Read this blog on search for eCommerce for more information.
In any eCommerce website, there is no one tool that is more important than the search bar that helps in sales. The real truth is that many eCommerce websites have been trying to get the secret sauce that drives great search experiences on Google. But hardly few eCommerce websites (including Amazon) have been able to get their search to Google’s level. Statistics have shown a high correlation between people who search and people who buy. This gives a great reason to optimize your eCommerce search engine. To be concise, the search bar is the eye of an eCommerce website.
A simple, easy-to-use search tool is critical for a successful eCommerce site. If people can’t find your products, they can’t buy them. A bad in-site search can frustrate users enough to make them abandon you for a competitor. An explicit Search label is no longer necessary (though it won’t hurt). Users look for a wide, empty field or a magnifying glass icon. Many sites use just a magnifying glass alone in mobile designs, and that works fine. Others display an entire search field, which is worth the tradeoff of valuable screen space if you know your sales depend on search. On a desktop, sites should still use a simple, visible empty box with a Search button or magnifying glass icon.
Faceted search allows users to narrow their results set using filters based on the attributes of the products they’re considering. Faceted search used to be a nice-to-have feature on eCommerce websites. Now users notice and complain in the rare cases when facets are absent. These days, eCommerce sites without faceted search are the exception, rather than the rule.
Just as faceted search has become expected rather than exceptional, so have search suggestions. Search suggestions (sometimes called autosuggest) are recommended queries that appear in a dropdown as users type in the search box. When those suggestions are accepted, they can save users time and mental effort, and help them avoid typos or other errors.
If you have a product feed, you can create your own search for eCommerce websites in 5 minutes from here.
