How VIBE search works

VIBE ranks products with keyword and semantic signals. This page explains that process. Configuration is covered in the linked feature guides.

1RequestA shopper query, mode, collection, control, filter, and locale arrive.

2EligibilityVIBE keeps only active, published, allowed, and indexed records.

3MatchKeyword, semantic, structured, variant, collection, and image signals are compared.

4AdjustAvailability, filters, controls, and merchandising rules affect order or destination.

5RenderThe chosen surface and product-card mode display the result.

Meaning, not just keywords

A keyword search compares a shopper’s words with product titles, descriptions, and other indexed fields. A result can be missed when the query and product use different wording.

VIBE also compares meaning. A shopper who searches for “something warm for winter” can find a wool coat even when those words are not in the product title. Related concepts, alternative phrasing, and misspellings can still produce a match.

Keyword and meaning together

VIBE does not throw keywords away. It combines two things for every search:

• Keyword matching, the exact and close word matches a shopper expects.
• Semantic matching, how close a product is to the meaning of the search.

VIBE combines both signals in one ranked list.

How results are ranked

Each result receives a relevance score based on keyword strength and semantic similarity. Higher-scoring products appear first.

Run a query in Search Preview to compare the overall Score with the Semantic score.

Search Preview showing each result's relevance score and semantic score.

Search as you type

As a shopper types, VIBE can show suggestions and instant results before they press enter. This is autocomplete. You choose where it appears and what it shows on the Appearance page, under Quick search.

Keyword fallback

If the semantic service is unavailable, VIBE falls back to keyword matching. Semantic ranking resumes when the service recovers.

Search flow

These pieces fit together in order:

1. Sync and index. VIBE reads the configured product data and builds the search index. Set included data and exclusions on Sync and Index.
2. Interpret the query. VIBE identifies related concepts and phrasing.
3. Rank the results. It scores every product on keyword and meaning and orders them.
4. Apply controls and rules. Merchandising rules adjust product order or search behavior. Explore controls let shoppers refine results.
5. Show the results. The look and behavior are set on Appearance, and you can compare VIBE against your theme’s search with A/B testing.

Troubleshooting

How is VIBE different from Shopify’s built-in search? Shopify’s native search mostly matches the exact words a shopper types against your product text. VIBE adds meaning on top, so shoppers can use natural language, synonyms, and misspellings and still find the right products. It also adds autocomplete, Explore controls, merchandising rules, analytics, and the A/B test, which native search does not include.

A search returns no results, but I stock matching products. Why? Confirm that the product is indexed and not excluded on Sync and Index. Then try fewer words and clear any active filters. Reaching the included monthly session allowance does not cause empty results.