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Catalog search methods

WebSphere Commerce offers two search options to address the different needs of customers and administrators. Each of the search formats is based on underlying technology that uses the Catalog Search data bean. The search methods are provided primarily by a search engine and an abstraction layer API from which you can build search features and search tools.

The following search methods are available:

Catalog search

The catalog search provides both basic and advanced search functionality to the site for use by customers.

Catalog search enables you to implement a search tool for the customers that is powerful enough to search both vertical and horizontal constraints to locate products. By adding a simple search interface to any JSP file in the site, you can provide the customers an additional way to locate products.

Deprecated feature:

Product Advisor

The Product Advisor provides interactive shopping guides to help the customers identify the products that match their requirements.

Product Advisor offers the ability to apply vertical constraints iteratively to narrow down the product selection.

These two types of search are complementary.


Related concepts

Product Advisor


Related tasks

Add catalog search to the site

Customize catalog search


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