In-depth study of U.S. shoppers demonstrates the importance of fixing basic site search failures before peak season shopping
New York, Sept. 11, 2023 — Research surveying U.S. consumers suggests that basic failings in site search could cost ecommerce retailers an estimated $13.8 billion¹ in lost sales this coming Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM). It also finds that shoppers want retailers’ site search to provide content—including authentic user-generated content (UGC)—alongside product listings to help them make better-informed buying decisions. And it highlights the need to personalize search results while revealing that younger millennials aged between 25-34 are most reliant on site search.
The survey of 1,000 US consumers from Nosto, the Commerce Experience Platform (CXP), finds that the majority (77%)2 of shoppers head straight to the search bar when they land on an ecommerce site. However, 84% of all consumers admit they’ve left an ecommerce site because of search issues, including irrelevant results, too many/too few products being displayed or being directed to out-of-stock items.
Based on these findings, and on projected ecommerce sales revenue/average order values, Nosto estimates¹ that U.S. online retailers could be leaving $13.8 billion in online sales on the table during Black Friday and Cyber Monday by not addressing basic search errors.
Key site search failings that cause shoppers to bounce
The research outlines four big site search issues that cause shoppers to bounce (immediately leave an ecommerce website):
- 42% leave after not seeing any relevant results at all
- 31% after being shown out-of-stock products
- 31% after results take too long to load
- 31% after results return too many options without enabling any narrowing of the search results
Many of these are resolvable according to Nosto. For example, even if a merchant has no relevant products to display, 60%2 of shoppers in its survey say they would continue shopping if alternative products are suggested upon receiving zero search results. 42% of shoppers agree that one of the ways retailers can improve site search is to provide contextual filters based on their search queries to help narrow down results when there are too many products (e.g. having a ‘cut’ filter for users searching for jeans, having a ‘finish’ filter for users searching for lipsticks). And to avoid listing out-of-stock items in searches, merchants can integrate site search with their inventory systems to ensure it is dynamically updated with product stock levels.
“Our research highlights the importance of site search to ecommerce success this holiday season, especially as 75%3 of shoppers reveal that, given the current macroeconomic outlook, they are more likely to browse multiple online stores,” said Jan Soerensen, General Manager North America for Nosto. “Ensuring you have great site search means you’re more likely to capture their attention and have them spend, rather than letting them bounce to rivals. Yet the research finds that many ecommerce sites are simply not getting the basics right.”
Shoppers want content as well as products listed in search results
As well as fixing basic errors ahead of peak season, the research suggests that ecommerce brands need to go beyond showing relevant products by also including content that helps shoppers make buying decisions.
For example, two-thirds (66%)2 of consumers engage with relevant content in site search results (such as articles, FAQs, and collection pages) with 65%2 saying they have made purchases after consuming such content.
In addition to this, 58%2 have engaged with relevant influencer/user-generated content (UGC) specifically in site search—with 64%2 buying after seeing it. This demonstrates the growing importance of UGC to consumers, who respond positively to this authentic endorsement of particular products by other shoppers.
Personalization drives shoppers’ purchasing behavior
Another way retailers can get an edge during peak is by delivering a personalized site search experience. Over three-quarters (77%)2 of shoppers say they are more likely to purchase if search results are personalized to things like their purchase history, or specific brands, colors, or sizes they like. And two-thirds (66%)3 want retailers to use their search queries to personalize their wider site experience from there, such as by only showing relevant products or ranges to them based on their search intent data.
Young millennials (25–34-year-olds) demand most from on-site search
Research indicates that millennials are becoming the biggest spenders during the holiday season. And Nosto’s data shows that site search is especially important to younger millennials (US men and women in the 25-34 age group). 83%2 go straight to the search bar while 90% agree3 that a good, fast, accurate site search makes online shopping easier (higher than any other age group). The same percentage (90%)2 say they are likely to buy a product in the search results that they directly searched for.
Tech-savvy but time-poor and cost-conscious, these younger millennials are likely to be juggling multiple commitments, such as building a career, saving for a home, and potentially starting a family. This means they want site search to be fast, helpful, and tailored to their needs—but 90%4 say they often come across irrelevant results from search (against 69%4 on average).
They also want to engage with content, including UGC, in search results—and it directly leads them to make a purchase. 83%2 will buy a product having consumed related content in the search results (against an average of 65%2), while 82%2 purchase after engaging with UGC specifically.
Demonstrating a desire to save time and money, 81%3 of 25–34-year-olds believe that site search should be quicker (against an overall average of 62%3 and just 52%3 of those who are 55+). 87%3 agree that, as the cost-of-living increases, they want to compare products from different online stores and good ecommerce search makes this easier (higher than any other age group).
“The indications are that this holiday season, shoppers will be relying on ecommerce site search more than ever to help them get their purchasing right,” said Soerensen. “Retailers know that search results have to be relevant and quick. But, they’ve also got to tackle the other big search frustrations that drive customers to bounce. Make sure your search isn’t listing out-of-stock products and include filters so shoppers can narrow down results when there are too many products to choose from. Adding personalization to search results can help you elevate the overall search experience by making it more relevant. And if you can display helpful content, especially UGC from other customers, shoppers will be more confident in making purchases.”
For an overview of the key findings from Nosto’s research visit the company blog at: https://www.nosto.com/blog/predicted-impact-of-ecommerce-search-on-bfcm-2023/
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Footnotes
¹Using Adobe Analytics 2022 data on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and growth rates in the US, Nosto estimates that the total projected 2023 ecommerce spend on Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2023 will be $21.36 billion. At a predicted average order value (AOV) of $108 (based on projecting the 2022 order values from Salesforce quoted in ROIRevolution), this equates to 198 million transactions. Combining this with Nosto’s data that 77% of consumers immediately go to the search bar when visiting an ecommerce site, and that 84% then leave a site because of a poor search experience means that an estimated $13.8 billion (65%) of sales could be at risk.
2Combining answer options ‘Somewhat likely’ and ‘Very likely’
3Combining answer options ‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Somewhat agree’
4Combining answer options ‘Very often’ and ‘Somewhat often’
About Nosto
Nosto enables online brands to deliver authentic, relevant, and personalized experiences at every touchpoint, across every device. An AI-Powered Commerce Experience Platform (CXP) designed for ease of use, Nosto empowers brands to build, launch, and optimize compelling digital experiences without the need for dedicated IT resources or a lengthy implementation process. Leading brands in over 100 countries use Nosto to grow their business and delight their customers. Nosto supports its clients from its offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Sydney, Kaunas, Salzburg, and Helsinki.
About the research
Nosto commissioned an international market research consultancy, Censuswide, to conduct the research. Part of a wider study, it was based on a survey of 1,000 general consumers from the US. The data was collected between 05.01.2023- – 17.01.2023. Censuswide abides by, and employs members of, the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is based on the ESOMAR principles.