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Slotting Products

Slotting places specific products in exact positions for certain search queries. Unlike boosting which increases overall ranking, slotting gives you precise control over which products appear in slots 1, 2, 3, and so on for targeted searches.

How Slotting Works When you slot products, you assign them to specific positions in search results for particular queries. Slotted products appear in their designated positions regardless of their natural relevance ranking. Example: You slot a specific boot into position 1 when customers search for "hiking boots." That boot always appears first for that query, even if other boots might score higher for relevance.

Slotting overrides AI ranking for maximum control. Use it when you need guaranteed placement for key products on important queries.

Creating Slotting Rules

Basic Slotting Rule

1. Go to Account → Products → Merchandising in your dashboard
2. Click "Create Rule"
3. Select "Slot" as the action
4. Enter the search queries that should trigger this rule
5. Search for products and assign them to specific positions (1, 2, 3, etc.)
6. Preview how results will look
7. Save the rule

Slotting Positions

How Positions Work

Position 1 is the first product shown, position 2 is second, and so on. You can slot products into any of the first 10 positions.

• Top positions (1-3) - Highest visibility, most clicks
• Middle positions (4-6) - Still visible without scrolling on most devices
• Lower positions (7-10) - Less common, usually for completeness

Most merchants focus on positions 1-5 for maximum impact.

Gaps in Positions

You don't need to fill every position. If you slot products in positions 1 and 3 but not 2, position 2 will be filled by the next highest-ranking non-slotted product. This lets you control key positions while letting AI handle the rest.

Slotting with Other Rules

Slotting Happens Last

Slotting is applied after all other merchandising rules:

1. Products are retrieved and ranked by relevance
2. Hide rules remove products
3. Boost and bury rules adjust rankings
4. Slotting places designated products in their positions

This means slotted products appear in their slots even if they're boosted, buried, or would naturally rank elsewhere.

Slotted Products Can Be Hidden

If a product is both slotted and hidden by different rules, hiding wins.

Duplicates Are Removed

If a slotted product would also appear naturally in the non-slotted results, the duplicate is removed. Each product appears only once.

Example:

• You slot Product A into position 1
• Product A would naturally rank at position 5
• Product A appears at position 1, no duplicate at position 5

The total number of products shown remains the same.

Previewing Slotted Results

Before saving a slotting rule, preview how search results will look:

1. Enter your target queries
2. Assign products to positions
3. Click "Preview"
4. See mock search results with your slotted products in place
5. Verify positioning looks correct
6. Adjust if needed

Slotting vs Boosting

Slotting places products in exact positions for specific queries.

Boosting increases product ranking scores without guaranteeing specific positions.

When to slot:

• You need precise control for key queries
• Testing specific product placements
• Featuring hero products for brand searches

When to boost:

• You want general promotion across many searches
• Exact position doesn't matter
• Promoting product categories, not individual items

Learn about boosting →

Best Practices

Focus on High-Intent Queries

Slot products for searches that show clear purchase intent: "buy running shoes," "best waterproof jackets," brand-specific searches.

Use Top Positions

Positions 1-3 get the most attention. Focus your slotting efforts here rather than trying to control many positions.

Test Different Products

Slot different products in position 1 for a few weeks, compare conversion rates, and keep the winner.

Don't Over-Slot

Slotting too many positions removes AI's ability to show relevant results. Slot 1-3 products per query, let AI handle the rest.

Update Regularly

Review slotting rules monthly. Remove underperforming slots, update seasonal placements, and keep rules current.

Match Intent to Product

Slot products that truly fit the query. Forcing irrelevant products into top positions frustrates customers and hurts conversions.