XTAL Search posts early search performance gains at Willow Group

XTAL Search and Willow Group Ltd. shared early post-launch data from an AI-powered site search deployment on Willow’s storefront, showing that natural-language queries drove most search clicks and helped capture orders that previously returned no results. The results point to faster product discovery for wholesale buyers without requiring Willow to re-platform its ecommerce site.

Why it matters: - XTAL Search is trying to make large wholesale catalogs easier to shop by turning product search into a more natural, intent-based experience. - Willow Group’s early results suggest that better search can help buyers find products faster and surface demand that older search tools missed. - The deployment shows merchants can add AI search inside an existing storefront without replacing the commerce platform.

What happened: - XTAL Search replaced Willow Group’s stock storefront search on March 6. - The search layer has been live on willowgroupltd.com since March 6. - XTAL Search and Willow Group shared post-launch results from the deployment on Sept. 21, 2026. - Willow Group uses XTAL Search across its wholesale catalog for professional buyers.

The details: - In Willow Group’s first two-week production measurement window, natural-language queries accounted for 67% of product clicks from search. - Search was involved in 52% of orders during that same window. - 17% of orders were completed through searches that previously would have returned no results. - The results reflect observed search-assisted journeys and do not prove XTAL Search generated all associated revenue or incremental conversion lift. - Willow Group sells baskets, containers, packaging, displays, floral and garden products, and home decor. - Buyers can search by exact SKU, familiar keywords, or plain-language descriptions. - Example queries include “something to display wine bottles,” “red oval willow baskets,” and a known item number. - XTAL Search enriches product data by searching across abbreviated ERP titles, descriptions, dimensions, materials, and category data. - The search experience stays inside Willow Group’s existing branded product-grid storefront. - The deployment did not require Willow Group to re-platform its ecommerce site. - XTAL Search combines natural-language query understanding, semantic and keyword retrieval, and merchandising controls. - Product clicks and downstream orders are measured with first-party event data.

Between the lines: - The numbers suggest wholesale shoppers often know the problem they want to solve before they know the exact product name. - Search that understands intent, not just keywords, can create value in catalogs where product data is fragmented across internal systems. - The no-replatform approach matters because it lowers the barrier for merchants that want AI search without a major site rebuild.

What’s next: - XTAL Search says its search layer can go live in under a week without replacing the platform a merchant already runs. - Willow Group’s early data may serve as a proof point for other wholesale merchants evaluating AI search tools. - XTAL Search will likely keep tracking clicks and orders through first-party event data as the deployment matures.

The bottom line: - Willow Group’s first results show AI search can improve product discovery in wholesale ecommerce while fitting into an existing storefront and catalog workflow.