Ecommerce site search is more than a website navigational tool—it’s a way to communicate with customers, improve product discovery, provide more accurate product suggestions, and gather insights into customer browsing habits.
Ecommerce sites reap the benefits of site search in multiple ways. These search tools can help enhance customer communication, increase conversions, and elevate the overall customer experience. Site search helps merchants gain insight into shopper behavior, meaning you can use it to inform your ecommerce marketing efforts, both paid and organic.
In this article, we talk about the importance of robust onsite search and the ways it can improve the overall shopping experience on your ecommerce site.
The Value of Ecommerce Site Search Tools
Enhanced Customer Interaction
Ecommerce site search helps create a more tailored and enjoyable ecommerce customer experience. When site search tools are placed within a given site, search data from the shopper’s journey is analyzed and provided to the merchant. This data includes a combination of findings pulled from the seller’s on-site search engine such as user profiles, user activity, and shopping history.
Once this information has been revealed, it is easier to determine the purchase intent of the customer and create a predictive analysis of their shopping behavior. You can use this information to help customers who know what they are looking for as well as those who are simply browsing. Search tools can be used to guide the customer and provide them with a virtual “nudge” along your preferred purchasing path—sometimes before they’ve even made a conscious shopping decision themselves.
Accurate Product Suggestions
Ecommerce site search tools use machine learning (ML) through artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to give customers more intuitive product suggestions. These tools sift through user input and distinguish query intents to make an accurate analysis of a customer’s preferred products. Autofill suggestions and recommended products within the search bar are also produced via machine learning search engines. These engines use language patterns and word relation to help you put the right products in front of your customers.
Product discovery is another part of the buyer’s journey that ecommerce site search tools can enhance. In-search suggestions, or suggestions that autofill within the search bar, are helpful for customers who have already searched for a particular product. These product suggestions can show customers items similar to whichever product they initially viewed—products they are more likely to purchase.
Increased Conversions
Another benefit of leveraging on-site search tools on your online storefront is increased conversions. Customers who use ecommerce site search convert more often than those who do not due to one reason: search tools help give them what they want. Accurate product suggestions provided via machine learning translate to greater customer interest in your products and increased purchase numbers (conversions) over time. Customers who have enjoyed their time on your site are more likely to re-purchase and become loyal customers that keep coming back to your site.
Miva Preferred Search Technology Partners
Miva partners with the best solution providers in search technology. These providers give our customers the data and tools that allow them to move customers along the purchase path.
Algolia
Algolia’s search-as-a-service and full API suite allow sellers to develop tailored and fast Search & Discovery experiences and increase conversion.
HelloRetail
HelloRetail offers personalized search results based on customer behavior and information from AI technology. They also use recommendations to enhance the customer shopping experience and support a variety of sales purposes.
Klevu
Klevu helps connect shoppers with the products they want. Their use of AI and NLP-powered discovery technology enables sellers to personalize the customer experience and offer relevant product suggestions.
Miva Search
Miva's native ecommerce search offers online sellers foundational search functionality out of the box, helping merchants drive sales and encourage product discovery with smart, accurate product search results.
Searchspring
Searchspring provides automated and simplified complex business processes from analytics to merchandising. Their product helps sellers provide an individualized shopping experience for the customer.
SLI Systems
SLI Systems provides a cloud-based platform of tools aimed at increasing traffic, boosting conversions, and maximizing order value. Their AI platform predicts what shoppers are most likely to buy, which can help shorten the path to purchase and improve the customer experience.
Unbxd
Unbxd's Site Search tool uses AI and ML algorithms to monitor purchase behavior and connect shoppers with products they're more likely to buy. They present personalized sets of products based on visitors’ profiles to both first-time and repeat shoppers.
Miva