How to Make Searches Faster on Your Ecommerce Site

The most powerful sales tool available today isn't ridiculously expensive, complex or difficult to implement. In fact, it's probably already built in to your ecommerce website design--just waiting to be maximized.

It's your website's search feature.

The search function is not only an effective way for consumers to find the products they're looking for on your website, it's an effective way for you to sell them products they weren't necessarily looking for but want nonetheless. They search for one item, you show them the item along with several more that are related.

Amazon does it. Apple does it. And you can do it too! You can turn your search function into a sales tool that allows you to increase sales simply by following these tips to make it a more important part of your ecommerce website design:

  • Have a search function built into your ecommerce website design. This could go without saying, but you'd be surprised how many ecommerce sites don't actually have a search bar/tool--or at least one that works.
  • Make your search box a very visible part of your ecommerce website design. If people can't find your search box, they won't be able to use it.
  • Make it fast. Time is money, especially these days. The average internet site visitor has an attention span of eight seconds. If your search tool takes too long, you'll lose the sale.
  • Add auto-complete. Auto-complete provides a tool for both you and the user. It allows the user to quickly find what they're looking for, and it allows you to showcase an array of related items.
  • Use images. A picture is not only worth a thousand words, but it could be worth a countless number of sales. Adding images to search results gives the consumer confidence in your products. It also makes them more likely to spend a little extra time on your site, which leads to sales.
  • Gather data and use it. If people are constantly coming to your site looking for something you don't currently sell, you can increase sales by adding the item.
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Sangeeta Kumar

Sangeeta Kumar is the Vice President of Web Marketing for GMR Web Team, a global online marketing, strategy, development and maintenance agency. Sangeeta is a jack-of-all-trades kinda person in the world of Internet marketing, excelling in market research to come up with a strategy based on the latest trends to get a website on page 1. She knows her stuff and enjoys a good discussion on SEO anywhere, anytime.


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