Internal Site Search is Critical for Ecommerce Sites in the Age of Google

[mandy]

"The common industry understanding is that if a shopper doesn't find what they are looking for in three clicks, you could very well lose them to another Web site. Navigation alone isn't going to cut it. You have to have internal search that works,"...

However, for all the hoopla over SEO and SEM, there is another method that could dramatically increase conversion rates for e-commerce players: site search.

Site search can be as much as three times more likely to convert site visitors to buyers...

How do you know if your site search is as effective as it could be? Using WebSideStory's data as a benchmark, you should be converting at nearly three times the rate of average site visitors who don't use site search. If not, you may need to look into another site search technology vendor, change your tagging system or make some other adjustment...

full article: http://ecommercetimes.com/story/fBwnV5ZO...arch.xhtml

[BellisimaJ.]

Bolding is mine.

Begin by measuring your site search conversion rate. One of our customers, Bloomingdale's, told us site search accounts for one-third of its online sales TeaLeaf let’s you see exactly what your customers experience on your site. Find out how. and that number has been moving upward. It's important to understand that site search can drive tremendous revenue," Steve Kusmer, senior vice president and general manager for WebSideStory's Site Search Division, told the E-Commerce Times.

Good article, Mandy--TY!

Interesting to me, because I never use site search to shop---I rely on the site navigation, and if that is not well engineered, I am out of there.

However, after reading this article, I plan to do additional research in order to use it effectively on my (still in design mode)site. 1/3 of total sales is nothing to sneeze at!

[mandy]

A related article:

For the small online retail shop, a sharp product search is crucial to a successful shopping experience, but incorporating this feature can be overwhelming and expensive. Nonetheless, most businesses can't afford to keep serving up failed search results. Industry analysts say that if a desirable match is not returned on a query, roughly 75 percent of shoppers will look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, failed searches are quite common. The incorrect spelling of a product name or brand or the use of multiple words in a query that doesn't support phrases can trigger a misfire, but it doesn't end there. Sometimes, valid results are produced, but they don't correspond to what the shopper has in mind.

Often, this is because many e-tailers set up their storefront using basic hosting and e-commerce packages, and while they work, they don't necessarily have the search features needed to compete in online business. Visit any big-box retailer online and you'll find extensive search engines that offer loads of features, such as special product recommendations, image displays, similar results, direct add-to-cart functionality, and more. Visit a small e-tailer and you may very well conduct a search and find a single result page with one or two items, or worse, "no match." ...

full article: http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/solutions...hp/3663516

[mandy]

Yet another related article:

There are several factors in determining whether your site should utilize the features of a site search solution. The main factor is the size of your product catalog. “The more SKUs a storefront has, the more difficult it is for shoppers to find the right products,” said Joe Lichtman, director of retail product management for FAST, which develops advanced search technology solutions. “Advanced site search with dynamic navigation helps shoppers quickly sift through thousands of products in just a few clicks.”...

By implementing an advanced and finely tuned site search solution, retailers can benefit by experiencing increased conversion rates, increased average order value, and increased loyalty. Advanced site search helps shoppers narrow down their selection quickly, increasing the likelihood they will make a purchase. Merchants can utilize site search to cross-sell related products to users as they search for products on the site, which can potentially increase average order value. And by offering highly personalized search and recommendations to a specific shopper, advanced site search can help increase customer loyalty...

full article: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articl...d-Loyalty/