This feature is in a pilot phase and is currently available to selected test users.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use the Product Search AI to find and compare products across your framework agreement catalogues, pre-integrated supplier catalogues and the Unite assortment. You’ll also find an overview of what the feature can do and where its limitations lie.
What is Product Search AI?
Product Search AI helps you find the right item faster. Describe what you need in a chat, and Product Search AI will suggest suitable items on Unite. It works alongside standard search, so you can choose the approach that suits you best.
Product Search AI can:
Interpret several product requirements at once
Ask follow-up questions if information is missing or unclear
Provide additional information about the products displayed
Compare multiple products with each other
Where can I find AI Product Search?
Sign in to Unite as usual.
Click ‘Product Search AI’ in the navigation menu on the left-hand side.
A chat window will open. You can start your request straight away.
Note: Access to Product Search AI is limited to selected test users during the pilot phase. If you can’t see the feature, your account hasn’t been enabled yet.
How to use Product Search AI
Start a product search
Open the chat and describe what you’re looking for, for example as a sentence or as a list of keywords. You can also combine several requirements in one message, such as product type, quantity, features or intended use.
Example: “I need 20 ergonomic office chairs with armrests, delivered within a week.”
Answer follow-up questions
If your request is unclear or important information is missing, Product Search AI will ask specific follow-up questions. Answer these directly in the chat to get more relevant results.
Refine your results
You can narrow down the displayed results later in the conversation, for example by:
Price
Manufacturer
availability
Delivery time
Enter the restriction as your next message, for example “Only show me items that are available for immediate delivery.”
Request more information about an item
Ask about a specific item shown in the chat, for example its dimensions, material or technical specifications. AI Product Search can provide this information if it’s included in the product data.
Compare products
Ask Product Search AI to compare products shown in the chat, for example “Compare the first three results by price and delivery time.”
Search with an image
You can upload an image to support your search, for example a photo of an item you want to reorder.
Click the plus icon in the chat input field and select the image you want to upload.
Alternatively, drag the image file into the chat input field.
Optionally, you can add a description to make your search more specific.
Product Search AI results in the purchasing protocol
If you use the purchasing protocol, items found via the AI product search are clearly labelled. The following note appears directly below the relevant item: ‘This item was found through a conversational AI product search.’
What Product Search AI can’t do yet
To help you assess the feature, here is an overview of the current limitations of the pilot-phase version:
You can’t add products directly from the chat to your basket.
General questions unrelated to product search won’t be answered. This includes questions about what to do before or after placing an order, or general support queries.
Uploaded PDF files can’t be processed. Use image files in JPG, PNG or WebP format instead.
The AI product search is not available in the classic search interface, you can only use it via the chat.
Product Search AI only remembers the last 50 chat messages. You may need to repeat information you shared earlier in the conversation.
How reliable are the results?
Product Search AI results and product information are based on the product data available on Unite. They may be incomplete or inaccurate, especially if:
There’s limited data for a product
Your request is ambiguous.
Important: Check relevant product details, such as dimensions, certifications and technical specifications, on the product detail page before placing an order.
Data protection notice
When you use Product Search AI, we process your search queries, the responses it generates and technical metadata (language, filters and number of results). Uploaded images are analysed to identify products but aren’t stored. Your user ID is pseudonymised, and all queries are processed using EU-based infrastructure. Your input isn’t used to train AI models. We delete session data after 24 hours and search history within 12 months. The legal basis is Article 6 (1) lit. b) and f) GDPR (performance of a contract and service improvement). For more information on your rights, the data controller and our data protection officer, see our Privacy Notice.
What’s next?
The current pilot phase is intentionally limited to product search and product discovery. Future versions could include additional product search features, as well as help with orders and other purchasing tasks.
Note: These ideas are still being explored. This isn’t a commitment to deliver any particular feature or to release it by a specific date.
Share your feedback
We welcome all feedback – what works well, what doesn’t and what could be improved. To share feedback, use the button in the top-left corner of the chat window.
It appears after you run a search.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I see Product Search AI in my account?
Access is currently limited to a small group of test users. A wider rollout may follow at a later date.
Can I place an order directly through the chat?
No, not at the moment. Add the items you’ve found to your basket from the product detail page.
What should I do if Product Search AI doesn’t understand my request?
Be as specific as possible. For example, include the product type, quantity and key features. You can also use the standard search. If the results don’t match what you’re looking for, use the feedback button in the chat to let us know. Your feedback helps us improve the feature.
Who should I contact if I have technical problems?
If you have technical problems, contact our Customer Service Team at support@unite.eu.
