Consumers no longer browse when they come to an eCommerce site; instead, they will search for the product(s) they want. When consumers land on a Shopify merchant website, they want to immediately find the product that they’re searching for. If a consumer cannot find the product that they are searching for immediately after landing on a Shopify merchant website, there is a good chance that the consumer will leave the Shopify website without making a purchase.

Shopify’s default search capability provides a very basic ability to search for product(s); however, as the merchant’s product catalog continues to grow and as consumer expectations continue to increase, default search does not meet the demands/expectations of consumers. This is why using Shopify custom search is so important.

Why Shopify’s Default Search Isn’t Enough

By design, Shopify’s default search is simple & limited; however, as you grow your store, you will run into common limitations with default search. For example:

• Search results are irrelevant or poorly ranked.
• Does not include synonyms or intent
• Limited filtering options
• No tolerance for typos
• Little to no search analytics

When this occurs, it creates a poor experience for customers that could lead to searches being abandoned and potential loss of sales.

Today’s shoppers have high expectations for search—they expect to search like they do on Amazon, which is precisely what custom search provides.

What Is Shopify Custom Search?

Shopify custom search is an AI-powered searchable product catalog that can either replace or enhance the native experience. Custom search understands user intent/behavior, learns by observing user behavior, and updates search results to increase revenue potential.

A properly configured custom search solution will allow merchants to:

• Manage product ranking
• Increase search result relevance
• Provide intelligent filtering capabilities
• Personalize search result experience
• Measure revenue generated from search activity

How Custom Search Improves Conversions

Visitors to your site from search engines convert two to three times higher than other visitors do, as long as the overall search experience is positive and productive for your customers. Custom searches have an impact on:

Quicker Product Discovery.
Examples of features that improve product discovery are autocomplete, instant search results, and the ability to search with typographical errors.

More Effective Filters.
By providing the ability to filter by various criteria (e.g., price, size, color, tags, availability, and collection), customers can refine their search results quickly.

Improved Ranking of Products.
Custom ranking can provide customers the best availability for their search using price margins, in-stock inventory, and best sellers instead of just keywords. 4. Personalized Searching: Search Made Smarter through AI/Prediction Based on User Behavior, Location, and Trends.

Enhanced Personalization of Products.
Using AI technology, the custom search engine can also provide personalized products based on customer activity, geographical location, and current trends.

Fewer Users Leaving the Site.
When customers can find what they are looking for quickly, they remain on the site longer and make additional purchases.

Why Shopify Merchants Choose Expertrec for Custom Search

For business owners looking to grow their store, Expertrec is an effective custom search solution that provides performance without complicity. Unlike other “basic” search tools, Expertrec was built with speed, intelligence, and control in mind.

Some of the key advantages of using Expertrec:

• AI-powered search engine offers highly relevant results by understanding the user’s search intent rather than simply filling in their list of keyword(s).
• Advanced autocomplete & suggestions real-time suggestions on products, collections, and popular searches.
• Fully customizable UI are able to match your store’s design without writing a bunch of lines of code.
• Smart filters & facets provides fast, responsive product discovery through advanced filtering capabilities.
• Analytics that matter allows you to track what users searched for, zero results, conversion rate, and revenue from search.
• Easy integration with Shopify works seamlessly with any existing Shopify theme with no complicated setup process necessary.

Custom Search vs. Default Shopify Search

Who Should Use Shopify Custom Search?

The use of Shopify Custom Search should be made by:

• Stores with expansive catalogs
• Fashion, electronics, and D2C brands
• Big traffic Shopify stores
• Sellers putting effort into CRO and UX
• Businesses that are scaling past the core functionality of Shopify.

If you have customers using the search bar on your site, then upgrading to custom search can provide one of the highest ROIs of all optimizations that you can implement in your store.

Final Thoughts

Search is no longer just a function/feature but a method of generating sales.

With Shopify Custom Search, online merchants can help potential customers move faster and more accurately from the intent-to-buy stage to actual purchase using better searching by providing better search functionality.

With providers like Expertrec, Shopify store owners gain the ability to compete in today’s experience-driven digital commerce world by having the flexibility, intelligence, and insight needed to succeed.

If customers are searching on your website, make sure that your store has the capability and intelligence necessary to provide the best response to your customers.