# Sorting

The **Sort** rule defines the order in which products are displayed once the base set (after filtering) has been defined. It determines which products are prioritized first within the recommendation list.

#### How it works

Each sorting rule is composed of:

| Element      | Description                                                                                                             |
| ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Property** | The product attribute used to rank products (e.g., `price`, `stock`, `rating`, `booster_search_low`, `category`, etc.). |
| **Order**    | The direction of the sort: **Ascending** (lowest to highest) or **Descending** (highest to lowest).                     |

Multiple sorting criteria can be combined to refine the order of results. The system applies them sequentially, from top to bottom.

Example:

1. Sort by `booster_search_low` (Descending)
2. Then by `item_pageview_key` (Descending)

The platform will first sort by the main criterion, then use the second one only to rank products with identical values in the first criterion.

#### Adding multiple sorts

You can add as many sorting levels as necessary using the <kbd>**Add a sort**</kbd> button.\
Each new sorting condition is applied in sequence after the previous one.

For example:

* **Primary sort:** `booster_search_low` (Descending)
* **Secondary sort:** `price` (Ascending)
* **Tertiary sort:** `rating` (Descending)

This allows fine-tuned ranking logic, balancing relevance, performance, and commercial priorities.

#### Properties available for sorting

The available properties depend on the product dataset connected to the catalog. Common examples include:

| Property                 | Description                                                        | Typical Use                            |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| **price**                | Product price                                                      | Show cheapest or most expensive first  |
| **stock**                | Available stock quantity                                           | Prioritize in-stock items              |
| **rating**               | Average customer rating                                            | Highlight top-rated products           |
| **booster\_search\_low** | Internal ranking variable used for semantic or search-based boosts | Optimize by algorithmic relevance      |
| **item\_pageview\_key**  | Product view frequency                                             | Promote most-viewed products           |
| **category**             | Product category                                                   | Group or sort within a specific type   |
| **active**               | Availability flag (true/false)                                     | Prioritize active or sellable products |

#### Combining filters and sorts

Sorting rules can be combined with **filters** to further refine product selection.\
For instance:

* **Filter:** `stock > 0`
* **Sort:** `price Ascending`, then `rating Descending`

This approach ensures only valid products are considered and ranked according to defined priorities.

#### Example use cases

* Sort by popularity and display top-performing items: `item_pageview_key Descending`
* Rank by price to create a “Low to High” experience: `price Ascending`
* Prioritize stock availability for operational efficiency: `stock Descending`
* Combine algorithmic scoring with merchandising logic: `booster_search_low Descending`, then `price Ascending`


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