Open source vs FactFinder: what’s best for search in eCommerce? 

Torn between open source and the ease of a ready-made search solution? This side-by-side comparison gives you all the details you need to decide what’s best for your eCommerce business.

Choosing the right search and product discovery platform 

A powerful search and product discovery is key to any online shop’s success. Today’s customers expect fast, personalized, and relevant experiences that go far beyond the basic search of the past. Yet, creating these experiences is easier said than done.  

Some businesses rely on the built-in search function of their online shop platforms, which typically use open source and offer only basic features, leading to irrelevant search results and lower conversion rates. Others opt for alternative open source tools that offer customization but require a tech-savvy team. Then there’s the third group, which embraces out of the box solutions with varying levels of eCommerce-specific features, flexibility and ease of use. 

But which is best for your business? 

In this blog post, we’ll compare open source and out of the box solutions, like FactFinder, exploring the strengths and limitations of each to help you make an informed decision.

The challenge of open source site search in eCommerce

Countless businesses use open source for their search and product discovery, drawn by the promise of supposed low price and complete control over the configurations. In theory, open source should be the easiest, most customizable option, but don’t be fooled. Due to its code-based nature, it can leave you dependent on your development team or a partner, who charges by the hour. Even small changes can require heavy development work, additional charges and valuable time, leading to bottlenecks and missed opportunities.

Debunking the myths around ready-made eCommerce site search solutions 

A ready-made search and product discovery platform might be the answer — but persistent myths push online shops toward open source, only to hit unexpected costs and obstacles. It’s time to separate the facts from the fiction. 

• “Out of the box platforms are expensive” — Fiction: Ready-made eCommerce site search solutions might appear more expensive at the start, but in the long run, they can save you a great deal of time and money in ongoing development. One retailer has been saving €1,000 per month in server fees since they replaced open source search with FactFinder’s AI-powered ready-made search and product discovery solution.

• “Good enough” is good enough when it comes to search — Fiction: All search is not the same. The search and product discovery features of your online shop can make or break the customer experience. Hence, providing a system that is just about “good enough” will result in lost opportunities, while your customers miss out on a great experience. Remember, what’s deemed “good enough” now will soon be “poor” and “outdated”. 

• “Ready-made site search solutions don’t provide enough insight into the search results” — Fiction: Many businesses assume that out of the box solutions have “black box” backends, with complex configurations that make it impossible to understand the rankings. But this isn’t always the case. FactFinder, for example, empowers you to see the impact of the algorithms shaping your site search results and adjust them to your heart’s content. 

• “Out of the box solutions are restrictive and inflexible” — Fiction: FactFinder gives you a unique blend of automation and control. Offering a host of product discovery features designed for eCommerce businesses, both in the B2C and B2B space, it integrates seamlessly with your existing software and can adapt to your business needs. Any additional modules will fit easily with the core out of the box search solution — worlds apart from the cumbersome, time-intensive process of integrating new tools with an open source platform

Since switching from an open source site search engine, B2B wholesaler Gustav Ehlert GmbH & Co spends less time dealing with search-related enquiries. They can now fine-tune their online storefront to reflect the latest sales strategies while relying on AI to dynamically prioritize new products. What’s more, their conversion rate stands at 12%, almost four times higher than the industry standard. 

Quick comparison: Open source search vs FactFinder 

Ready-made solutions offer a powerful alternative to open source search in eCommerce. While not all options offer the same benefits, we’ll focus on FactFinder in this post.  

This comparison chart breaks down the resource requirements, user friendliness and eCommerce features of open source search versus FactFinder as a ready-made solution. We’ve summarized the key details to help you make the best decision for your B2C or B2B business. 

Resource requirements 

How much money, time and in-house skills do you need to invest upfront and long-term?  

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Ease of use

Managing an eCommerce business means constantly fine-tuning your tools to keep up with trends. Whether you’re using FactFinder or an open source platform, occasional updates are inevitable for special promotions, product changes or search optimizations. The easier these adjustments are, the more time you’ll have to focus on what really matters: your customers and your business.

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The Popken Fashion Group switched 12 online shops to FactFinder when they reached a dead end with their old site search solution and needed a platform that could support, rather than inhibit, their rapid growth.

eCommerce-specific features

FactFinder was built specifically for eCommerce, while most open source search solutions are not. But does that really matter if you can customize an open source platform to include all the features you need? Let’s see how using an eCommerce-focused platform can benefit your business in comparison to a more generic solution.

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By transitioning from an open source search solution to Factfinder, GLOBUS Markthallen, one of Germany’s leading supermarket chains, revolutionized their search functionality, ensuring smooth product discovery.

Why FactFinder is the ideal alternative to open source search in eCommerce

• AI automation & control — FactFinder gives you much more transparency, providing visibility into what is contributing to a product’s position and the power to influence that.

• Extensive functionality — The most advanced product discovery and search solution on the market, with 8 core modules and the (optional) ability to fine-tune each feature to suit business and resource requirements. See it at work.

• Our people — With an award-winning team of eCommerce search and product discovery experts, FactFinder offers dedicated and proactive support to thousands of brands worldwide. Not only does FactFinder have over 20 years of experience and product innovation, but we also provide outstanding support, priding ourselves on the personal touch.

FactFinder can save you frustration, time and money

In conclusion, while open source solutions may seem like the lower-cost option at first, they usually require more investment over time. They come with hidden expenses, surprising you with charges for everything from selling licenses to plug-ins and software updates. Add to that the expense of hiring specialist developers to implement the software, fix bugs and fine-tune the search engine in line with industry standards, and you’re looking at parting with tens of thousands of Euros over the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, as a ready-made alternative, FactFinder presents upfront costs, but these are always transparent, predictable and customized to your business — no nasty surprises! What’s more, FactFinder’s industry-leading AI-powered eCommerce solution updates itself in real time, preventing the need for manual adjustments. With out of the box smart search and product discovery features, including personalization, recommendations, Customer-Specific Info, Geo and Predictive Basket, your business will benefit from higher customer satisfaction and maximized conversion rates — plus a reliable support team on hand whenever you need them.