A cool lamp you spot at a friend’s house or on social media, a specific type of tool for a DIY job, or a toy whose name you do not know: people often know what they are looking for, but not how to describe it. With Spot & Shop, the new visual search feature in the bol app, bol makes this very simple. Customers can take or upload a photo in the app and immediately see relevant product matches.

“Inspiration through social media and the fact that we always have a camera at hand mean that images are increasingly becoming the starting point in the search for a product. Who has not taken a photo or screenshot of items they wanted to look up online?” says Rob Woltman, Group Product Manager Search at bol. “Many customers often know what they are looking for, but do not always find the right words or characteristics. With Spot & Shop, a photo is enough to start the search process, making shopping faster and more effortless. We are also proud of our early integration with Apple Visual Intelligence, as it allows us to support customers even better at the moments when their inspiration arises.”

How it works and first results
Spot & Shop fits within bol’s AI driven search strategy. The technology behind Spot & Shop uses machine learning to analyse the image, recognise the product, and then find it in bol’s product catalogue. When customers take or upload a photo using the photo icon in the search bar, they are shown relevant results, supplemented with filters, prices, and product information. In this way, bol helps customers search more precisely and make well considered choices.

Initial results show that customers mainly use the feature in the categories Daily Care, Perfume, and Health. bol sees clear growth potential and expects that in 2026 an increasing share of searches will start via Spot & Shop.

Privacy always comes first
When developing new applications, privacy is always a top priority at bol. This also applies to Spot & Shop. Customers can trust that their personal data is secure and used only to ensure the service works properly. Images are automatically processed so that only the product image remains. It is not possible to create images using the selfie camera.

Integration with Apple Visual Intelligence
In addition to Spot & Shop in the bol app, bol has also integrated its assortment with the Visual Intelligence application. Users of a newer iPhone or iPad who take a screenshot via the camera or capture or upload an image will, if they have the bol app installed, automatically see all relevant product matches from bol in a separate tab.

Now available in the app
Spot & Shop is now available in the bol app in the Netherlands and Belgium, in Dutch and French. Customers who do not yet see Spot & Shop are advised to update the app.