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Ecommerce search, depending on its implementation, can make or break your ecommerce business’s success.

More than every third ecommerce 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 ecommerce search? Should you stick to the default search that comes with your ecommerce platform? Or should you perceive it as a source to boost user satisfaction and increase revenue?

Ecommerce search is a powerful feature in ecommerce 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 ecommerce search does not only serve as a quick way to search for products for users. It provides value to ecommerce 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 ecommerce?

Never underestimate the role an ecommerce search plays.

An effective ecommerce search can radically boost conversion rates. Search is one of the most significant areas in ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce search is always a relevant search. In most cases, an effective search doubles the conversion rates in ecommerce stores.

How can you provide one?

A good ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platforms come close to providing such an effective search, some solutions specialize in installing a relevant search engine into an ecommerce website.

Lupa Search - a highly relevant ecommerce search

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

LupaSearch offers custom-tailored ecommerce 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.