Software: Fast Simon

Category: Ecommerce Search & Product Discovery Platform

Primary Use: AI-powered search, merchandising, and personalization for online stores

Developer: Fast Simon (formerly InstantSearch+)

Starting Price: Free plan available; paid plans from approximately $39/month (pricing may vary)

Free Trial/Plan: Free plan available (limited features)

Platform: Web-based (cloud)

Official Website: fastsimon.com

Fast Simon is a cloud-based ecommerce search and product discovery platform designed to improve on-site search accuracy, filtering, and merchandising. The software uses artificial intelligence and shopper behavior data to enhance product discovery and optimize conversion rates.

What Is Fast Simon?

Fast Simon is an AI-powered ecommerce solution that focuses on search optimization and merchandising automation. Originally launched as InstantSearch+, the platform rebranded to Fast Simon and expanded its capabilities to include personalization and merchandising tools.

The system enhances traditional ecommerce search by incorporating natural language processing, typo tolerance, synonym matching, and behavioral data. Fast Simon integrates directly with ecommerce platforms and supports real-time catalog updates.

The platform is primarily used by small to mid-sized ecommerce businesses, with scalability options for larger retailers.

Who Uses Fast Simon?

Common User Groups

Fast Simon is used by:

  • Shopify store owners
  • Ecommerce brands
  • Direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses
  • Merchandising teams
  • Online retailers
  • Mid-sized ecommerce companies

The platform supports retailers seeking to improve product discovery without heavy development work.

Typical Use Cases

AI-powered site search

Retailers enhance search result accuracy and relevance.

Smart filtering and faceted navigation

Shoppers refine product searches using dynamic filters.

Category merchandising optimization

Businesses boost or bury products strategically.

Personalized product recommendations

Customers see behavior-based product suggestions.

Search-driven conversion improvement

Retailers track revenue from search activity.

Core Features

AI-Powered Search

What it does:

Fast Simon improves ecommerce search functionality using AI.

How users typically use it:

Customers type queries and receive optimized, real-time search results.

Key capabilities:

  • Autocomplete suggestions
  • Typo tolerance
  • Synonym matching
  • Natural language processing
  • Real-time ranking adjustments

Search results adapt based on product performance and shopper behavior.

Smart Filters & Faceted Navigation

What it does:

The platform enhances filtering capabilities on category and search pages.

How users typically use it:

Shoppers narrow results using dynamic filters.

Key capabilities:

  • Dynamic filter generation
  • Multi-level faceted navigation
  • Custom filter rules
  • Mobile-optimized filtering
  • Attribute-based sorting

Filtering improves product discoverability.

Merchandising Tools

What it does:

Fast Simon provides rule-based and automated merchandising controls.

How users typically use it:

Merchandisers adjust product placement for campaigns or inventory goals.

Key capabilities:

  • Drag-and-drop merchandising interface
  • Product boosting and burying
  • Campaign scheduling
  • Automated ranking rules
  • Inventory-based adjustments

Merchandising tools allow strategic product visibility management.

Personalization & Recommendations

What it does:

The platform delivers personalized product suggestions.

How users typically use it:

Retailers display recommendations across the website.

Key capabilities:

  • Cross-sell and upsell recommendations
  • Recently viewed products
  • Trending items
  • AI-driven personalization
  • Behavior-based recommendations

Recommendations are dynamically generated using real-time data.

Analytics & Reporting

What it does:

Fast Simon provides dashboards for performance tracking.

How users typically use it:

Retailers analyze search behavior and revenue attribution.

Key capabilities:

  • Search conversion tracking
  • Revenue attribution from search
  • Zero-result query reporting
  • Product performance analytics
  • Data export functionality

Analytics support optimization decisions.

Integrations & Data Sync

What it does:

Fast Simon integrates with ecommerce platforms and marketing tools.

How users typically use it:

Product catalogs sync automatically to keep results accurate.

Key capabilities:

  • Shopify integration
  • Magento integration
  • BigCommerce integration
  • Klaviyo integration
  • API access

Integration ensures real-time product updates.

Integrations and Compatibility

Ecommerce Platform Integrations

Fast Simon integrates with:

  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • BigCommerce

Custom integration is available via API.

Marketing & Analytics Integrations

The platform connects with:

  • Klaviyo
  • Google Analytics
  • CRM systems
  • Marketing automation tools

Integration options may vary by plan.

Platform Availability

  • Web-based SaaS platform
  • Cloud-hosted infrastructure
  • API-driven architecture
  • No desktop installation required

Pricing Structure

(Pricing may change — verify on the official site.)

Fast Simon offers tiered subscription plans.

Free Plan — $0

Includes:

  • Basic search functionality
  • Limited product count
  • Basic filtering
  • Fast Simon branding

Starter Plan — from approximately $39/month

Includes:

  • Advanced search features
  • Expanded product limits
  • Smart filtering
  • Basic merchandising tools

Essential / Growth Plans — higher-tier pricing

Includes:

  • Personalization features
  • Advanced merchandising
  • Expanded integrations
  • Enhanced analytics

Enterprise Plan — custom pricing

Includes:

  • High traffic capacity
  • Advanced customization
  • API access
  • Dedicated support

Billing Options

  • Monthly subscriptions
  • Annual discounts available
  • Pricing scales with product count and traffic

Advantages and Limitations

Notable Advantages

  • AI-powered search optimization
  • Free entry-level plan
  • Ecommerce platform integrations
  • Merchandising controls
  • Personalization features

Potential Limitations

  • Advanced features tied to paid plans
  • Primarily designed for ecommerce businesses
  • Large catalogs may require higher-tier plans
  • Customization depth may vary by subscription level

Alternatives to Fast Simon

Several platforms provide similar ecommerce search and personalization functionality.

Searchspring

Advanced merchandising and personalization platform.

Klevu

AI-powered search and product discovery tool.

Clerk.io

Search and recommendation engine for ecommerce.

Algolia

Developer-focused search infrastructure.

These platforms support comparable product discovery workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Fast Simon do?

Fast Simon is an AI-powered ecommerce search and merchandising platform that improves product discovery and personalization.

Is Fast Simon cloud-based?

Yes. It operates as a web-based SaaS platform.

Does Fast Simon offer a free plan?

Yes. A limited free plan is available.

Can Fast Simon integrate with Shopify?

Yes. Shopify integration is supported.

Who typically uses Fast Simon?

Ecommerce retailers and Shopify store owners commonly use the platform.

Key Takeaways

Fast Simon is a cloud-based ecommerce search and merchandising platform designed to enhance product discovery through AI-powered search, smart filtering, and personalization. The software offers a free plan with limited features, while paid plans expand product limits and advanced merchandising capabilities. Pricing scales based on catalog size, traffic, and feature access.