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B2B search with OpenSearch and Shopware

B2B search with OpenSearch and Shopware rethought
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B2B search with OpenSearch from burgdigital ensures better performance and more targeted searches in Shopware 6.

In B2B e-commerce, search largely determines whether buyers find the products they need or leave the shop. As catalogues grow and pricing becomes more complex, standard search solutions quickly reach their limits – making powerful, flexible, and cost‑efficient search technology essential for B2B.

With the B2B OpenSearch solution for Shopware 6, burgdigital delivers a powerful search engine designed for complex B2B assortments, customer‑specific pricing, and demanding procurement requirements.

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Why traditional search solutions reach their limits in B2B

Many standard solutions are not designed to reliably handle individual assortments and complex pricing logic. Our client projects clearly show that established search tools such as Doofinder or Shopware Advanced Search work well for simple use cases, but quickly reach their limits when it comes to demanding B2B requirements..

Limited result lists, the absence of classic search results pages, and rising licence costs – especially for customer-specific products – make scalability and profitability difficult. In B2B in particular, where buyers search specifically by item numbers, assortments, or individual prices, search quickly becomes a bottleneck in the purchasing process.

Our solution: B2B OpenSearch search for Shopware

To provide more control over search logic, relevance, and costs, the burgdigital B2B OpenSearch Search was developed. The solution is fully integrated into Shopware 6, is based on OpenSearch, and does not require any external licence models.

This gives companies full control over their search technology and allows them to align search results precisely with business models, assortment structures, and customer permissions. At the same time, it creates a scalable architecture that can be continuously enhanced over the long term.

Auflistung der Vorteile einer OpenSearch B2B-Suche für Shopware 6 Onlineshops

Performance that directly impacts conversion

Especially in B2B, speed quickly becomes a decisive factor in purchasing. When large assortments need to be searched, every delay has an immediate impact on the user experience. In practice, this results in a clear performance advantage: the B2B OpenSearch Search is up to eight times faster than the standard Shopware search and around three times faster than Shopware Advanced Search with OpenSearch.

Diese Geschwindigkeit sorgt dafür, dass Einkäufer Produkte schneller finden, effizienter durch Sortimente navigieren und Bestellungen häufiger abschließen – ein messbarer Hebel für Conversion Rate und Warenkorbgröße.

Criterion
Shopware Standard
Doofinder
burgdigital B2B OpenSearch
Designed for B2B assortments
Limited
Partially suitable
Specifically developed for complex B2B structures
Customer-specific products
Only possible to a limited extent
Can be implemented via API logic
Natively integrated into search
Customer-specific pricing
Limited
Possible with additional logic
Directly visible in the suggest layer and search
Search results > 1,000 hits
Yes
No (limitation)
Yes
Performance with large assortments
Medium
Good
Very high (OpenSearch-based)
Search results page (enter search)
Yes
No
Yes
License and API costs
None
License model with API costs
No license costs

B2B features that truly support buyers

A powerful B2B search must do more than simply find products. It needs to understand individual contexts and deliver search results accordingly.

The OpenSearch solution therefore takes into account customer-specific assortments as well as individual pricing structures. Prices can already be displayed in the suggestion layer, while additional filter options in the suggestion list enable rapid narrowing down of large product ranges. This makes complex assortments significantly easier for buyers to navigate.

"A powerful product search is one of the most important features of modern B2B commerce platforms."

Gartner Digital Commerce Report

 

OpenSearch as a technological foundation for future AI capabilities

Modern search solutions should not only meet current requirements, but also support future developments. By using OpenSearch, a technological foundation is created that is designed to support AI-driven features in the long term.

Semantic search, intelligent relevance control, and learning rankings can all be further developed on this basis without requiring fundamental system changes.

B2B first – but also suitable for B2C

In principle, the OpenSearch search can also be used in B2C e-commerce. However, for classic consumer shops with manageable requirements, an app like Doofinder may be more cost-effective.

The burgdigital B2B OpenSearch Search really comes into its own wherever large assortments, individual prices, and complex customer structures need to be taken into account.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about B2B and optimising Shopware 6 search

Which B2B search solutions provide the best results for companies in purchasing?

Modern B2B search solutions often rely on technologies such as OpenSearch or Elasticsearch. They enable fast queries, flexible relevance control, and the integration of customer-specific assortments and prices. Especially for large product catalogues, these technologies deliver significantly better results than conventional standard searches.

How can the conversion rate be increased with an optimized B2B search?

A fast and precise product search reduces search time and simplifies navigation through large assortments. When buyers can find relevant products more quickly, the likelihood of orders and higher basket values increases. Performance, relevance, and customer-specific data are key factors in this process.

What features should a powerful B2B search for wholesalers include?

A powerful B2B search should take customer-specific products and prices into account, efficiently search large assortments, and offer filtering options already in the search suggestions. A clear search results page and effective relevance control are also essential.

How can I specifically optimize the search function in Shopware 6?

The Shopware 6 search can be significantly improved through specialised search technologies, optimised relevance logic, and better presentation of search results. Fast response times, precise matches, and customer-specific product data help enhance the user experience and increase conversion rates.

Your next step to a better product search

Would you like to optimise your Shopware 6 search or evaluate which search solution best fits your B2B business? We are happy to advise you on architecture, performance, and implementation.

Request now without obligation →
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