Baymard Institute - On Site Search

Misspelled Search Terms

Core Issue: Some users presented with no or inadequate autocomplete suggestions when they've misspelled a query abandon search, while others waste time trying to correct their misspelling in the search field. Core Advice: Provide relevant autocomplete suggestions when closely misspelled terms and queries are entered in the search field.

Category-Specific Filters for Sitewide Searches

Core Issue: Users have difficulty narrowing down sitewide search results if category-specific filters are not provided. Core Advice: Give users access to category-specific filters without having to select a category scope.

"Product Type" Search Queries

Core Issue: Users often submit broad, "Product Type" queries but missing, inaccurate, or limited results can result in suitable products being overlooked. Core Advice: Provide support for "Product Type" searches by either autodirecting users to the appropriate intermediary category page; by providing highly relevant search results that mirror the product list for the relevant category; or by providing category suggestions above search results.

Autocomplete Query Suggestions

Core Issue: Users rely on autocomplete to provide guidance and search shortcuts and when these aren't provided they often abandon using search to find products. Core Advice: Always provide autocomplete keyword query suggestions.

Providing Alternative Search Queries

Core Issue: Users sometimes submit search terms that are only tangentially related to available products or are overly specific, but without appropriate guidance on search results pages it will be difficult for them to find suitable items. Core Advice: Always suggest highly relevant alternative queries on search results pages, and suggest even moderately relevant alternatives in case of few or low-quality results.

Persisting Search Queries

Core Issue: Users that want to iterate search queries are put through the tedious task of retyping when their queries are cleared from the search field. Core Advice: Always persist search queries in the search field. Include the query as a static header or in the breadcrumbs on the results page. If an "X" to clear queries is provided, ensure there's sufficient space between the "X" and the query. Ensure that clicking or tapping anywhere in the search field activates the field.

List Layouts for Mixed Product Catalogs

Core Issue: Using a single list or search results layout (a "List View" or a "Grid View") for both spec-driven and visually driven products creates difficulties for users in evaluating and comparing options. Core Advice: For sites containing both spec-driven and visually driven products (e.g., mass merchants), dynamically adapt the product list and search results layout to a "List View" for spec-driven products and a "Grid View" for visually driven products.

Colors Shown in Thumbnails on Search Results Pages

Core Issue: When product thumbnails don't reflect variations such as color specified in search queries, users struggle to compare results and some assume that the preferred variant is unavailable. Core Advice: Dynamically switch search result thumbnails to match the product variation (e.g., color) users are searching for.

Designing the Autocomplete Feature

Core Issue: Poorly designed autocomplete interfaces make it difficult to understand the available options within autocomplete, and can be overwhelming or lead to unexpected interactions. Core Advice: On both desktop and mobile, keep autocomplete suggestions manageable (max 10 on desktop, 4-8 on mobile), style non-query content differently, and highlight the differences in query suggestions. On desktop, avoid scrollbars, minimize visual noise, use labels to differentiate query types, and highlight the active suggestion. On mobile, reduce competition from external elements and use text wrapping for long suggestions

Exact Search

Core Issue: If a product doesn't show up when searching for its exact title or model number, users could assume the site doesn't carry the item. Core Advice: Include the relevant product at the top of the search results when there's an exact match with an existing product title or model number. Consider redirecting to the relevant product page if there's 100% certainty of what a user is looking for, but also provide a way to "see search results instead".

Search Prominence on Mobile

Core Issue: If on-site search is difficult to locate, users lack a key product-finding tool and take longer to begin the product-finding process. Core Advice: Make the search feature easy to spot by using clear boundaries, a prominent "search submit" button, and high-contrast placeholder text. Avoid including other attention-grabbing elements near search.

Designing the "No Results" Page

Core Issue: If search queries don't return any results, without guidance users can come to a dead end on "No Results" pages. Core Advice: Help users to recover from a failed search query by providing alternative queries, personalized recommendations, live chat or a sales phone number (or both), category suggestions, and links to popular products on "No Results" pages.

Displaying the Number of Items in Product Lists Or Search Results

Core Issue: If users don't know the number of items in product lists or search results, they lack important information on the relevance and quantity of items. Core Advice: Show the total number of items in the product list and on search results pages — both above and below the list — and ensure that the size of the number of items make it easy to discern.

Searching for Products with Specific Features

Core Issue: Many users will submit search queries that include one or more product attributes and expect the site to apply these as "filters" to their search. Core Advice: Support "Feature" searches by leveraging product data — especially colors, styles, and specs — to present users with results that most closely match the attributes included in their queries.