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Visual search has become a powerful tool in an ecommerce business. It has changed the way businesses and the customers’ engagement with the business. Visual search has been around since ages but its true potential is being recognized in recent times.

Generally speaking, human beings’ visual memory is stronger. The retention of images is far easier than texts and numbers. A research study has even stated that 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual. Businesses should realize this and try to capitalize on it, especially in the ecommerce industry where every process of the business is on the web.

What is Visual Search?

The meaning of visual search is fairly simple and given in the name – search by images. Instead of entering text, description, and keywords in the form of text, visual search is the process of entering an image and searching for the product.

Customers can use a visual search to locate products through the snaps on their phone or camera. This type of search has become a source of great convenience to the customers for locating their desired item among the numerous varieties of options in the market.

Speaking of which, keeping these requirements in mind, Google launched Google Lens technology in 2018. This feature allows used to take a photo from this app, and use it to search for related items and products. To further make the results easy to understand, Google also helps its users by providing related badges while displaying visual search results. This enables the user identify what kind of result it is – for instance, whether it is a recipe or product and so on.

All this recent development and its benefits has made it necessary for the businesses to make the most out of it.

Benefits of Visual Search for Ecommerce

The increasing convenience for the customers using visual search can yield some huge benefits to the sellers. Let us have a look at the benefits it provides an ecommerce business:

Delivers when text fails

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Text searches are no doubt efficient, but they sometimes fail to render required results. It may be due to various reasons such as the inability of the user to accurately describe his requirement, inefficiency of search, and so on.

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Image or visual search, however, provides results accurately, every time, for every search. Showing a sample helps better than describing it.

Rope in customers

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

When the customers use a visual search to locate their desired item, they are bound to find it sooner than the text search. And since the customers have located the product, they are already one step closer to connecting with you and making the purchase.

This process quickens the transition of a subscriber to a customer and can boost the revenue of the ecommerce business.

Easing the transition

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Traditional brick and mortar stores have been around for ages and are still feebly operating. The customers prefer the traditional stores as they can see and confirm the product themselves than just rely on word of mouth.

Visual search helps the customers migrate from those walled stores to your online business as it provides them with the visuals of the product they desire. A single click can provide them with numerous webpages of similar items without even visiting any store.

Be discovered

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Visual search provides the customer with hundreds of options for a similar item. This enables various ecommerce marketplaces to pop up with recommendations and be discovered, hence boosting its revenue.

For example, when a user searches for a particular red jacket, he is presented with numerous webpages of various ecommerce websites that offer similar jackets as that of the user’s image. The user can then choose from the various links and decide. This increases the chances of getting your business discovered.

Save time, quicken the sales

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Through visual search, a customer is presented with accurate options similar to his desired product. They are free to choose from the numerous options in front of them. This process removes the hassle of hunting for the product at numerous stores, bargaining for a price, commuting to and fro, and so on.

It also benefits the sellers as they need not resort to personal selling for every product and bargain with the customer. Thus, visual search helps save time and resources for both the customer and the seller. It facilitates quick sales.

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Transform shopping experience

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Shifting from the traditional store to online marketplaces is a revolutionary change in the business industry. It drastically changes the customers’ and sellers’ shopping and business experience.

Smooth and seamless websites and search options help this transition to take place in a swift manner. Adding mobile and desktop search options is bound to increase your reach.

Available 24/7

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Out of stock can be a thing of the past with visual search. It is quite common for products to go out of stock on ecommerce portals. This can navigate your customer to your competitions. This loss of customer base can be restricted through visual search.

Visual search option will present your customer with products resembling the desired product and increases the chances of your customer purchasing it, thereby retaining your customer and increasing sales.

Wider reach

Why is Visual Search for Ecommerce the Next Big Thing

Ecommerce businesses undoubtedly have a wider reach than physical stores. Visual search amplifies their base and lets all of their products gain visibility. This boosts the revenue as the sales are not just limited to the star products but to every item of the ecommerce business.

Some of the giant visual search engines are Pinterest and Google Images. They are the most popular search engines for image search. These search platforms provide numerous similar options to the user by listing out various ecommerce market webpages for a particular search. Similarly, businesses can add a visual search option on their website itself, to ease the customer search further.

The Wrap Up

Visual search has truly boosted the customer experience in the ecommerce sector. It’s become one of the must-have tools for any ecommerce business to increase its revenue and achieve its market objectives.

Keeping in mind that visuals are more attractive and easier to retain than any other form of information, ecommerce entrepreneurs must incorporate visual search options in their websites and make the user experience customer-friendly, which will consequently benefit their business to a great extent. Visual search is definitely one of the biggest revolutions in the ecommerce business.