How to fine-tune faceted search for the holidays

July 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

As the holiday season approaches, merchants seeking to optimize their sites for maximum conversion would do well to invest time fine-tuning the faceted navigation that powers their on-site search. When it comes to connecting shoppers with relevant products, faceted search seems like a dream solution. By allowing shoppers to select those product attributes that matter to them, shoppers are empowered to define their own personal path to purchase by in essence creating a personalized, targeted category custom-built for their needs. As our previous post pointed out, such opportunities for individualized shopping help distinguish brands from their competition.

But faceted search is complex to implement on a number of levels — SEO, anyone? — and often merchants struggle to realize its promise as a tool that smooths the path to purchase, rather than befuddles shoppers. Chief among the challenges: identifying the right attributes to offer as filters. While shoppers should have enough options to help them zero in on the most relevant products, it’s crucial not to present a confusing cascade of product details.

To continually improve the attribute set, merchants should conduct regular evaluations — and now, before the holiday season kicks into high gear, is an ideal time to make adjustments as needed. Merchants should:

  • Study existing internal search logs to determine which product attributes shoppers already search for, and what keyword terms they use – don’t assume insider industry terms are commonly used by consumers.

  • Consider a survey of existing customers to determine how they’d like to be able to refine search results.

  • Browse competitor sites to see what attributes other merchants in the same industry use.

While the list of must-have attributes is different for each brand, there are a few key categories merchants would do well to consider. Among them:

Go beyond color with visual-cue attributes. Apparel merchants have long employed color palettes within the list of facets as a means for giving shoppers a quick way to filter the results set to display only items available in their chosen hue. But with the web becoming increasingly visual, merchants in all industries should go farther and find ways to communicate facet options with icons, shapes or sliders. Eyewear and eye care site Lenscrafters lets shoppers filter frames by face shape as well as frame shape, using icons as guides.

On-site search example from Lenscrafters

Devise merchandising-based attributes. Especially during the holiday season, when gift buyers seek bargains and unique finds, the ability to narrow the results set quickly to qualifying items is crucial. Attributes to consider:

  • On Sale. Let shoppers view only those matches that are discounted.
  • Free Shipping. Similarly, let shoppers filter to view which items qualify for free shipping – the most sought-after discount and a powerful purchase incentive.
  • New. Let shoppers view only the latest additions to the catalog that match their terms.

Use customer ratings — “x or better”.  Merchants should leverage the power of product reviews to allow shoppers to see which products other customers endorse. Specifically, the attributes should display all reviews that match or exceed the shoppers’ selection — that is, if a shopper selects three stars, presumably that’s the lowest rating they’re willing to accept, and products earning higher ratings should also be shown. REI’s facet tool lets shoppers click the minimum star rating for products they’d like to consider and displays how many matches will result.

Faceted search example from REI

What faceted search attributes are most useful for your holiday shoppers?

Filed under Acquire, Convert & Retain, Seasonal Selling Tagged with 2013 Holidays, On-site search

MarketLive news: a new world of content and on-site search

June 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Merchants know on-site search is essential to their businesses — and they know there’s room for improvement. While the workhorse of a feature contributes to a third of eCommerce revenues, according to the MarketLive Performance Index, most merchants rate their own on-site search capabilities as middling. In a survey by technology researcher Forrester, the majority of businesses reported their on-site search initiatives were only moderately successful, with just 1 in 5 rating their efforts 8 or higher on a 10-point scale.

To complicate matters, the demands of on-site search are only growing more complex. With merchants not only finding new ways to merchandise and classify products, but also creating a raft of value-added content not directly connected with an individual SKU, on-site search tools must now present a variety of information to fulfill shoppers’ diverse needs, while at the same time making it easy to connect with relevant products quickly.

That’s why we’re so excited about our latest major technology release, which includes an array of on-site search features, including faceted navigation for content as well as products. Our content management tool has received enhancements as well, making content even easier to integrate with products.

As MarketLive CEO Mark Pierce told Internet Retailer, “For specialty retailers to compete, content is becoming more and more critical … The search engines are providing higher rankings to sites that have authenticity, which comes from unique links and unique content.”

The Cost Plus World Market site, which is using the technology, features a number of sections that display robust content alongside related product recommendations. The World Food Truck section, for example, uses an interactive map to spotlight regional recipes, with related products displayed beneath.

Integrated content example from Cost Plus

A search for “Lamps” includes lamp categories as part of the faceted results. Clicking on “Mix and Match Lamps” brings up a results page that integrates gift suggestions for decorators and an invitation to join the loyalty program among individual results.

Integrated content example from Cost Plus

To learn more about these features, read the official press release. Additionally, we’re showcasing the new technology at IRCE — find us at booth #1403.

Filed under Acquire, Convert & Retain, Client Innovations Tagged with MarketLive news, On-site search

Using on-site search to support shopping across touchpoints — without inventory integration

January 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Merchants by now are well aware that consumers expect a seamless shopping experience across touchpoints. Actually delivering that experience can be a daunting prospect, conjuring as it does the expensive specter of integrating disparate technology systems and silos of information, restructuring personnel and revolutionizing fulfillment. While such mega-projects are indeed important to consider, merchants needn’t be immobilized meantime. They can implement relatively quick fixes that boost cross-touchpoint convenience, without breaking the bank.

Take on-site search. It doesn’t grab headlines or generate hype, but a third of site visits include use of on-site search, resulting in contribution of 34.48% of total online revenue, according to the MarketLive Performance Index  – making site search the top single feature to generate eCommerce sales. And with the Web due to influence 44% of all retail purchases, not just online sales, by 2016, according to industry researcher Forrester, there’s still more revenue to be derived from a robust on-site search tool that not only connects shoppers with product information, but supports migration to physical stores to complete transactions.

While integration of in-store inventory is the ultimate way on-site search can support cross-touchpoint shopping, simpler changes can significantly boost convenience and access to information for shoppers. Merchants with physical outlets should consider adding these capabilities:

In-store availability as a product attribute. Even if merchants can’t drill down into inventory to show the availability of an individual item in an individual store, it’s helpful to let shoppers know whether items in a results set can be purchased in stores at all, versus being offered online exclusively. Many merchants already flag online exclusives as a way to encourage purchasing through the Web — but they can use the same product data attribute to let shoppers filter results sets to view only items also or only available in physical locations.

Portable searches – online and offline. Merchants should encourage shoppers to save for later reference particular keyword terms or individual products from a search results set; that way, shoppers can not only easily return to a shopping session on their computers, but they can use mobile devices in-store to pull up their prior finds. As suggested in earlier posts, adding the capability to save such information doesn’t necessarily mean requiring shoppers to register: for example, shoppers could add items to a wish list they could then email to themselves for future reference, or instantly email themselves a link to a results set using “forward to a friend” type functionality. Similarly, shoppers heading to stores should be able to print search results for quick reference — an option Home Depot offers within its eCommerce site on-site search tool.

On-site search example from Home Depot

Connection to relevant in-store events. Making in-store event listings keyword-searchable can alert shoppers to happenings they may not have known were offered. Merchants should display relevant in-store events alongside product results and link the event information to store details such as hours and location. Cookware merchants Sur La Table uses a tabbed layout to present “cooking classes” alongside product results and recipes related to searchers’ keyword terms. Searches can use a faceted-search-style menu in the left-hand column to narrow the class listings to those available at a particular store.

On-site search example from Sur La Table

What search tools do you use to support cross-touchpoint behavior?

Filed under Acquire, Convert & Retain, Connected Commerce Tagged with On-site search

Webinar recap: The language of search

August 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Last week’s webinar took a deep dive into the topic of on-site search — the crucial feature that drives one third of eCommerce revenue, according to the MarketLive Performance Index. As discussed in our prior post, most merchants recognize the need for improvement with on-site search to boost relevance and generate even more sales using this potentially versatile tool.

While the webinar covered a range of topics, from determining whether faceted search is right for you to best practices for mobile search, there was an overarching theme — the importance of context and language. The on-site search tool shouldn’t merely generate a page of product listings as a results set; rather, on-site search should orient users to how the results set was generated, guide them to options for narrowing or expanding the range of products they view, and even suggest non-product content as an alternative. In particular, on-site search should:

Prominently place spelling corrections. Users now expect search mechanisms to assist them with alternatives for commonly-misspelled terms, and account for errors from shoppers using tablets and smartphones that rely on tapping rather than typing – such as hitting letters adjacent to the intended target. Spell out the alternatives clearly in prominent type, as Helzberg Jewelers does with its spelling correction feature. Shoppers can click any of the alternate terms or browse top probable matches.

On-site search example from Helzberg

If an automatic redirect is used, explain it. Whenever the on-site search tool overrides the usual functionality, shoppers should be alerted to that fact with a prominent flag. For example, if shoppers enter a term that returns just one match, then many search tools are set to link directly to that product rather than displaying a nearly empty results page — but a special flag should appear so shoppers know why they landed there. Similarly, if a term exactly matches a product category, it’s fine to link directly to that category — but give shoppers the option to see items in a search results set instead, as Sears does with its food processor page. The message highlighted in yellow lets shoppers know they’ve been redirected, with the option to view result without the redirect.

On-site search example from Sears

Maximize the communicative value of facets. We’ve all been on sites whose faceted search tools complicate, rather than simplify, the product discovery process. To avoid overwhelming shoppers, it’s crucial to fine-tune faceted search so the tool communicates effectively and efficiently. Merchants should:

  • Use data to create a usable set of facets. Study existing internal search logs to determine which product attributes shoppers already search for, and what keyword terms they use – don’t assume insider industry terms are commonly used by consumers.
  • Display the number of product matches for each attribute, so shoppers don’t have to select each to see how many results are available.  This addition is especially important in the mobile environment, where shoppers receiving a large results set will invariably rely on facets to zero in quickly on the right products. Outdoor retailer REI’s mobile search returns the same full results set as on the eCommerce site — but gives shoppers drop-down options along with the number of matches for each for a quick shortcut to a more manageable list of products.

mobile on-site search example from REI

Highlight the availability of non-product content. Customer service content such as shipping information, buying guides and lifestyle content should all be searchable — and the on-site search results page should offer clearly-labeled links to that content alongside the products that match a shopper’s keyword terms. Online jeweler Blue Nile uses the heading “Education and Guidance Results” to set off its rich content from the results set — easing access for shoppers who need more information before selecting products.

on-site search example from Blue Nile

Download the Webinar replay and whitepaper for more on-site search strategies. Meantime, how have you tweaked your on-site search presentation and functionality to better orient shoppers?

Filed under Acquire, Convert & Retain, Client Innovations, Mobile Commerce Tagged with Business Optimization, On-site search

Webinar preview: Optimizing on-site search

July 24, 2012 by 1 Comment

For the third installment in our optimization series, after analytics and content, we’re taking a deep dive into on-site search. The topic may seem a bit staid; after all, site search is the workhorse of eCommerce site features, so commonplace it doesn’t grab headlines or generate hype. But on-site search does have the potential to drive serious revenue, especially during the upcoming holiday season.

Consumers increasingly expect speed and relevance when they shop online. Fully 73% of shoppers will exit a site if they don’t locate what they seek within two minutes, according to search specialists SLI Systems.  Site search can meet and exceed this high standard, delivering a tailored results set that allows shoppers to sort through products according to their priorities.

Moreover, site search can act as a vital link to a brand’s product offering as shoppers roam across channels and devices. Industry researcher Forrester estimates that 36% of all purchases  – not just eCommerce site purchases – are now influenced by online activity, whether through eCommerce orders, in-store purchases influenced by Web research, mobile shopping activity, or social networks. A robust search toolset can deliver relevant information tailored to the touchpoint.

Survey data from industry researcher Forrester indicates that merchants are aware of this potential gold mine – and their need for improvement. The majority of businesses reported their on-site search initiatives were only moderately successful, with just 1 in 5 rating their efforts 8 or higher on a 10-point scale.

Site search data from Forrester Research

The Forrester survey found that the top area businesses identified for improvement with on-site search was improving relevance – connecting shoppers more efficiently to the products that meet their needs. Tomorrow’s Webinar will provide merchants with essential strategies for optimizing on-site search across touchpoints, including:

  • How to decide whether faceted search is a fit. It’s now commonplace for Web users to parse through extensive search results sets with a few clicks of the mouse, selecting for those attributes that matter to them. This type of dynamic search results display – called “faceted search” – enables shoppers to define their personal path to purchase by filtering the results and in essence creating a personalized, targeted category custom-built for their needs. Implementing such a tool to make it as powerful as possible requires an investment in time and resources – but given the potential revenue gains, every merchant should consider whether faceted search is a fit for their business.

  • Best practices for mobile site search. Tailoring search functionality for mobile users is now a merchant must. Not only does industry researcher Forrester predict shoppers will transact purchases worth $10 billion via mobile devices this year, but mobile is becoming an essential research tool for shoppers who go on to buy either at physical locations or via the eCommerce Web site. During last year’s peak holiday season, for example, more than one in 10 shoppers used a mobile device to visit a merchant’s Web site on Cyber Monday, compared to 3.9% of shoppers in 2010 — a more than 175% increase – and the numbers are only expected to climb this year.

Register for the Webinar now and tune in tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific to hear about these topics and more. Meantime, what on-site search strategies have worked for your business?

Filed under Acquire, Convert & Retain, Connected Commerce, Mobile Commerce Tagged with Business Optimization, On-site search

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