with Bundling and Personalization

Black Friday 2025 will be one of the most competitive shopping periods we’ve ever seen, but retailers who focus on value-driven product bundling and AI-powered personalization will have an edge over competitors. By presenting shoppers with curated product combinations, brands can increase AOV while simplifying purchasing decisions. At the same time, AI-driven personalization ensures that customers get relevant recommendations, dynamic pricing, and targeted promotions that resonate on an individual level.

As the holiday season approaches, now is the time to refine your strategy. Analyze your product data to identify opportunities for bundling and implement AI-driven personalization tools to ensure that shoppers receive a customized experience. With these ecommerce strategies in place, you’ll not only boost your Black Friday sales but also create a shopping experience that keeps customers coming back long after the holiday rush is over.

Want all the winning strategies for Black Friday ecommerce success? Start by getting Part 1 of our Black Friday 2025 Playbook.

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Why Health and Wellness in Ecommerce Never Looked So Good 17 Mar 4:35 AM (last month)

The health and wellness industry is experiencing a surge like never before. The Business Research Company expects the sector to grow from $6,383.68 billion in 2024 to $6,880.53 billion in 2025, driven by rising health consciousness, preventive healthcare measures, evolving dietary preferences, and the expansion of ecommerce in health retail. Consumers are more engaged than ever in making informed choices about their well-being, leading to increased spending across multiple health categories.

Shifting consumer demographics further highlights this growth. National Institute of Health (NIH) research also indicates that the number of people aged 50 and older with at least one chronic illness will likely double from 71.5 million in 2020 to 142.7 million by 2050. With consumers actively seeking products that enhance their well-being, health and wellness retailers have a significant opportunity to capitalize on this expanding market.

From Wallets to Wellness: Why Consumers Are Investing in Their Health

Health is a top priority for consumers worldwide. McKinsey data shows that 73% of UK consumers, 82% of US consumers, and a staggering 87% of Chinese consumers consider wellness an important or top priority in their lives. Across generations and demographics, more people are investing in products that support their physical and mental well-being.

Within the broader wellness category, consumers are purchasing products across a diverse range of needs. Another McKinsey study reveals around 42% of consumers in the US purchase health products, such as over-the-counter medications, personal and home-care products, and vitamins. This is just slightly behind the 43% purchasing the most popular health and wellness category: appearance-based items, including skin care, cosmetic-procedural, and hair care products.

Another major driver of growth is healthy aging. McKinsey data shows that more than 60% of global consumers consider products that support longevity and age-related wellness to be “very” or “extremely” important. Additionally, roughly 70% of UK and US consumers and 85% in China report increasing their spending on healthy aging products year-over-year. This demand spans multiple generations—both younger shoppers investing in preventative health measures and older consumers looking to live healthier, longevity-focused lives.

As a result, brands that cater to this market (and help their shoppers find exactly what they need quickly and seamlessly) stand to gain a significant competitive advantage.

The Path to Wellness is Paved with Challenges

While demand is high, selling health and wellness products online presents unique challenges. Brands must know how to navigate complexities unique to the industry to remain competitive.

One of the biggest challenges is helping customers find what they need in an industry that often sees online stores hosting vast product catalogs. Health and wellness online retailers can carry thousands of SKUs across multiple categories—from supplements and skincare to fitness and eco-friendly household essentials. One additional challenge for retailers is health shoppers’ search behaviors. These consumers will frequently search based on ingredients, health benefits, values such as ethical sourcing, or certifications like B Corp certification. Standard on-site search functionality just isn’t enough to deliver the specific, relevant results shoppers want.

HealthPost CEO Abel Butler explains the challenge well: “There’s a lot of nuance to the indexing needed to serve relevant results based on all those different behaviors and ways that people search.” When customers can’t quickly find the products that match their needs, they’re more likely to abandon their search altogether.

Beyond search functionality, shoppers’ demand for online personalization is higher than ever. The Medallia 2024 State of CX Personalization Report shows that 82% of customers say personalization drives brand choice. Consumers who rate their shopping experiences as “highly personalized” give an overall satisfaction score of 9.4 out of 10. By contrast, those who don’t experience strong personalization rate their satisfaction much lower at just 6.5. The data tells a compelling story; customers expect online retailers to understand their individual needs and preferences. If those retailers fail to meet customers’ expectations, satisfaction (and loyalty) suffers.

Another challenge ecommerce stores in the health and wellness industry commonly face is the time-intensive manual merchandising processes. To drive educational content and targeted promotions, stores rely on promo-specific landing pages to support campaigns, new product launches, or seasonal trends. However, the need to curate these pages and product collections manually is slowing down many retailers.

How Searchspring Gives a Healthy Kick to the Online Experience

With the right ecommerce technology, health and wellness brands can overcome many of the challenges they face—and create a more seamless shopping experience for customers. Searchspring’s Generative Discovery platform delivers powerful search, merchandising, and personalization tools that help brands boost conversion, increase average order value (AOV), and create experiences that drive loyalty.

Shoppers don’t always search using exact product names. Instead, they might search more naturally for terms like “organic skincare cream for sensitive skin.” Searchspring’s AI-powered search engine, which includes natural language processing (NLP), allows shoppers to search on their terms. Whether customers type in specific scenarios or use conversational language, Searchspring understands their intent and delivers “just what the doctor ordered” for each result. The result is fewer dead-end searches, less frustration, and a faster path to purchase.

Meanwhile, Searchspring’s personalized product recommendations dynamically adapt to each shopper’s behavior to show them more of what they’re likely to buy. Instead of static recommendations, shoppers browsing collagen supplements may see vitamin C products that enhance collagen absorption. This level of intelligent personalization not only improves the shopping experience but also leads to increased AOV by enticing customers with hyper-relevant cross-sells and upsells.

Additionally, health and wellness stores are managing promotional campaigns and product collections far more efficiently with Searchspring’s automated merchandising capabilities. HealthPost, a leader in ethical wellness retail, has already seen the benefits of this firsthand. Group Ecommerce Manager Tineke Simpson explains, “We have a lot of emails leading customers to specific landing pages. Searchspring has really enhanced our ability to create one-off landing pages using automated merchandising. Instead of setting everything up one-by-one, which is extremely time inefficient, we’re letting the tech do the heavy lifting to set up landing pages for promos.”

Is it time to leverage the search, merchandising, personalization, and many other cutting-edge capabilities of an award-winning Generative Discovery platform made for online retailers?

Gain more insights from the complete HealthPost case study, or book your no-obligation demo of Searchspring now.

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How AI-Driven Personalization Drives Higher Ecommerce Conversions 11 Mar 12:27 PM (last month)

Simply having exceptional products and a well-designed ecommerce website isn’t enough in today’s online shopping world. Shoppers are bombarded with choices and their attention spans are shorter than ever. To truly succeed, retailers need to create shopping experiences that are not only seamless but also deeply relevant and engaging. This is where AI-driven personalization comes in.

Ecommerce personalization is essentially about understanding each individual shopper and tailoring shopping journeys to their unique needs, preferences, and behaviors. It’s about moving beyond generic recommendations and promotions to deliver immersive shopping experiences that feel genuinely personal and valuable. With the power of AI, this level of personalization is now more achievable and effective than ever before.

The Power of AI in Ecommerce Personalization

AI transforms personalization from a manual, time-consuming process into a dynamic, data-driven strategy. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of customer data—browsing history, purchase behavior, search queries, and even real-time interactions—to understand the intent behind each shopper’s actions. This allows for a level of precision and relevance that simply wasn’t possible with traditional methods.

Key Benefits of AI-Driven Personalization

Increased Conversion Rates: Guiding Shoppers to the Perfect Purchase

In the realm of ecommerce, conversion rates are the lifeblood of success. AI-driven personalization directly impacts this metric by creating shopping experiences that are highly relevant to each shopper. When they land on your site, shoppers are often faced with a vast array of products. Without effective guidance, they can quickly become overwhelmed, leading to frustration and abandonment. AI steps in to solve this problem by acting as a personalized shopping assistant.

Higher Average Order Value (AOV): Encouraging Value-Added Purchases

In addition to guiding shoppers to find what they need, AI reveals opportunities for them to enhance their purchases. By analyzing purchase patterns and product relationships, AI can identify complementary items or premium upgrades that shoppers might not have considered. For instance, if a shopper adds a camera to his cart, AI can recommend related accessories like lenses, tripods, or memory cards. Beyond just suggesting random items, AI provides genuine value by anticipating shoppers’ needs.

AI can also identify opportunities for upselling, suggesting higher-tier products with enhanced features or benefits. By presenting the right options at the right moment, AI encourages shoppers to increase their spending and invest in higher-value purchases.

Enhanced Customer Engagement: Creating Interactive and Memorable Experiences

AI enables retailers to create dynamic and interactive shopping experiences that go beyond static product displays. For instance, AI-powered chatbots can provide personalized recommendations and answer shopper questions in real time. This creates a more engaging and interactive shopping experience, keeping shoppers on the site longer. 

By analyzing shopper behavior and preferences, AI can also identify opportunities to personalize the timing and delivery of messages. For example, a retailer might send a personalized email with a special offer to a shopper who has been browsing a particular product category.

Improved Customer Loyalty: Building Long-Term Relationships

Consistent and relevant ecommerce personalization builds trust and demonstrates that the brand understands and values the customer. AI-driven personalization allows retailers to create a seamless experience across all touchpoints—from the website to email to social media and beyond. Personalized offers and rewards, such as exclusive discounts or early access to sales, can incentivize repeat purchases and foster a sense of loyalty. AI can also analyze customer data to identify the most effective rewards and offers for each shopper.

Reduced Search Abandonment: Delivering Accurate and Relevant Results

AI goes beyond simple keyword matching, understanding the intent behind a shopper’s search query. This means that even if a shopper uses complex or ambiguous language, AI can still deliver relevant results. AI also learns from past search behavior and preferences, further refining search results over time. This ensures that shoppers see the most relevant products, even if they don’t know exactly what they’re looking for.

Streamlined Product Discovery: Simplifying the Shopping Journey

AI analyzes vast amounts of product data—including attributes, descriptions, and reviews—to identify the most relevant products for each shopper. This simplifies the shopping journey, making it easier for shoppers to find what they’re looking for. Personalized recommendations and search results guide shoppers towards the items that are most likely to interest them, reducing the need for endless scrolling and browsing. 

Automated Efficiency: Freeing Up Merchandisers

AI automates tasks like product tagging, categorization, and recommendation generation, freeing up merchandisers to focus on strategic initiatives. AI can also be used to automate the creation of personalized content, such as banners and promotional messages. By automating these tasks, AI helps improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Examples of AI-Driven Personalization in Action

Personalized Search Results: Tailoring Results to Individual Intent

AI considers factors like past browsing history, purchase behavior, and current trends to rank search results. For example, a shopper who frequently purchases organic products might see organic options prioritized in their search results. AI also considers the shopper’s location, time of day, and device type to further refine search results. Visual search capabilities powered by AI can allow shoppers to use images to find similar products.

Personalized Product Recommendations: Anticipating Shopper Needs

The popular “Frequently Bought Together” and “Customers Also Viewed” sections on ecommerce websites are powered by AI algorithms that analyze purchase patterns. AI can also generate personalized recommendations based on real-time browsing behavior, such as items added to the cart or viewed recently. Personalized recommendations can be delivered across multiple channels, including email, SMS, and social media.

Predictive Bundling: Creating Convenient and Cost-Effective Options

AI can identify products that are frequently purchased together and suggest them as a bundle, and dynamic pricing can be used to offer discounts on bundled items. Personalized bundle recommendations can be displayed on product pages and at checkout.

Personalized Emails and SMS Messages: Targeted and Timely Communication

AI analyzes customer data to personalize email subject lines, content, and offers. SMS messages can be used to deliver timely updates and alerts, such as order confirmations and shipping notifications. AI is also used to personalize the timing and frequency of email and SMS messages.

Searchspring and the Power of Generative Discovery

Companies like Searchspring are at the forefront of AI-driven ecommerce personalization. The platform leverages machine learning and AI to power Generative Discovery, a dynamic shopping experience that learns, adapts, and personalizes each interaction. Searchspring enables personalized search and merchandising, targeted recommendations, predictive bundling, and much more to empower retailers to dramatically boost engagement and conversions.

The Future of Ecommerce is Personal

In the near future, AI-driven personalization will no longer be a competitive advantage; it will be table stakes. Most shoppers already expect personalized experiences, and retailers who fail to deliver will be left behind. By embracing the power of AI, ecommerce brands can create shopping journeys that are targeted, engaging, and rewarding to drive higher conversions, increased customer loyalty, and sustainable growth.

Ready to leverage AI-driven personalization to take your brand to new heights? Download our eBook, “The Power of Ecommerce Personalization: Strategies and Best Practices to Engage and Convert More Shoppers,” to learn how you can transform your online store into a personalized shopping destination. 

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