Search results

Learn about the key features that determine which products appear on the search results page.

Personalized search

The search experience algorithm continuously improves and uses machine learning to display search results with optimized speed and enhanced accuracy. The algorithm proactively understands your customer's intent and shows relevant search results and search suggestions based on past searches and purchases.

By default, previously purchased items that are relevant to the search term are boosted up to as high as the fourth item in the results list. Items that were previously purchased include a Purchased label in the item tile.

The following image shows an example of a previously purchased item that were boosted in the search results:

Related search terms

Related search terms help to avoid returning no search results. For example, a customer searches for sriracha but the store does not sell sriracha hot sauce. Instead of showing no results, the site searches for hot sauce to display results.

Synonyms

The search experience can understand variations such as similar terms, regional or cultural terms, or spelling mistakes to display products that match the customer's intent. Over time, the search experience algorithm uses conversion rates to fine-tune results to provide an overall relevant search result set to the customer.

The following examples illustrate different variations that the search engine resolves automatically:

• The slang term guac includes results for guacamole.
• The term beef filet includes results for beef steak.
• The term Aqua zero handles white-spaces and includes results for the brand Aquazero.
• The term bananan handles spelling mistakes and includes results for banana.

Filters

Customers can filter search results by using all standard Instacart catalog or retailer specific nutritional attributes.

Attributes include:

• Brand names
• Departments
• Sales
• Nutritional attributes, such as organic, gluten-free, fat-free, vegan, kosher, and sugar-free