Final answer:
Search engines were utilized starting in the second generation of e-commerce, enhancing the ability to find products and services online.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option b) second.
Step-by-step explanation:
An eCommerce search engine is a specialized search engine that helps customers find products on your digital storefront. A strong eCommerce product search engine is able to interpret the search queries of your customers.
Search engines were introduced during the second generation of e-commerce. This evolution occurred as the internet was burgeoning into a platform for commercial activity.
The first generation of e-commerce was primarily focused on simple electronic transactions and email communications, but with the onset of the second generation, there was an expansion into more complex interactions including the use of search engines to find products and services online.
Ecommerce site search is a search engine solution you can integrate into your ecommerce store. At its most basic, it helps users find the exact products they're looking on your ecommerce website for by matching keywords. But it can do a lot more than that.