> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.closient.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Searching for Products

> How to find products at nearby stores using Closient's local search.

Closient helps you find products at stores near you. Search by product name, brand, category, or barcode — results are ranked by how close the store is to you, not by who paid the most.

## How Search Works

When you search for a product:

1. **Relevance gating** — Closient filters results to products that actually match your query
2. **Distance ranking** — matching products are sorted by how close the store is to your location (closest first)
3. **Inventory confidence** — each result shows how confident we are that the product is currently in stock

This means you'll always see the nearest store with your product first, not the biggest advertiser.

## Search from the Website

Visit [closient.com](https://www.closient.com) and use the search bar. Allow location access when prompted — this enables distance-based ranking.

### Search Tips

* **Be specific**: "organic whole milk" works better than just "milk"
* **Use brand names**: "Oatly oat milk" narrows results quickly
* **Try barcodes**: paste or type a GTIN/UPC number to find a specific product

## Understanding Results

Each search result shows:

| Field          | Meaning                                              |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| **Store name** | The retailer carrying this product                   |
| **Distance**   | How far the store is from you                        |
| **Price**      | Current price (if available from the retailer's POS) |
| **In stock**   | Inventory confidence level                           |

### Inventory Confidence

| Level         | What It Means                        |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Confirmed** | POS data synced within the last hour |
| **Likely**    | Synced within the last 24 hours      |
| **Uncertain** | Synced more than 24 hours ago        |
| **Unknown**   | No inventory data available          |

## Scanning a Barcode

If you have a product in hand, you can scan its barcode instead of typing a search:

1. Open the [Scanner](https://www.closient.com/scanner/) on your phone
2. Point your camera at the barcode (1D or QR code)
3. View the product details, including where else it's sold nearby

For GS1 Digital Link QR codes, the scanner also extracts batch, serial, and expiry information when encoded.

## Product Pages

Every product in Closient has a hosted product page showing:

* Product name, brand, and image
* Description and net content
* Certifications (organic, allergen-free, etc.)
* Sustainability information
* Nutritional data (when available)
* Where to buy nearby

These pages are what consumers see when they scan a 2D barcode on a product package.

## Creating a Free Account

While search is available without an account, creating a free account lets you:

* Save favorite products
* Set dietary preferences and allergen alerts
* Get notified about product recalls
* Track products across stores

Sign up at [closient.com/accounts/signup](https://www.closient.com/accounts/signup/) — it's free, no credit card required.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Barcode Scanning" icon="camera" href="/user-guides/barcode-scanning">
    Learn about scan modes and AI vision extraction.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Understanding Analytics" icon="chart-line" href="/user-guides/analytics">
    See how scan and search data is tracked.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>