Overview
Reference-based search allows users to retrieve a product by entering a known reference (SKU, product code, supplier reference, etc.) directly into the search field.
This feature is designed for users who already have precise information—for example from an invoice, a printed catalog, internal tools, or customer support—and want to access the most relevant product without relying solely on semantic or descriptive keywords.
Why Enable Reference-Based Search?
Allowing search by reference is mainly about getting straight to the point.
When a user already knows a reference, they can avoid browsing or interpreting ambiguous product names and instead rely on a more deterministic identifier.
In practice, this helps to:
- Avoid errors caused by similar or misspelled product names
- Save time, especially for professional and repeat users
- Land on the intended product more quickly, improving conversion
- Simplify customer support interactions (asking for a reference instead of a description)
- Enable internal teams (headquarters, retail staff, customer support, operations) to quickly retrieve products using the same references as in internal systems (ERP, PIM, invoices)
For many organizations, reference-based search is therefore both a customer-facing feature and a key internal productivity tool.
How It Works
Reference-based search is built to prioritize precision, while still offering controlled flexibility.
Search Trigger (Layer)
- The reference search is triggered after a minimum number of typed characters
- Default value: 4 characters
- This threshold is configurable based on reference structure and usage patterns
Matching Logic (Exact & Near-Reference Matching)
Reference-based search relies on identifier matching rather than semantic interpretation, but it is not limited to strict exact matches.
A configurable matching ratio (0%–100%) determines how close the user input must be to an existing reference to be displayed:
- set up at 100% → exact reference match
- Lower ratios → allow close for incomplete input when the beginning of the reference matches
This prevents “no-result” situations while preserving reference-level accuracy.
Variant-Based References (Color / Size)
In some industries—especially fashion and apparel—references often embed variant dimensions, such as this pattern:
productId_colorId_sizeId
In this context, allowing partial reference input is particularly valuable:
- Users may start with a product base reference or a color, without knowing the full SKU
- Early matching helps surface all relevant color and size variants
This context is based on your product data structure in your catalog feed (the way your variants are grouped via the item_group_id attribute.
Front-End Display Behavior
Plug & Play Implementation (Layer)
- Reference-based results are prioritized and displayed at the top of the page
They appear in a dedicated, visually distinct section (e.g. grey background)
- If semantic matches also exist:
- They are displayed below, in a separate section (search result)
API Implementation
- Full control over the triggering and matching ratio
- Full control over layout, ordering, and presentation of the references
- Free choice to separate or merge reference and semantic results
For more information about the API references module visit click here
Configuration
To activate or configure reference-based search, please contact:
- Your Customer Success Manager
- Or Sensefuel Support
The following parameters can be defined:
- Reference attribute(s) (SKU, supplier code, internal ID, etc.)
- Minimum number of characters to trigger the search (Layer)
- Matching ratio threshold : between 0%–100% (Layer)
If you have not asked Sensefuel to configure this feature you won't be able to find your product by performing a reference based search. In case of issue you should also consult this article to make sure your product "searchable".