Site Search & Navigation Optimisation for Ecommerce: Help Customers Find Products

Key Takeaways

• 43 to 45% of e-commerce visitors head straight to search and these searchers convert 2 to 5 times better than browsers

• Poor navigation drives half of shoppers away because they can't work out where to go

• Only 16% of major sites offer decent mobile filtering which is costing you mobile sales

• Autocomplete boosts conversions by 17 to 24% by helping shoppers find products faster

• Zero-result pages are revenue killers where every "no results" page loses a potential sale

• Filter ordering directly impacts usage with the right sequence dramatically improving discovery

Why E-commerce Search and Navigation Matter More Than You Think

When shoppers land on your e-commerce site, they're on a mission. They want to find what they need quickly, add it to basket, and get on with their day. If your site search and navigation make that difficult? They'll simply go elsewhere.

Here's the thing about search that might surprise you. Roughly 43 to 45% of your visitors will use your search bar as their primary way to navigate, and these people are 2 to 5 times more likely to buy than browsers. Yet we still see UK e-commerce businesses running basic search that struggles with typos, offers no suggestions, and frequently returns zero results. That's not just frustrating for shoppers. It's money walking out the door.

Why Site Search Matters for E-commerce Revenue

Look, when we analyse e-commerce sites, search users consistently represent a disproportionate share of revenue. Between 43 to 45% of visitors use search navigation, and up to 80% rely on it throughout their sessions. These high-intent users convert 2 to 5 times higher than browsers. We've seen search improvements with autocomplete jump desktop conversions by 50%.

Poor navigation actively hurts sales. Half of shoppers abandon sites with confusing navigation, and 13% won't return. With retail bounce rates around 40 to 50%, unclear paths absolutely kill conversions.

Mobile amplifies these challenges quite significantly. Only 16% of major sites provide what you'd call genuinely good mobile filtering. The rest? They're losing sales. Improving mobile UX can reduce bounces by 30%, which is massive for any online shop.

We've seen this firsthand working with e-commerce businesses like Nite Watches and OYOY Living Design. When shoppers find products without frustration, they complete purchases. Simple as that.

Getting E-commerce Navigation Right

Mega menus have become the standard for larger catalogues, and for good reason. UK retailers like John Lewis use organised panels per department with clear sub-category columns. Someone looking for cookware? They jump straight there rather than clicking through multiple levels. Proper timesaving, that.

Category hierarchy needs balance. Two to three levels work for most shops. Shoes might split by gender and occasion rather than those internal classifications that confuse customers trying to actually buy something.

Breadcrumb navigation keeps shoppers oriented. Links showing "Home > Women > Dresses > Midi Dresses" provide constant context. Seems like a small detail, but it makes a real difference.

Desktop and mobile need different approaches entirely. Desktop uses horizontal navigation with hover menus. Mobile works better with hamburger menus. The key here? Design mobile first, then expand for desktop.

Making E-commerce Site Search Work

Basic keyword search isn't good enough anymore. Shoppers expect search that understands intent. That's where autocomplete comes in.

Autocomplete suggests relevant queries, categories, and products as people type, increasing conversions by 17 to 24%. It reduces zero-result queries by steering users towards terms your catalogue actually satisfies. Keep suggestions manageable though, otherwise you'll overwhelm people.

Modern sites surface recent searches and trending queries. ASOS does this well. Someone types "dress" and it branches into "midi dress" or "occasion dress", helping shoppers refine intent.

Actually, typo tolerance and synonym handling are critical because people rarely search with perfect spelling. Your search needs fuzzy matching for misspellings and synonym dictionaries. We review these regularly with clients to keep them current.

Zero-results pages? Major conversion leaks. Effective pages offer alternative spellings, related queries, and popular products. The goal is keeping shoppers moving rather than hitting a dead end.

Through our collaborative approach, we help e-commerce sites offer search-within-results and filtering from search pages.

Filter Design for E-commerce Shoppers

Common filter types (price, brand, size, colour, rating, availability) seem obvious but need thoughtful implementation. For clothing, size, colour, fit, brand, and price are essential. For electronics, specs like storage matter most. The foundation? Solid product data structure.

Faceted navigation lets shoppers refine by multiple attributes simultaneously. Someone can filter "men's trainers, size 10, black, under £80" far more efficiently than clicking through endless sub-categories. We've implemented this across various e-commerce catalogues, from fashion retailers to lifestyle brands, and the improvement in product discovery is consistently significant.

Filter ordering impacts usage significantly. High-impact facets should sit at the top. Niche filters sit lower. On desktop, filters run down the left side. On mobile, they hide in panels via "Filter" buttons. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Multi-select checkboxes are standard. Shoppers tick multiple brands or sizes in one go. Single-select works for sort order or delivery.

We always recommend displaying active filters as removable chips with a "Clear all" link. This helps people understand why they're seeing certain results.

Mobile Navigation for E-commerce

Mobile behaviour differs significantly from desktop, which is why we design for mobile first in all our e-commerce projects. Hamburger menus tuck away navigation on small screens. ASOS uses full-screen panels with category lists. Spot on approach.

Bottom navigation bars surface core actions (Home, Search, Basket) within easy thumb reach. Some retailers combine bottom bars with hamburger menus. Best of both worlds.

Sticky navigation keeps search and basket visible as users scroll. Use carefully though.

Filter drawers solve space limits brilliantly. "Filter" buttons open drawers with large checkboxes (minimum 44x44 pixels) and generous padding. Prominent "Apply" buttons update results without losing context.

Touch-friendly tap targets aren't optional. They're essential. Many UK retailers make search the primary mobile method with prominent search bars, and we've found this works particularly well.

Working with e-commerce brands like Snackfully and Rake Online, we've seen how mobile-first navigation improves conversion. The difference in bounce rates can be quite dramatic when navigation actually works for how people use their phones.

Product Discovery Beyond Search

Category pages need clean grids with prominent imagery, clear pricing, and useful badges. Brief copy clarifies scope. Choose between infinite scroll, load-more buttons, or pagination based on your catalogue.

"You may also like" suggestions powered by behavioural data help shoppers find adjacent products. Targeted recommendations increase average order value whilst keeping users engaged. Rather effective, we've found.

Trending products and recently viewed items reduce friction. Trending items guide indecisive shoppers. Recently viewed carousels help users revisit products, especially valuable on mobile.

Infinite scroll keeps exploration flowing but can create footer issues. Load-more buttons let users fetch results deliberately. Pagination supports progress.

Measuring E-commerce Performance

Right, let's talk analytics. Site search analytics show what shoppers want and where your search fails. Track sessions using search, top terms, exit rate, and zero-results rate. We compare search user conversion versus non-searchers to quantify actual optimisation value.

Navigation click tracking reveals how people move through hierarchies. High clicks but low conversion? That suggests poor naming, misplaced products, or missing filters.

Filter usage analytics show which facets users rely on. Heavily used buried filters deserve promotion. Rarely used filters might be removed to simplify things.

Exit rates from categories highlight bottlenecks. Many exits without product views suggest irrelevant grids or misaligned naming. We segment by device to spot mobile-specific issues.

Compare mobile versus desktop performance because behaviours differ dramatically. Mobile users rely more on search and are far more sensitive to small targets. Track separately to identify where improvements are needed most.

Common E-commerce Mistakes Costing Sales

Too many filters at once create clutter and decision paralysis. Focus on attributes that genuinely matter per category. Less is more here.

Poor mobile navigation (tiny targets, difficult drawers, desktop patterns on mobile) drives shoppers away. Design specifically for phones, not scaled-down desktop.

Missing autocomplete or weak typo handling causes zero-results and abandonment. Your search must handle how people actually search. This is baseline now, not a luxury feature.

Generic category labels reflecting internal structure confuse shoppers. Categories should match shopping patterns, not warehouse systems.

Not monitoring analytics means issues persist. Review search queries and navigation paths monthly.

Getting Professional E-commerce Help

Getting search and navigation right isn't about implementing every feature. It's about understanding how your customers shop and removing friction from their purchase journey.

Start with basics: ensure your search handles typos, offers autocomplete, and avoids zero results. Make mobile navigation use appropriate touch targets with visible filters. Use analytics to find where shoppers get stuck.

At Lucky Penny, we take a collaborative approach to e-commerce improvements. We work closely with you to understand your catalogue, customers, and goals. Our handpicked specialists bring focused expertise without traditional agency overhead, delivering practical improvements that move conversion needles.

Through our transparent approach, we help businesses identify friction points and implement targeted improvements. Working with clients like Rake Online and OYOY Living Design, we've seen how strategic changes to search relevance or filter design significantly impact how easily customers find products and complete purchases.

Get in touch and let's make every click count for your business.

Stay Classy

Tom Griffiths

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of e-commerce visitors use site search?

Between 43 to 45% of visitors go straight to search, and up to 80% use it as their primary navigation. These users convert 2 to 5 times higher than non-searchers, making search optimisation highly impactful for revenue.

Why are mobile bounce rates higher than desktop?

Only 16% of major sites provide genuinely good mobile filtering. Cramped filters, hidden menus, and small touch targets push up bounces. Improving mobile UX can reduce bounces by 30%, which translates to real revenue.

How much does autocomplete improve conversions?

Autocomplete increases conversions by 17 to 24% by suggesting queries, categories, and products as users type. It reduces zero-results and shortens the path to purchase considerably.

What filters matter most?

It depends entirely on your category. Fashion needs size and colour prioritised. Electronics need price and specs upfront. Consistent product data is foundational. Order high-impact facets first where shoppers naturally look.

How do I reduce zero-result pages?

Implement proper typo tolerance and synonym handling. Show alternative spellings, related queries, popular products, and category shortcuts. Review search analytics regularly to fix persistent patterns before they cost you sales.