Overview
BIRSE is BigGo’s search app on Shopify. It combines image search, keyword suggestions and similar-product recommendations, so any store can offer smarter search without building it themselves. Shoppers find what they want faster, and stores convert more visits into orders.
The problem
- Products are hard to describe: how do you search for “that beige dress with the ruffled hem”?
- Product names are hard to spell: some stores use foreign-language names that shoppers can’t spell or remember.
- No result, no sale: when a search comes up empty, shoppers rarely try again. They just leave.
How shoppers use it
- Start typing in the store’s search box and suggestions appear, with no need to spell the full name
- Or upload a photo, or circle one item in an image
- See matching and similar items instantly, and save favourites to a wishlist in one tap
- Related products appear under each product page, so shoppers keep browsing
Highlights
- Search by image: upload a photo or select one item in it to find the same or similar products
- Keyword suggestions: autocomplete, plus trending keywords and trending images
- Similar-product recommendations: based on what the shopper is viewing, more relevant than Shopify’s default
- Wishlist: save favourites in one tap
- Search insights: merchants see what shoppers search for and which searches lead to orders
- Nearly 30 languages, with a free plan so merchants can try before they commit
Key decisions
1. Going for the official Shopify certification
“Built for Shopify” is Shopify’s certification for high-quality apps, meaning performance, design and integration all meet Shopify’s standards. With it, BIRSE gets more visibility in the App Store and is recommended by Shopify as an outstanding app. The team reworked product rules and UI requirement by requirement until the app was certified.
2. Starting with fashion and furniture
Not every product needs image search. Fashion and home furnishings are the hardest to describe in words: the cut of a dress or the style of a chair is hard to put into a few keywords, yet shoppers know it when they see it. These two categories get the most out of image search, so they came first.
3. Turning merchant feedback into product improvements
Merchant issues were handled in one place: anything solvable through settings was fixed right away, and product issues were written up as specs for the engineering team. Merchants got fast answers, and the product kept improving based on real use.
What merchants say
A store selling products with French names shared:
- Shoppers find more products: shoppers often can’t spell the French names. BIRSE’s keyword suggestions help them find what they want instead of giving up.
- Better recommendations: BIRSE’s recommendations are noticeably better than the default, and more relevant to what shoppers are browsing.
- Responsive support: questions get quick, genuinely helpful answers.
“Solid app, would recommend.” — merchant review, Shopify App Store
Results
- Earned Shopify’s Built for Shopify certification and an official recommendation
- 100+ stores installed it in the first year; 500+ e-commerce clients in total
- US$30K+ in annual recurring revenue
- Shorter path from search to product, helping merchants raise conversion