E-commerce consumers are more demanding than ever before. According to users, 72% of e-commerce websites fail to meet site search expectations.

Today’s users expect a seamless, intuitive, and fast way to find the right products, purchase them, and receive them soon.

For an e-commerce business, meeting the demand and expectations becomes essential.

So, what e-commerce search criteria should your business meet?

Why is it critical to meet e-commerce shoppers’ expectations?

Shoppers have high expectations when it comes to their online shopping experience. 64% of users head straight to the search bar when landed on the website.

Further experience defines the likelihood of the conversion.

If they cannot find the product they need within a few seconds, they will immediately abandon the website and head to the competitor.

Therefore, failing to meet expectations can not only lead to low customer satisfaction but to lost revenue, too.

So, how can you know your e-commerce search meets the expectations and helps website visitors find what they need?

Essential e-commerce search criteria that every business should meet

Search accuracy

Your search engine should deliver relevant search results based on the user’s query. That means the site search has to understand the customer’s intent and provide results accordingly.

Typos, language-specific jargon, and difficult-to-spell product names do not make this task easier for users and the search engine. You have to be sure your search engine gets the core of search requests despite all possible linguistic obstacles.

You can improve search accuracy in the following ways:

• Turn on autocomplete. It predicts the search query based on the user’s keystrokes and displays relevant suggestions in real-time.
• Recognize synonyms. Not all users use the same words to name products. For example, if a customer searches for “sneakers,” a search engine would also return results for “running shoes” or “athletic footwear.”
• Detect typos. A search engine should recognize misspelled words and suggest the correct term.

Sorting & filtering options

Customers should have filter options to narrow down their search results and complete purchases faster.

The filters should be relevant to the customer’s search and provide options like price, brand, material, pattern, size, color, etc. Make sure it is easy for a shopper to access and use filters.

User-intuitive interface

Even the widest and most demanded product assortment cannot guarantee your e-commerce business success. You also have to make those products easy to find.

For that, an intuitive interface should become one of your priorities. Make your website easy to navigate and a search bar easily visible and accessible (ideally, at the top of the website).

Personalization

Almost 60% of shoppers admit it is easier to find products on a personalized website.

Suggest product recommendations based on customers’ previous search history and interests. Personalizing search and shopping experiences often lead to more purchases.

Statistics suggest that every second shopper spends more money on personalized websites. It is worth a try.

Mobile Optimization

60.9% of the U.S. population are mobile buyers. Therefore, it is essential to have a mobile-optimized website or mobile application.

The website should load quickly and be easy to navigate on a mobile phone. Besides, ensure the search bar is not hidden deep in the menu bar.

Search merchandising

Your e-commerce search should also support a search merchandising feature. It allows you to tailor search results to highlight specific products, promotions, or campaigns.

There are many search merchandising practices you could try. The most sales-driving are: showcasing best-selling products, highlighting new arrivals, or promoting sales and discounts.

LupaSearch - your e-commerce search partner that ticks all the boxes

At LupaSearch, we tick all the boxes and meet all the essential criteria of a highly-performing e-commerce search.

Our advanced search technology, powered by Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, delivers highly relevant search results regardless of user language, typos, or jargon.

With LupaSearch, you can provide customers with a seamless and personalized search experience, drive sales, and ultimately grow your business.

Contact our product consultant and receive a free demonstration.