Study: Online product searchers often end up converting to sales
Online shoppers who make searches on e-commerce sites end up having a large impact on sales.
A new study from product search and discovery platform Constructor found that searchers make up 24% of e-commerce visitors, however, they drive 44% of total site revenue. Searchers generate 45% of sites' add-to-cart activity and 42% of conversions. They also convert at two-and-a-half times the rate of consumers who visit an e-commerce site and don’t search for products.
"Returning results that are relevant to the query is just the beginning — the real goal is connecting people to what they actually want to buy," said Constructor CEO Eli Finkelshteyn. "Let's say two shoppers go to a site and search for 'men's jeans.' Chances are, though, they're not looking for the same thing. Yet traditional keyword-based engines don't distinguish. They match the word 'jeans' and deem all types relevant — putting the burden on the shopper to wade through.”
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Across several major retail categories, searchers consistently drive a disproportionate share of sales, according to Constructor.
Health & beauty
- Searchers make up 25% of e-commerce traffic — but drive 55% of add-to-cart activity and 57% of site revenue.
- Searchers have an add-to-cart rate of 49% (more than double that of non-searchers at 23%) and conversion rate of 17% (nearly triple that of non-searchers at 6%).
Apparel
- Searchers account for 21% of e-commerce traffic — but generate 34% of add-to-cart activity and 33% of site revenue.
- Searchers have an add-to-cart rate of 37% (vs. non-searchers at 22%) and conversion rate of 13% (more than double that of non-searchers at 6%).
General merchandise
- Searchers represent 41% of e-commerce traffic — yet drive 63% of add-to-cart activity and 61% of site revenue.
- Searchers have an add-to-cart rate of 30% (compared to non-searchers at 21%) and conversion rate of 15% (more than double that of non-searchers at 7%).
Home
- Searchers make up 14% of e-commerce traffic — but contribute 39% of add-to-cart activity and 42% of site revenue.
- Searchers have an add-to-cart rate of 30% (nearly triple that of non-searchers at 11%) and conversion rate of 11% (nearly triple that of non-searchers at 4%).
Specialty & hobby
- Searchers represent 26% of e-commerce traffic — yet generate 57% of add-to-cart activity and 49% of site revenue.
- Searchers have an add-to-cart rate of 25% (more than double that of non-searchers at 12%) and conversion rate of 12% (triple that of non-searchers at 4%).
For its report, Constructor analyzed 609 million online shopper searches, responsible for $9.8 billion in revenue, across 113 global retail sites between October and December 2024.
