H&M overhauls global search with Voyado intent-driven engine

The retailer reports that shifting to this intelligence-led approach has yielded immediate performance gains. By analyzing a wide array of data points—including stock availability, purchase history, revenue performance, and specific product engagement—the system updates rankings dynamically. According to company data, this has reduced soft exits by 80% and lowered overall search-related customer departures by 30%.

Lars Gezelius, Acting Global Head of Digital at H&M, noted that as the business expanded, the company required a more sophisticated mechanism for ranking and discovery. Voyado CEO Erica Sandelin Ekelund emphasized that search queries serve as a direct expression of customer desire, a signal many retailers frequently overlook. By treating these interactions as a core component of the customer experience, H&M is positioning itself to prioritize understanding user intent over simply maintaining large product catalogues.