Like.com is a new shopping search engine where you browse by image, not text. This is fashion shopping: your choices are shoes, handbags, jewelry and watches. If this is what you’re after, Like.com might be just what you need.

The ubiquitous search box and ditto button isn’t always the best way to search. If you are searching for a look, visual search certainly beats text.

And the right look is what Like.com is all about. The front page offers the choice of browsing by product type (shoes, handbags,jewelry and watches) or by celebrity (!). And if you’re feeling homesick for the good old search box, there is one in the upper right corner :-).


Likeness search
Browsing by product type, you select the product you are looking for, e.g. watches -> leather bands -> square face. The search results are a number of photos of watches that match your criteria. You can refine your search by color, shape or pattern.

If you find a detail you really want in your product, you click the picture. The product you choose is magnified in the left margin. Then you can use a selection tool to highlight the detail.

Look like Britney
If you want to copy the look of a celebrity, you can browse pictures of celebrities and search for the accessories in the pictures. So if you always wanted theglamor of Britney or if you admire the style of Tom Cruise, this is your chance.

The browsing bit is a bit time consuming, though. The screen holds four celebrity photos at a time and there is no way to search for the star of your choice or to group them by product.

Our verdict
It is always interesting to see innovative search interfaces and like.com certainly is innovative. It is also a lot of fun clicking your way through rows and rows ofjewelry, handbags and more (at least if you have two X chromosomes).

But the interface isn’t always intuitive and the celeb browsing could be a lot better. If you are a real fashionista, you’ll probably return to Like.com in spite of these flaws.

Visit Like.com
Take the tour to learn celebrity shopping