Their edge was expertise. We made it visible.Distributors win on knowledge. Their site now proves it.
PaladinID sells industrial printers, labels, ribbons, and accessories. A catalog where wrong combinations simply do not work. Their old static website left buyers to figure out compatibility on their own. We rebuilt it AI-first: intelligent search, a RAG layer that understands the catalog, and an assistant that guides buyers to the right configuration before they order the wrong one.
The problem
PaladinID is a distributor in a market where the competition sells direct. They cannot win on price. Their edge is expertise: knowing which ribbon works with which printer, which label survives which environment, which configuration ships on time.
Their website could not show that expertise. Static pages, no search intelligence, no way to help a buyer navigate a catalog where the wrong combination does not just cost money. It stops a production line.
For an industrial buyer on a deadline, confusion is the enemy. If the website cannot answer the compatibility question quickly, the buyer calls the manufacturer instead.
What we shipped
Phase 1 was a full AI-first website rebuild. Next.js frontend built on PaladinID's existing product API, Typesense-powered search, and a RAG model trained on their catalog. Three AI modes: product recommendations, technical support, and custom solution matching. Buyers describe what they need and get compatible configurations back, with citations.
Phase 2 went deeper into the product experience. AI-generated product imagery via Fal AI across the catalog. Typesense-powered related product recommendations on every page. An AI assistant embedded at the point of purchase. BaseRow workflow updates across 18+ tables to keep all data accurate.
We also migrated their team off a shared N8N instance onto a dedicated server and trained them to manage and update automation workflows independently. PaladinID now owns their automation stack. No dependency on us to run it.
I talked to a new prospect and asked how she found me. She said she asked Claude who could help with a custom label application. Zebra and PaladinID were recommended. She called Zebra and got nowhere. She called me, and I answered the phone. The power of AI is unreal.
Dana Ritchie· Owner, PaladinID
Built to sell the complicated stuff.
Every feature serves one goal: help an industrial buyer find the right configuration and buy with confidence.
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Three phases. One distributor website that sells like a technical rep.
SmartSite foundation first, then product intelligence, then full automation ownership handed to the client team.
SmartSite Build
AI-first from the product API up.January-February 2025 · 4 weeks
Built on PaladinID's existing product API, the SmartSite gave buyers three AI-powered ways to find what they needed: product recommendations, technical support, and custom solution matching. Typesense handled search. A RAG model handled the compatibility logic. Every answer cited its source in the catalog.
“The AI has to understand the catalog before it advises a buyer.”
SmartSite signed off by client before Phase 2 scope was opened.
Product Intelligence
Every page, smarter.November 2025-January 2026 · 7 weeks
Fal AI bulk image generation replaced missing or inconsistent product photography across the catalog. A Typesense-powered related products carousel surfaces compatible accessories automatically. An AI assistant embedded on every product page answers configuration questions before they become support tickets. BaseRow workflows updated across 11 tables to keep pricing and MOQ data accurate.
Automation Independence
Their team owns the stack.2026 · ongoing
We moved PaladinID off a shared N8N instance onto a dedicated server they fully control. Two training sessions covered workflow management, bulk updates, and troubleshooting. The goal: PaladinID can modify, extend, or fix their automation workflows without waiting on an agency. They can.
This project followed our four-phase methodology. See how every project runs →
Built With
Next.js frontend built on their existing WooCommerce and product API. Typesense for search and product recommendations. RAG for AI-powered catalog matching. Fal AI for bulk product image generation. BaseRow for pricing and MOQ workflow management. N8N for automation on a dedicated client-owned server.
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