{"id":42919,"date":"2021-08-23T12:02:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T06:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.algonomy.com.br\/?p=42919"},"modified":"2021-08-23T19:26:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T13:56:25","slug":"how-ecommerce-search-personalization-improves-product-discovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.algonomy.com.br\/en\/blogs\/personalization\/how-ecommerce-search-personalization-improves-product-discovery\/","title":{"rendered":"How eCommerce Search Personalization Improves Product Discovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lessons in eCommerce search from a major online retailer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re as picky as I am, you probably spend a lot of time researching several products to ensure you make the best decision. But when was the last time an eCommerce store showed pertinent information that helped you make a purchase decision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This happened to me some time ago when I was on an online store to find a pair of noise-canceling headphones. I used the search bar and was pleasantly surprised to see a headphones comparison article pop up, in addition to relevant headphones. Thanks to the timely and relevant article that showed up, I was able to speed up this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most businesses think of eCommerce personalization<\/a> only in terms of product recommendations<\/a>. However, it\u2019s equally important to personalize other key touchpoints in the online shopping journey \u2014 search, browse, and content. Doing so allows for a more holistic customer experience, which translates to increased conversions and revenue per visit. eCommerce search is increasingly becoming a key pillar of CX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig 1. Touchpoints across the eCommerce shopping lifecycle<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why? For one, shoppers who search convert 3x more than those who don\u2019t.<\/strong> This has to do with the fact that people who use search have an express intent of what they want to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personalization should kick in as a shopper types their search query \u2014 showing products that they are more likely to be interested in based on their individual behavior and known preferences. But before getting to personalized results, the basics need to be in place, and this requires effort and is not without its challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at some common challenges with traditional<\/em> search engines through the eyes of one of our clients: Verkkokauppa.com. Verkkokauppa.com is Finland\u2019s most-visited online retail store with 65,000 SKUs in 26 product categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Challenges with Traditional Search Engines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Inability to Handle Product Data Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditional search engines primarily rely on product metadata and descriptions to display results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is quite rare for a shopper to make precise, descriptive search queries. For example, a person might search for \u2018computer\u2019, which is an umbrella term that could refer to a PC or a laptop. Even ‘laptop’ is a rather broad search term, as there are various categories like Notebook, Ultrabook, Convertible, and Netbook. In such cases, the search engine needs to work with limited information and decide what to show the shopper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig <\/strong><\/strong><\/em>2. An example of search queries that refer to the same product<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To overcome this, developers need to create synonyms to match products to specific keywords. However, this is a very time-consuming approach, and sustaining it just isn\u2019t practical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Irrelevant Search Results<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our client also recalled an experience when he searched for \u2018iPad\u2019 because he was looking for, well, an iPad. But the initial results showed products like iPad sleeves and other accessories \u2014 items he didn\u2019t need. He had to scroll further down to find the actual product. For a traditional search engine, these results are technically correct because their product metadata contains the word \u2018iPad\u2019, but the results are not relevant to the shopper\u2019s current need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig <\/strong><\/strong><\/em>3. Lack of relevance in search results<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. The No-results Page<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another common issue is shoppers mis-typing the product or model name, leading to bad search results. But what\u2019s worse is the dreaded \u2018No results\u2019 page. When a shopper sees this page after a search query, they have basically hit a dead end. This is bad for business. It\u2019s important to always show relevant alternatives even if the shopper\u2019s desired product isn\u2019t available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n