Most consumers say retail website search functions need 'upgrade'
Many consumers are dissatisfied with product discovery and search experiences on retail websites.
Search and product discovery platform Constructor’s second annual State of Ecommerce Search and Product Discovery Report found that more than four-in-10 online shoppers (42%) give product discovery experiences on retail websites a "C" grade or below. Similarly, nearly seven-in-10 (68%) said the search functions on retail websites need an upgrade.
The survey, which included 900 shoppers in the U.S. and the U.K., found that 44% of shoppers say it takes at least three minutes to go through search results and locate the product they need. For more than one-in-five (21%) respondents, it takes at least eight minutes, and only a quarter of shoppers (24%) describe finding products online as "quick."
More than four-in-10 (41%) shoppers say they have to "frequently" or "always" reformulate search queries to get e-commerce search engines to understand what they mean, while a large majority (85%) do so at least "sometimes."
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Nearly half (44%) of those surveyed say that when they shop with their favorite retailer online, the site treats them like a “total stranger” — with generic recommendations and a total lack of personalization across the buyer journey. Less than a third (32%) say finding products online is "enjoyable.”
"Good product discovery experiences literally pay off," said Nate Roy, strategic director of e-commerce innovation at Constructor. "The bar for a good digital experience continues to rise, and successful retailers work to meet and exceed shopper expectations. As technology and cost barriers drop, it's even easier for retailers to make incremental changes that measurably improve both the shopper experience and business results."
Additional findings from Constructor’s survey includes the following:
- More than six-in-10 shoppers (61%) do at least half of their online shopping from their mobile device, and one-in-five shoppers (21%) do all their online shopping via mobile.
- More than half of shoppers (51%) say they've tried ChatGPT and other GenAI tools (Bing Chat, Google Bard, etc.) in their daily lives — up significantly from 29% last year.
- Eighty percent of shoppers "often" or "sometimes" go to e-commerce websites unsure of what to buy (When they're looking for a gift, starting a new hobby, etc.). Nearly a third (32%) of respondents say when they're unsure what to buy, retail sites make it "somewhat difficult" or "nearly impossible" to find the right item(s).
- When they're unsure, more than six-in-10 shoppers (61% — and 44% of those 60-years-old and up) would "definitely" or "probably" be willing to let an AI shopping assistant help them.
