Online retailers must recognize the importance of using an ecommerce search platform to grow their business. The search bar impacts everything from the shop’s conversion rate to whether customers return in the future. Many times, however, these retailers throw the search bar in as an afterthought and wonder why their shop isn’t doing as well as they expected.
Imagine a customer using Google to find a specific product. The customer arrives on your shop’s website and begin to search for that item because Google took them to a page with multiple offerings. The basic search function isn’t of much help to them, however, and they end up taking their business elsewhere. Once they have done so, the chances of them coming back when they need something in the future are very small.
Internal search helps customers find exactly what they need in the least time possible. Furthermore, it provides them with product suggestions and overlooks spelling errors when providing search results. Customers appreciate this help, as it makes their shopping experience easier.
The global pandemic of 2020 changed the way people shop, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau refers to the new landscape as storelessness. As people were locked down in their homes, they turned to the internet to purchase necessary items. In 2019, Adobe Analytics reports consumers spent more than $2 billion in one day online two times outside of the holiday season. One year later, they spent more than $2 billion in one day online 130 times. That’s a significant change, and this trend is expected to continue.
Forty-two percent of consumers report they will fundamentally change how they obtain goods in the future, according to Ernst & Young. Website design and search functionality continue to increase in importance as a result of this shift in consumer behavior. Researchers found only 15 percent of shoppers use the search feature on an e-commerce site, but they account for 45 percent of the revenue.
When they use the search feature, they require personalized and relevant results to appear. People ready to make a purchase also use the search bar more than browsers. Retailers are recognizing this, with 68 percent says improvements will be made to their shop’s search functionality this year.
Small Businesses Must Keep Up
One frustration of customers involves the search experience seen with small businesses compared to what they experiencing when using a big search engine. Small business owners must customize and prioritize results to ensure they are providing what the customer wants and needs. This involves an analysis of the percentage of visitors using the search feature and the percentage of site transactions made by these individuals. This provides information on the effectiveness of the search bar.
Speed
Site speed affects search functionality. Certain plugins used by many e-commerce retailers slow the site. This can lead to a jump in the bounce rate and more. Business owners must monitor site speed and choose those plugins that perform the desired function without slowing the site and hindering the customer experience.
Content
Effective content marketing improves a site’s conversion rate significantly. Social media and blog posts bring customers to the store, and more than half of shoppers buy something after reading one of these posts. Personalized content boosts sales and brand loyalty, so every site must make this a priority.
Search functionality plays a significant role in a consumer’s overall experience with a site. If your shop lacks a search bar, it’s time to add one. If you have the feature now, make certain it meets the needs of shop visitors. Your bottom line will thank you.
