Can Visual Search Help Retailers Find New Sales?

Amazon failed Ted Mann, CEO of Slyce, a visual search firm, when it came to the cheesy sweater the one with, in his words, “little teddy bears all over it.” He tried in vain to search via text for that product, a wedding anniversary gift for pals who apparently have a good sense of humor. How do you translate such an item into a workable search term that will bring up the proper item? However, Mann wasn’t about to give up cheesy sweaters make such memorable presents, after all. He uploaded an image of the apparel item on Pinterest, where the first result “was not an exact match, but spot on.” Victory achieved score one for visual search.