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Migration

Migrating from Doofinder to Findalo step by step (zero downtime)

· 6 min read · By Ray Rodríguez, founder of Findalo

Switching your store's search engine is daunting: it's a critical component that affects conversion, and if the change goes wrong, customers notice immediately. The good news: migrating from Doofinder to Findalo can be done with zero downtime, in parallel, and with a one-click rollback if anything does not convince you.

This is the playbook we use with real clients — no magic promises, just honest numbers.

Before you start: why run it in parallel

The classic mistake when switching search engines is turning off the old one the same day you turn on the new one. If the new engine has a configuration bug (a wrongly mapped synonym, a missing filter), customers suffer that day. And you have no comparative data to evaluate either.

The right approach is a parallel migration over 5–14 days:

  1. Findalo active, Doofinder active. Both indexing the same catalogue.
  2. 50% of traffic goes to each (or, more simply: alternate daily).
  3. Compare CTR, zero-result rate, post-search conversion, and post-search AOV.
  4. When Findalo shows parity or improvement, turn Doofinder off.

Step 1 — Audit your current Doofinder setup

Before touching anything, document what you already have in Doofinder:

  • Synonyms: the list of words your Doofinder treats as equivalent ("smartphone" = "mobile"). Export from Doofinder Settings → Synonyms.
  • Boost rules: which products / brands / categories are prioritised. Settings → Boost rules.
  • Redirects: queries that lead to a specific page ("sale" → /sales). Settings → Redirects.
  • Banners / promos: whether you use the promotional banners section in results.
  • Configured filters: which facets are active and in what order.

Save everything in a spreadsheet. You will use it in step 3.

Step 2 — Install Findalo in parallel

The Findalo module for PrestaShop installs in the back office without touching Doofinder. Both search engines can coexist because:

  • Findalo hooks into a configurable CSS selector (default #search_widget) — the same one already used by Doofinder or native search.
  • When a customer clicks the magnifier, Findalo's modal opens. If they close it, the native search continues underneath.
  • For a real A/B test you can temporarily use a custom selector: Findalo on #search_widget_findalo visible only to 50% of traffic (via a random cookie), the other 50% still using Doofinder.

Concrete steps:

  1. Sign up for free at findalo.io/prestashop and download the module ZIP from your panel: Integrations → PrestaShop Module → Download.
  2. In PrestaShop BO: Modules → Upload a module → drag the zip → Install.
  3. Configure → fill in the search URL (available in your findalo.io panel) + Feed token (leave blank to auto-generate).
  4. Copy the generated feed token and paste it into your findalo.io panel.
  5. Your catalogue reaches Findalo on its own, as soon as the module detects changes (new products, prices, stock). You do not have to schedule anything.

Step 3 — Map synonyms, boosts, and redirects

In your Findalo panel, replicate what you had in Doofinder. The concepts are the same; only the names sometimes differ:

DoofinderFindalo
SynonymsSynonyms & rules (panel → Search)
Boost rulesRelevance and brand tiers (panel → Search)
Pinned productsPinned in results (panel → Merchandising)
BannersBanners (panel → Merchandising), available from Starter

Redirects (a search that sends the shopper to a specific page) do not have their own screen in the panel yet. If you use them, tell us and we will set them up for you during the migration.

If your Doofinder setup is large (hundreds of synonyms / boosts), get in touch: we will send you a Python script that imports a CSV exported from Doofinder and converts it to the Findalo API.

Step 4 — Parallel period: 7–14 days

With both search engines active and your setup replicated, let real traffic run. Measure:

  • CTR (% of searches with at least 1 result click): should be ≥ Doofinder.
  • Zero-result rate: % of searches returning no results. Lower is better. If Findalo's zero-result rate > Doofinder's, add more synonyms.
  • Post-search conversion: % of sessions that end in a purchase after going through search. Ideally equal to or better than Doofinder.
  • Response time: check that results appear as the customer types, on mobile and on desktop, with your real catalogue.

Step 5 — Turn off Doofinder

When the numbers convince you:

  1. In PrestaShop BO: Modules → Doofinder → Disable (do not uninstall yet).
  2. Verify for 48 hours that the storefront search continues working with Findalo alone.
  3. Cancel your Doofinder subscription from their panel.
  4. One week later: cleanly uninstall the Doofinder module from your PrestaShop.

What if it does not convince you?

You roll back in 5 minutes: re-enable Doofinder in the BO, disable the Findalo widget, and carry on with Doofinder. No penalty: Findalo's Free plan is a free 1-month trial, so you lose nothing by having tried it.

What typically happens is that once people test it in parallel, the data decides on its own. If you are unsure or your setup is complex, get in touch — assisted migration is free.

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