Martalks E-Commerce Innovation with Eli Finkelshteyn, Founder of Constructor

Martalks E-Commerce Innovation with Eli Finkelshteyn, Founder of Constructor**

In the latest *MarTalks* podcast episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Eli Finkelshteyn, the founder of Constructor, to talk about how *real* innovation in e-commerce isn’t just about flashy features—it’s about leveraging technology to drive actual business outcomes. Spoiler alert: Eli and his team are doing just that, and then some.  

Here’s why Constructor’s technology is one of the most wildly successful and widely adopted composable solution: 

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### **🔍 Reinventing Search with Data Science**

Eli’s journey into e-commerce started with a frustration we can all relate to: stinky search engines that don’t deliver. Legacy tools like Elasticsearch and Solr were fine for basic queries, but they couldn’t prioritize what really matters—conversions and revenue. So, Eli built Constructor to deliver just that, and oh boy does it hit the cover off the ball. By leveraging clickstream data and machine learning, Constructor optimizes search and discovery experiences to ensure shoppers find what they want *and* businesses see measurable results.  

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### **📈 Real-World Wins**

- **Sephora:** What started as a small implementation for Sephora’s U.S. iOS app quickly snowballed into a global rollout across platforms, languages, and even email recommendations. Why? Because Constructor kept winning A/B tests by delivering higher conversions and revenue per visit.  

- **Recommerce Marketplace:** For a secondhand clothing platform, Constructor delivered a 5.5% lift in search conversion rates while also boosting average order value (AOV) and revenue per visit (RPV). That’s not just incremental improvement—that’s game-changing.  

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### **🤖 AI That Actually Works**

Let’s talk about Constructor’s AI Shopping Assistant. Unlike generic tools that spit out irrelevant results, this assistant handles complex queries like “What should I buy for camping with kids?” with ease. It doesn’t just answer questions; it integrates seamlessly into existing systems, giving even smaller players the ability to compete with giants like Amazon.  

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### **🧩 Composable Commerce Done Right**

Eli is a big believer in composable architectures—but he’s also realistic. He sees composable solutions as tools that should empower businesses, not overwhelm them. Constructor’s API-first approach allows companies to replace legacy systems like Endeca or Solr in record time (we’re talking as little as nine days to go live for the win!) while delivering immediate revenue impact.  

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### **🎨 Balancing Tech with Creativity**

While AI is great at automating the grunt work—like managing synonyms or correcting misspellings—Eli reminds us that human creativity is still king when it comes to merchandising strategies and brand storytelling. Think Walmart’s iconic pickup truck display; no algorithm could replicate that kind of magic.  

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### **🚀 Moving the Needle**

At its core, Constructor isn’t just about technology—it’s about the ROI. From their unique proof schedule (showing ROI before clients commit) to their 98.5% retention rate over three years, Eli and his team have built a p

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