Our 4-tier architecture lets you validate your gap in 60 seconds, measure every root cause in 2 weeks, credit 100% of your audit fee toward a fixed-scope engineering build, and embed senior ML engineers as you scale.
The 4-Tier Consultancy Flywheel
Run our free Findability Score (/check) on your store URL. Get an instant 0–100 breakdown across 4 retrieval sub-scores, side-by-side Talos Semantic Engine results, and an optional 24-hour Principal-Verified Snapshot.
30–80 real shopper intents verified against your catalog truth table across on-site search, AI shopping assistants, or PDP/cart recommendations. 100% of the Advisory Audit fee credits toward a Tier 2 build within 60 days.
We implement the fix: Semantic & Hybrid Search ($6,000–$12,000 advisory or $12,000–$35,000 build (+ $1,500–$3,500/mo hosted)), Recommendation Systems ($15,000–$40,000), Catalog Enrichment ($6,000–$18,000), or an Evaluation Harness ($8,000–$18,000). Ends with a before/after re-test.
Hand off cleanly to your team, retain a Fractional Principal ($4,000–$8,000/mo), or embed a Principal-supervised Resident AI/ML Engineer ($16,000–$26,000/mo FT) or Sprint Pod ($35,000–$55,000/mo).
Tier 1 Audit Deliverables
Every Tier 1 Audit follows our published Test Standard v1.0 so your before-and-after re-test compares apples to apples.
Advisory vs. Independent Mode
Advisory Mode is standard for store audits and credits 100% of the audit fee toward any Tier 2 build signed within 60 days. Independent Mode (12-month no-fix rule) is used for our $7,500 M&A Technical & Findability Due-Diligence Package and formal vendor RFPs. Independence policy.
| Question | Advisory (Standard) | Independent (M&A & RFPs) |
|---|---|---|
| Who commissions it | The merchant or engineering team | An M&A acquirer, PE fund, broker, or board (with target store’s written consent) |
| Can we sell the fix | Yes — 100% of the Tier 1 Audit fee is credited toward a Tier 2 build | No Tier 2 or Tier 3 build sold to that store for 12 months |
| Fee credit | 100% credited within 60 days | None (strict neutrality) |
| Report shared with | The client team | The commissioning party and the target store |
| Typical trigger | Search/recsys upgrades, catalog projects, pre-peak readiness | M&A technical due diligence ($7,500), formal vendor RFPs |
Chosen before work starts and printed on the report cover. Both modes follow the published test standard, carry the same 30-day dispute window and correction process, and cap our liability at the fee paid.
Search Audit: $3,500 / $7,500 · Recommendations Audit: $4,000 / $7,500 · Combined Search & AI Audit: $5,000 / $10,000. Event-triggered re-tests: $1,500 search · $1,250 AI · $2,250 both. Stores over $50M quoted from $30,000.
Both pillars · Save $1,000 · 100% credited to Tier 2
Next Step · Engineering Architecture & Diagnostics
A 30-minute engineering call: your store, your search & recsys stack, and whether a Tier 1 Audit, Tier 2 Build, or Resident ML Engineer fits best. No slides, no obligation.