Deciding Between Building or Buying Retail Search Solutions

When strategizing the search functionality for your retail platform, you’re faced with a crucial decision: should you build a custom solution from scratch or buy an out-of-the-box solution? This decision can significantly impact your business's operational efficiency, cost structure, and overall user experience. Let's delve into the factors that should influence this choice.

Decision to Build or Buy AI

The choice between building or buying an AI-driven search solution involves careful consideration of your business’s unique needs and resources. An experienced partner can provide valuable insights based on extensive digital project experience. To explore this decision further, many businesses participate in webinars and discussions to understand the pros and cons of each approach.

Cost Considerations

When evaluating the ai development cost, it's essential to focus on the value delivered to your audience rather than just the upfront costs. For simple keyword search solutions, the costs of building versus buying are often comparable. However, advanced capabilities require higher investment but can deliver significantly more value. Integrating a search component is standard in full-service digital projects, and while clients often have a preferred search platform, recommendations are typically based on project requirements. Custom-built solutions can exceed client budgets if all desired features are implemented from scratch.

Requests for Custom Builds

In many projects, clients request custom-built solutions to meet specific needs. While custom builds can offer tailored features, they often come at a higher cost. For example, one platform might provide excellent indexing capabilities, but implementing complex features can be costly. On the other hand, a different solution may be recommended for its more advanced search capabilities and better overall digital experience.

Retail Search: Pros and Cons of Different Solutions

When considering retail search solutions, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of different platforms. One solution might require significant development effort to achieve advanced features and customization. Clients' high expectations are often shaped by their experiences with external search engines. In contrast, another solution may offer powerful out-of-the-box features that meet advanced search needs more effectively.

Common Myths

There are several myths surrounding sophisticated search features. While they might seem simple, they are often complex to implement. Features like federated search, multilingual search, and nested results can be challenging with one solution but are more straightforward with another. The recommended solution, for instance, allows grouping related assets with parent content items, enhancing the search experience.

Unique Features of the Recommended Solution

The recommended search solution offers unique features that can significantly benefit your business. These include built-in connectors for diverse content sources and cloud availability, which aligns with client expectations for reduced IT overhead. Additionally, integration with digital experience platforms and machine learning provides optimal search results, enhancing overall user satisfaction.

Importance of Vendor Support

Vendor support is crucial for optimizing and tuning search solutions. Post-sales support from vendors can make a significant difference in maintaining and improving the functionality of your search system. Professional services teams assist with complex integrations and business logic, ensuring that your search solution remains effective and efficient.

Conclusion: Build or Buy AI?

The decision to build or buy your retail search capability should be guided by a thorough analysis of your needs, resources, and the potential benefits of each approach. The recommended solution's evolution aligns with current retail trends and client needs, specializing in enterprise web solutions, including various web content management implementations. By leveraging search as a service, businesses can streamline content discovery and enhance digital experiences, reducing internal management efforts and boosting overall performance.