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E-commerce search, depending on its implementation, can make or break your e-commerce business’s success.

More than every third e-commerce website visitor will use the search if it is offered. If you do not have it (or you have a poorly implemented one), you might lose a third of your potential clients.

So, what is an e-commerce search? Should you stick to the default search that comes with your e-commerce platform? Or should you perceive it as a source to boost user satisfaction and increase revenue?

E-commerce search is a powerful feature in e-commerce stores that help people find what they are looking for fast and make a purchase. The main task of the search is to match the results from the e-shop based on users’ queries.

Whether a customer is looking for a dress or a green dress, a site search should return the most relevant result for the shopper. In the first case - trending, most-bought dresses. In the second case, green summer dresses (depending on the season).

However, the e-commerce search does not only serve as a quick way to search for products for users. It provides value to e-commerce website owners too.

You can track how users use your website and what they look for. Then, rank products in search results accordingly to generate top value.

How important is a search in e-commerce?

Never underestimate the role an e-commerce search plays.

An effective e-commerce search can radically boost conversion rates. Search is one of the most significant areas in e-commerce that contribute to business success.

How?

64% of people use search to find the exact product they want during the I-want-to-buy moment. If the website satisfies their request and offers relevant products, as many as 39% of people will make a purchase.

Therefore, a highly relevant search can take your e-commerce business to the next level.

Should you keep a default search on your website?

Likely, you already have a default on-site search. It should have come with your e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop, and others).

If you are hesitating whether to leave the search option on or off, leave it on. An online shop with at least some search is better than one with none.

And yet, a default search is usually not nearly enough to satisfy all users’ requests and process complex queries.

An effective on-site search is one of the most critical features of a converting e-commerce website.

If your store offers a search that returns relevant results based on the user’s query, such a user will be 2 to 3 times more likely to convert compared with regular users.

And here, the keyword is relevant.

A 2021 study of Nordic countries revealed that, on average, the on-site search matches only 11 percent of users’ queries. That means most users do not find what they are looking for, feel misunderstood, and leave the website.

Therefore, a good e-commerce search is always a relevant search. In most cases, an effective search doubles the conversion rates in e-commerce stores.

How can you provide one?

A good e-commerce search should understand the user’s search query and provide a matching result.

And that involves understanding that users might not search the exact way you have named your products.

For instance, they might search for a coat even though your products are named jackets.

Therefore, an effective e-commerce search should be able to:

  • understand synonyms,
  • include facets (f. e., if a person specifies product color, search should provide results in matching color)
  • correct typos,
  • evaluate the user’s intent (f. e., display different clothing depending on a season)

And while none of the e-commerce platforms come close to providing such an effective search, some solutions specialize in installing a relevant search engine into an e-commerce website.

Lupa Search - a highly relevant e-commerce search

You do not need to build a new e-commerce search from scratch. LupaSearch can help you with that.

LupaSearch offers custom-tailored e-commerce search that has already increased conversion rates for their clients by at least 30%.

LupaSearch analyzes simple and complex user queries and provides highly relevant search results. This search supports many languages, employs synonyms, corrects typos, and understands the actual user’s intent by showing personalized and AI-enhanced results.

Having started collaborating with Lupa, such clients as Shipzee have noticed a sharp increase in search conversion rates and revenue growth.

Provide a seamless search experience for your customers and offer products they are looking for.

Schedule a demo with Lupa product consultants today, and let’s discuss your business growth opportunities.