Only 28% of US shoppers find retail sites' search quick

One third of shoppers or 33 per cent stated the displayed product range wasn’t to their liking or didn’t meet expectations. Furthermore, when shopping with their preferred retailer, 34 per cent felt treated as a stranger, with the site showcasing items irrelevant to their shopping history or personal preferences, according to a report titled ‘State of E-commerce Product Search and Discovery 2023: Shoppers in Search of a Change’ by product discovery and search platform Constructor.

With only 29 per cent of participants calling their most recent product search experience ‘enjoyable’, the report shed light on what shoppers would like to see improved. Top of the wish list included more accurate search results at 46 per cent, improved search result filters at 41 per cent, personalised results at 34 per cent, effective autocomplete at 30 per cent, more integrated online and in-store features at 29 per cent, and the capacity to input full sentences into the search bar at 23 per cent.

Unsurprisingly, poor search experiences lead to adverse outcomes—62 per cent of shoppers often leave the e-commerce site, while 55 per cent resort to an alternative retailer, most commonly Amazon at 49 per cent.

Also, 22 per cent reported feeling frustrated and 19 per cent considering other retailers for future needs.

However, positive product search experiences appear to encourage consumers to purchase the searched item at 74 per cent, revisit the retailer’s site at 62 per cent, and promote the retailer or leave a favourable review at 31 per cent. Furthermore, 74 per cent of consumers would be willing to shop more frequently with a retailer guaranteeing excellent product discovery experiences, 52 per cent choosing the same retailer for related goods, 48 per cent advocating the brand, and 15 per cent of consumers even paying 5-10 per cent more for products.

Moreover, 65 per cent of respondents also expressed interest in personalisation technology and artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT at 29 per cent, to enhance online search experiences. ChatGPT, in particular, shows promising potential among younger consumers in the 18-44 years age range, with 43 per cent having already used the tool and 48 per cent comfortable with its use on retail sites.

The results of the survey were based on responses from over 460 US consumers.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (NB)