With Spot & Shop, the new visual search functionality in the Bol app, Bol makes it possible to find products without knowing the product name or brand. Customers can now take or upload a photo in the app and immediately see relevant product matches. This way, users can rediscover products they encountered at friends' homes, online, or through social media platforms like TikTok.
'Inspiration from social media and the fact that we always have a camera at hand mean that images are increasingly becoming the starting point for searching for a product. Who hasn't taken a photo or screenshot of items they want to look up online?', says Rob Woltman, Group Product Manager at Bol. 'Many customers know exactly what they're looking for, but don't always find the right words or characteristics. With Spot & Shop, a photo is enough to start the search process, making shopping faster and more carefree. We are also proud of our early integration with Apple Visual Intelligence, as it allows us to better support our customers at the moments when their inspiration strikes.'
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How it works and initial results
Spot & Shop fits into Bol's AI-driven search strategy. The technology behind Spot & Shop uses machine learning to analyze the image, recognize the product, and ultimately find it in Bol's product catalog. When customers take or upload a photo via the camera icon in the search bar, they subsequently see relevant results, supplemented with filters, prices, and product information. This way, Bol helps customers search more purposefully and make informed choices.
Initial results show that customers primarily use the feature in the categories 'Daily Care', 'Perfume', and 'Health'. Bol sees clear growth potential and expects that by 2026, an increasing share of search queries will start from Spot & Shop.
Integration with Apple Visual Intelligence
In addition to Spot & Shop in the Bol app, Bol also integrates its assortment with Apple's Visual Intelligence application. Users with a newer iPhone or iPad* will automatically see relevant Bol product matches in a separate tab when taking or uploading an image or screenshot (provided the Bol app is installed).
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Privacy first
In the development of new applications, privacy is always a priority at Bol. This also applies to Spot & Shop. Customers can trust that their personal data is safe and only used to ensure the service works properly. Images are automatically stripped so that only the photo of the product remains. It is not possible to take images via the selfie camera.
Now in the app
Spot & Shop is now available in the Bol app in the Netherlands and Belgium. Customers who do not yet see Spot & Shop are advised to update the app.
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