From Search to Intent Box:
The Future of Ecommerce Product Discovery

Their behavior is changing, they are starting to search the way they talk, using natural language and asking full questions like, “What’s the most energy-efficient HVAC system for a 50,000 sq ft facility?” instead of typing fragmented terms like “industrial HVAC unit.”

Visitors may come in with a simple goal such as a list of products. But more often, they expect expert guidance that’s conversational. They want to know what’s right for them, why it fits their needs, and how it compares to other options. And they expect that clarity instantly.

Yet many search experiences remain primitive, failing to understand intent. They still rely on outdated keyword matching, returning generic results that force buyers to scroll, refine, call into their sales rep, or abandon when they can’t find what they need.

This is where the evolution from a search box to an intent box changes everything. Powered by AI and GenAI, the intent box interprets user needs, understands context, and delivers precise, relevant answers and product suggestions in real time.

By combining machine learning, vector search, and generative AI, it seamlessly guides buyers through discovery, decision-making, and purchase.

In this ebook, we explore:

• Why traditional ecommerce search falls short — and what today’s shoppers really expect from product discovery
• How the evolution from search box to intent box is reshaping online buying with helpful, expert, generative guidance.
• What makes Coveo’s intent box different: grounded in your product catalog and content, it delivers relevant answers you can trustIt’s time to think outside the search box and create an experience that makes your brand the first — and only — choice for your customers.

Search is ubiquitous. It’s the default discovery tool for ecommerce sites. Whether buyers are browsing, researching, or ready to buy, they instinctively turn to the search box. It’s always there, always accessible, and unlike passive browsing or clicking through filters, the only place where customers explicitly state what they want.

But traditional search makes buyers work for it, forcing them to think in rigid keywords rather than the natural way they’d ask a question to a trusted account manager or product specialist.

The problem? Buyers don’t think in keywords, they think in needs. Increasingly, they expect to search the way they naturally speak, without having to translate complex project requirements into simplified terms. A plant manager searching for “the most efficient variable frequency drives for high-humidity environments” doesn’t want a generic list of VFDs; they need a tailored set of recommendations, guidance on compatibility with their equipment, and expert insight into performance under specific environmental conditions.

The real revenue opportunity isn’t in generic searches but in the complex, high-intent queries that signal serious purchase intent and can best serve the customer in the moment. If search fails to interpret them, businesses lose out on ready-to-buy customers and miss the chance to build lasting relationships. Instead of guessing at keywords, the search box needs to evolve into an intent box. One that not only understands queries in natural language but the intent behind them.

That’s why the search box needs to evolve into something more intelligent, more adaptive, and more context-aware: the intent box.

Every query is a signal — a step in a high-stakes, often complex buying journey. Yet traditional search boxes treat them all the same. The intent box doesn’t. It adapts in real time, interpreting context, complexity, and user goals to deliver the most relevant experience.

Here’s how different types of queries map to growing complexity — and how the intent box enables buyer success at every level:

An intent box is the intelligent brain behind ecommerce discovery. It understands nuance in queries and surfaces products, comparisons, guidance, and support answers dynamically, pulling from multiple sources such as product catalogs, buying guides and expert content to deliver relevant products, guidance, advice and/or support, ensuring customers find exactly what they need.

This shift powers what some might label conversational commerce or what we refer to as generative product discovery, where search doesn’t just retrieve — it guides, recommends, and refines.

Instead of forcing customers to adjust their queries repeatedly, the intent box interprets needs, filters results intelligently, and delivers meaningful answers. It makes search feel more intuitive, accurate, and relevant.

A technician searching for the right pressure switch for a high-humidity rooftop unit doesn’t want to scroll through dozens of irrelevant part listings, open a support ticket, or rephrase their query over and over. They expect the system to understand their technical needs and surface reliable, compatible options — fast.

An intent box should be able to dynamically surface:

• Expert guidance on key selection criteria such as compatibility, voltage ratings, and environmental tolerances
• Category-level recommendations that align with the use case — e.g., pressure switches rated for HVAC, refrigeration, or dual-stage systems
• Suggested components based on specified conditions like refrigerant type, operating range, or NEMA enclosure rating
• Featured parts that align with industry standards and are available for fast delivery
• Contextual content such as installation guides, troubleshooting manuals, or maintenance best practices
• Next-best questions that help the buyer refine their search — like “Need a dual-pressure switch?” or “Looking for compatible contactors?”

This is B2B product discovery done right — responsive to buyer intent, rooted in expertise, and tailored to the moment of need.

For years, companies have turned to chatbots and virtual assistants to make ecommerce feel more interactive. But generative product discovery is something else entirely.

Chatbots typically follow rigid scripts, often creating frustrating, disconnected experiences. Buyers don’t want forced conversations — they want quick, relevant answers.

Virtual assistants usually can’t handle complex or vague queries, and they’re limited to the product catalog.

That’s the difference: chatbots interrupt, assistants have limits, but the intent box listens and responds in real-time — with full context.

Instead of frustrating buyers, the intent box delivers seamless, relevant guidance that connects education, discovery, and support, in a single interaction point. It’s efficient, intuitive, and personalized.

And the impact is clear: 86% of B2B buyers would use a GenAI tool on a website to help them find information about the product they’re researching.

For ecommerce leaders, the impact is clear: An intent-driven, relevant search experience leads to higher conversions, bigger orders, and stronger customer relationships — driving real revenue growth.

An intent box elevates your site into a premium destination where buyers can learn, explore, and buy with confidence.

By delivering intuitive, expert-level guidance at scale, it creates a seamless experience that builds customer loyalty and keeps them coming back.

At the heart of this transformation is a powerful GenAI solution that enhances enterprise search by providing context-aware, permission-secured answers to complex natural language queries. Using a combination of machine learning, vector search, and GenAI, Coveo can generate highly relevant, well-grounded responses — ensuring buyers get the right product, information, or advice effortlessly.

Seamlessly integrated into Coveo-powered search interfaces, Coveo’s generative product discovery supports both simple and complex queries, delivering AI-optimized search results and generated answers from a single, unified search experience.

Search is no longer just a box — it’s an intent engine and a loyalty driver. When buyers consistently find exactly what they need, they come back, again and again.

Start evolving your product discovery experiences by focusing on these three goals:

1. Decoding shopper intent
   Move beyond keyword matching to interpret intent dynamically, surfacing the most relevant products, content, and recommendations seamlessly.


2. Delivering credible guidance
   Create generative discovery experiences that position you as a trusted advisor, providing expert answers and personalized insights that help shoppers make confident decisions.


3. Streamlining the path to purchase
   Intelligently suggest product categories or items that align with the generated advice — ensuring contextual awareness and seamlessly driving engagement and conversion