Searching by SKU

Business-to-business (B2B) buyers know what they need to buy and often search using precise product identifiers, such as stock keeping units (SKU). Or, they search for a product that meets strict specifications, which would match several items in your catalog. This guide describes how to set up Algolia to make searching and filtering by numbers easier.

Turn off typo tolerance when searching by SKU

Algolia supports searching by SKU and other numbers by default, if you include them as searchable attributes. By default, typo tolerance is turned on for numbers as well. That’s helpful when you don’t want to limit the search results to exactly matching numbers, for example, when searching for product variants or physical sizes. When searching by SKU however, it’s better to turn off typo tolerance to allow for more precise searching. If you add your SKU attribute to disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes, the search results only include products with exactly matching SKU.

var response = await client.SetSettingsAsync(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  new IndexSettings { DisableTypoToleranceOnAttributes = new List<string> { "serial_number" } }
);

final response = await client.setSettings(
  indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
  indexSettings: IndexSettings(
    disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes: [
      "serial_number",
    ],
  ),
);

response, err := client.SetSettings(client.NewApiSetSettingsRequest(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  search.NewEmptyIndexSettings().SetDisableTypoToleranceOnAttributes(
    []string{"serial_number"})))
if err != nil {
  // handle the eventual error
  panic(err)
}

UpdatedAtResponse response = client.setSettings(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  new IndexSettings().setDisableTypoToleranceOnAttributes(Arrays.asList("serial_number"))
);

const response = await client.setSettings({
  indexName: 'theIndexName',
  indexSettings: { disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes: ['serial_number'] },
});

var response =
  client.setSettings(
    indexName = "INDEX_NAME",
    indexSettings = IndexSettings(disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes = listOf("serial_number")),
  )

$response = $client->setSettings(
    'INDEX_NAME',
    ['disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes' => [
        'serial_number',
    ],
    ],
);

response = client.set_settings(
    index_name="INDEX_NAME",
    index_settings={
        "disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes": [
            "serial_number",
        ],
    },
)

response = client.set_settings(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  Algolia::Search::IndexSettings.new(disable_typo_tolerance_on_attributes: ["serial_number"])
)

val response = Await.result(
  client.setSettings(
    indexName = "INDEX_NAME",
    indexSettings = IndexSettings(
      disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes = Some(Seq("serial_number"))
    )
  ),
  Duration(100, "sec")
)

let response = try await client.setSettings(
    indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
    indexSettings: IndexSettings(disableTypoToleranceOnAttributes: ["serial_number"])
)

Search in hyphenated attributes

By default, Algolia regards hyphens as separators, so searching for “123-X-456” and “123 X 456” returns the same results. If you also want to allow searching for the number without spaces, for example, “123X456”, it’s important to consider all variations.

Detect searching intent with rules

You can guide buyers effectively by using rules to detect keywords in a . For more information, see:

Let users search by custom aliases for products

B2B buyers often return to buy the same products. Typing or copying SKUs or other lengthy product identifiers every time can be tedious and error-prone. Some ecommerce platforms allow buyers to save a custom alias, or reference, for an item. With Algolia, you can use Rules to support searching by a custom alias to speed up the search. For example, the buyer can save an alias my_product for the product with the ID “123-456-789”. You can create a rule that detects the alias and replaces it with the product ID. When the buyer searches for my_product, Algolia applies the rule and returns the product matching the SKU.

JavaScript

const rule = {
  objectID: 'user_123_alias_1',
  conditions: [
    {
      pattern: 'my_product',
      anchoring: 'contains',
      context: 'user_123'
    }
  ],
  consequence: {
    params: {
      query: {
        type: 'replace',
        delete: 'my_product',
        insert: '123-456-789',
      }
    },
  },
}

Each buyer defines their own aliases. To apply the rule specific to each buyer, you can use ruleContexts when searching. For example, using one of the API clients:

namespace Algolia;

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text.Json;
using Algolia.Search.Clients;
using Algolia.Search.Http;
using Algolia.Search.Models.Search;

class SearchWithRuleContextBuyer
{
  private static string GetBuyerAccountId()
  {
    return ""; // Implement your logic here
  }

  async Task Main(string[] args)
  {
    var client = new SearchClient(new SearchConfig("ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", "ALGOLIA_API_KEY"));
    // get the buyer account information
    var buyer = GetBuyerAccountId();
    var searchParams = new SearchParams(
      new SearchParamsObject { Query = "SEARCH_QUERY", RuleContexts = [buyer] }
    );

    await client.SearchSingleIndexAsync<Hit>("INDEX_NAME", searchParams);
  }
}

import 'package:algolia_client_search/algolia_client_search.dart';

String getBuyerAccountId() {
  return ""; // Implement your logic here
}

void searchWithRuleContextBuyer() async {
  final client =
      SearchClient(appId: 'ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID', apiKey: 'ALGOLIA_API_KEY');

  // get the buyer account information
  final buyer = getBuyerAccountId();
  final searchParams =
      SearchParamsObject(query: "SEARCH_QUERY", ruleContexts: [buyer]);

  await client.searchSingleIndex(
    indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
    searchParams: searchParams,
  );
}

package main

import (
	"github.com/algolia/algoliasearch-client-go/v4/algolia/search"
)

func getBuyerAccountID() (string, error) {
	return "", nil // Implement your logic here
}

func searchWithRuleContextBuyer() {
	client, err := search.NewClient("ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")
	if err != nil {
		// The client can fail to initialize if you pass an invalid parameter.
		panic(err)
	}

	// get the buyer account information
	buyer, err := getBuyerAccountID()
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}

	searchParams := search.SearchParamsObjectAsSearchParams(
		search.NewSearchParamsObject().
			SetQuery("SEARCH_QUERY").
			SetRuleContexts([]string{buyer}),
	)

	_, err = client.SearchSingleIndex(client.NewApiSearchSingleIndexRequest(
		"INDEX_NAME").WithSearchParams(searchParams))
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
}

package com.algolia;

import com.algolia.api.SearchClient;
import com.algolia.config.*;
import com.algolia.model.search.*;
import java.util.List;

public class searchWithRuleContextBuyer {

  private static String getBuyerAccountId() {
    return ""; // Implement your logic here
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    try (SearchClient client = new SearchClient("ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")) {
      // get the buyer account information
      String buyer = getBuyerAccountId();
      SearchParams searchParams = new SearchParamsObject().setQuery("SEARCH_QUERY").setRuleContexts(List.of(buyer));

      client.searchSingleIndex("INDEX_NAME", searchParams, Hit.class);
    } catch (Exception e) {
      System.out.println("An error occurred: " + e.getMessage());
    }
  }
}

import { algoliasearch } from 'algoliasearch';

import type { SearchParams } from 'algoliasearch';

const getBuyerAccountId = () => {
  return ''; // Implement your logic here
};

const client = algoliasearch('ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID', 'ALGOLIA_API_KEY');

// get the buyer account information
const buyer = getBuyerAccountId();
const searchParams: SearchParams = {
  query: 'SEARCH_QUERY',
  ruleContexts: [buyer],
};

await client.searchSingleIndex({ indexName: 'indexName', searchParams: searchParams });

import com.algolia.client.api.SearchClient
import com.algolia.client.configuration.*
import com.algolia.client.extensions.*
import com.algolia.client.model.search.*
import com.algolia.client.transport.*

val getBuyerAccountId: () -> String = {
  "" // Implement your logic here
}

suspend fun searchWithRuleContextBuyer() {
  val client = SearchClient(appId = "ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", apiKey = "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")

  // get the buyer account information
  val buyer = getBuyerAccountId()
  val searchParams = SearchParamsObject(query = "SEARCH_QUERY", ruleContexts = listOf(buyer))

  client.searchSingleIndex(indexName = "INDEX_NAME", searchParams = searchParams)
}

<?php

require __DIR__.'/../vendor/autoload.php';
use Algolia\AlgoliaSearch\Api\SearchClient;
use Algolia\AlgoliaSearch\Model\Search\SearchParamsObject;

$getBuyerAccountId = function (): string {
    // Implement your logic here
    return '';
};

$client = SearchClient::create('ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID', 'ALGOLIA_API_KEY');

// get the buyer account information
$buyer = $getBuyerAccountId();
$searchParams = (new SearchParamsObject())
    ->setQuery('SEARCH_QUERY')
    ->setRuleContexts([$buyer])
;

$client->searchSingleIndex(
    'INDEX_NAME',
    $searchParams,
);

from algoliasearch.search.client import SearchClientSync

from algoliasearch.search.models.search_params import SearchParams


def _get_buyer_account_id() -> str:
    # Implement your logic here
    return ""


_client = SearchClientSync("ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")


# get the buyer account information
buyer = _get_buyer_account_id()
search_params = SearchParams(
    query="SEARCH_QUERY",
    rule_contexts=[buyer],
)

_client.search_single_index(
    index_name="INDEX_NAME",
    search_params=search_params,
)

require "algolia"

def get_buyer_account_id
  # Implement your logic here
  ""
end

client = Algolia::SearchClient.create("ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")

# get the buyer account information
buyer = get_buyer_account_id
search_params = Algolia::Search::SearchParamsObject.new(
  query: "SEARCH_QUERY",
  rule_contexts: [buyer]
)

client.search_single_index("INDEX_NAME", search_params)

import scala.concurrent.Future
import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext.Implicits.global
import scala.concurrent.Await
import scala.concurrent.duration.Duration

import algoliasearch.api.SearchClient
import algoliasearch.config.*
import algoliasearch.extension.SearchClientExtensions
import algoliasearch.search.SearchParamsObject

val getBuyerAccountId: () => String = () => {
  "" // Implement your logic here
}

def searchWithRuleContextBuyer(): Future[Unit] = {
  val client = SearchClient(appId = "ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", apiKey = "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")

  // get the buyer account information
  val buyer = getBuyerAccountId()
  val searchParams = SearchParamsObject(query = Some("SEARCH_QUERY"), ruleContexts = Some(Seq(buyer)))

  Await.result(
    client
      .searchSingleIndex(
        indexName = "INDEX_NAME",
        searchParams = Some(searchParams)
      )
      .map(_ => Future.unit),
    Duration(5, "sec")
  )
}

import Foundation
#if os(Linux) // For linux interop
    import FoundationNetworking
#endif

import AlgoliaCore
import AlgoliaSearch

let getBuyerAccountId = { "" } // Implement your logic here

func searchWithRuleContextBuyer() async throws {
    let client = try SearchClient(appID: "ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID", apiKey: "ALGOLIA_API_KEY")

    // get the buyer account information
    let buyer = getBuyerAccountId()
    let searchParams = SearchSearchParams.searchSearchParamsObject(
        SearchSearchParamsObject(query: "SEARCH_QUERY", ruleContexts: [buyer])
    )

    let response: SearchResponse<Hit> = try await client.searchSingleIndex(
        indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
        searchParams: searchParams
    )
    print(response)
}

For more information, see:

Guide users by increasing search precision

For example, if a buyer searches for “article ref21”, they might look for an item that starts with the number “21”. If that’s the case, you can create a Rule to increase the precision of the search, by:

Removing the keyword “article”
Restricting the searchable attributes to the title and ID

Define a rule using the API clients

var response = await client.SaveRuleAsync(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  "article-rule",
  new Rule
  {
    ObjectID = "article-rule",
    Conditions = new List<Condition>
    {
      new Condition { Pattern = "article", Anchoring = Enum.Parse<Anchoring>("StartsWith") },
    },
    Consequence = new Consequence
    {
      Params = new ConsequenceParams
      {
        Query = new ConsequenceQuery(
          new ConsequenceQueryObject
          {
            Edits = new List<Edit>
            {
              new Edit { Type = Enum.Parse<EditType>("Remove"), Delete = "article" },
            },
          }
        ),
        RestrictSearchableAttributes = new List<string> { "title", "book_id" },
      },
    },
  }
);

final response = await client.saveRule(
  indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
  objectID: "article-rule",
  rule: Rule(
    objectID: "article-rule",
    conditions: [
      Condition(
        pattern: "article",
        anchoring: Anchoring.fromJson("startsWith"),
      ),
    ],
    consequence: Consequence(
      params: ConsequenceParams(
        query: ConsequenceQueryObject(
          edits: [
            Edit(
              type: EditType.fromJson("remove"),
              delete: "article",
            ),
          ],
        ),
        restrictSearchableAttributes: [
          "title",
          "book_id",
        ],
      ),
    ),
  ),
);

response, err := client.SaveRule(client.NewApiSaveRuleRequest(
  "INDEX_NAME", "article-rule",
  search.NewEmptyRule().SetObjectID("article-rule").SetConditions(
    []search.Condition{*search.NewEmptyCondition().SetPattern("article").SetAnchoring(search.Anchoring("startsWith"))}).SetConsequence(
    search.NewEmptyConsequence().SetParams(
      search.NewEmptyConsequenceParams().SetQuery(search.ConsequenceQueryObjectAsConsequenceQuery(
        search.NewEmptyConsequenceQueryObject().SetEdits(
          []search.Edit{
            *search.NewEmptyEdit().SetType(search.EditType("remove")).SetDelete("article"),
          }),
      )).SetRestrictSearchableAttributes(
        []string{"title", "book_id"})))))
if err != nil {
  // handle the eventual error
  panic(err)
}

UpdatedAtResponse response = client.saveRule(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  "article-rule",
  new Rule()
    .setObjectID("article-rule")
    .setConditions(Arrays.asList(new Condition().setPattern("article").setAnchoring(Anchoring.STARTS_WITH)))
    .setConsequence(
      new Consequence().setParams(
        new ConsequenceParams()
          .setQuery(new ConsequenceQueryObject().setEdits(Arrays.asList(new Edit().setType(EditType.REMOVE).setDelete("article"))))
          .setRestrictSearchableAttributes(Arrays.asList("title", "book_id"))
      )
    )
);

const response = await client.saveRule({
  indexName: 'indexName',
  objectID: 'article-rule',
  rule: {
    objectID: 'article-rule',
    conditions: [{ pattern: 'article', anchoring: 'startsWith' }],
    consequence: {
      params: {
        query: { edits: [{ type: 'remove', delete: 'article' }] },
        restrictSearchableAttributes: ['title', 'book_id'],
      },
    },
  },
});

var response =
  client.saveRule(
    indexName = "INDEX_NAME",
    objectID = "article-rule",
    rule =
      Rule(
        objectID = "article-rule",
        conditions =
          listOf(
            Condition(
              pattern = "article",
              anchoring = Anchoring.entries.first { it.value == "startsWith" },
            )
          ),
        consequence =
          Consequence(
            params =
              ConsequenceParams(
                query =
                  ConsequenceQueryObject(
                    edits =
                      listOf(
                        Edit(
                          type = EditType.entries.first { it.value == "remove" },
                          delete = "article",
                        )
                      )
                  ),
                restrictSearchableAttributes = listOf("title", "book_id"),
              )
          ),
      ),
  )

$response = $client->saveRule(
    'INDEX_NAME',
    'article-rule',
    ['objectID' => 'article-rule',
        'conditions' => [
            ['pattern' => 'article',
                'anchoring' => 'startsWith',
            ],
        ],
        'consequence' => ['params' => ['query' => ['edits' => [
            ['type' => 'remove',
                'delete' => 'article',
            ],
        ],
        ],
            'restrictSearchableAttributes' => [
                'title',

                'book_id',
            ],
        ],
        ],
    ],
);

response = client.save_rule(
    index_name="INDEX_NAME",
    object_id="article-rule",
    rule={
        "objectID": "article-rule",
        "conditions": [
            {
                "pattern": "article",
                "anchoring": "startsWith",
            },
        ],
        "consequence": {
            "params": {
                "query": {
                    "edits": [
                        {
                            "type": "remove",
                            "delete": "article",
                        },
                    ],
                },
                "restrictSearchableAttributes": [
                    "title",
                    "book_id",
                ],
            },
        },
    },
)

response = client.save_rule(
  "INDEX_NAME",
  "article-rule",
  Algolia::Search::Rule.new(
    algolia_object_id: "article-rule",
    conditions: [Algolia::Search::Condition.new(pattern: "article", anchoring: "startsWith")],
    consequence: Algolia::Search::Consequence.new(
      params: Algolia::Search::ConsequenceParams.new(
        query: Algolia::Search::ConsequenceQueryObject.new(
          edits: [Algolia::Search::Edit.new(type: "remove", delete: "article")]
        ),
        restrict_searchable_attributes: ["title", "book_id"]
      )
    )
  )
)

val response = Await.result(
  client.saveRule(
    indexName = "INDEX_NAME",
    objectID = "article-rule",
    rule = Rule(
      objectID = "article-rule",
      conditions = Some(
        Seq(
          Condition(
            pattern = Some("article"),
            anchoring = Some(Anchoring.withName("startsWith"))
          )
        )
      ),
      consequence = Consequence(
        params = Some(
          ConsequenceParams(
            query = Some(
              ConsequenceQueryObject(
                edits = Some(
                  Seq(
                    Edit(
                      `type` = Some(EditType.withName("remove")),
                      delete = Some("article")
                    )
                  )
                )
              )
            ),
            restrictSearchableAttributes = Some(Seq("title", "book_id"))
          )
        )
      )
    )
  ),
  Duration(100, "sec")
)

let response = try await client.saveRule(
    indexName: "INDEX_NAME",
    objectID: "article-rule",
    rule: Rule(
        objectID: "article-rule",
        conditions: [SearchCondition(pattern: "article", anchoring: SearchAnchoring.startsWith)],
        consequence: SearchConsequence(params: SearchConsequenceParams(
            restrictSearchableAttributes: ["title", "book_id"],
            query: SearchConsequenceQuery
                .searchConsequenceQueryObject(SearchConsequenceQueryObject(edits: [SearchEdit(
                    type: SearchEditType.remove,
                    delete: "article"
                )]))
        ))
    )
)

Define a rule using the Algolia dashboard

Go to the Rules page in the Algolia dashboard.
Click the New rule button.
Select Create your first rule or New rule and select Manual Editor.
In the Condition(s) section, keep Query toggled on, select Contains, and enter article in the input.
In the Consequence(s) section:
1. Click the Add consequence button and select Add Query Parameter.
2. In the input field that appears, enter the JSON search parameter you want to add. For example, { "restrictSearchableAttributes": ["title","id"] }.
3. Click the Add consequence button again and select Remove Word.
4. Enter article in the input field.
Save your changes.

​Turn off typo tolerance when searching by SKU

​Search in hyphenated attributes

​Detect searching intent with rules

​Let users search by custom aliases for products

​Guide users by increasing search precision

​Define a rule using the API clients

​Define a rule using the Algolia dashboard