Search is more than a box with an icon
Imagine walking into a huge department store to find a specific item. There are no signs or directions – only an information desk where someone can point you in the right direction.
On your e‑shop, the search bar plays a similar role. It can behave in two different ways: either it first offers a selection of specific products via autocomplete and then optionally sends the user to the full results, or it immediately displays the full search results page (SERP) upon search activation.
Both paths lead to a product, but each is better suited for a different situation and customer type.
Two layers of one search experience
At Search Ready, we work with two core approaches to on-site search:
Autocomplete / Suggester
- It is activated directly in the e-shop search box and immediately shows a limited amount of products, categories, brands, or articles.
- It's a fast shortcut: someone types “Stephen King”, sees a list of books by the author, clicks the newest title, and purchases.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
- A dedicated page with full results, faceted filtering, sorting options, pagination, and rich product information.
- It shines when customers need to compare, filter, and decide between dozens of options, for example, when searching for “dog food”.
In both cases, the same algorithms and business logic run in the background. What changes is how much control you hand over to the customer.
One‑step vs. two‑step search: when to use which
Choosing between “autocomplete first and then SERP” and “straight to SERP” is primarily a strategic decision.
Two‑step search: autocomplete as an intermediate step
The customer begins typing. Autocomplete immediately offers specific products. If they find the right item, they jump to the product detail with a single click. If not, pressing Enter takes them to the SERP. This is well suited for e-shops where people often look for precise models or brands and want to purchase as quickly as possible (e.g., bookstores, popular branded goods).
One‑step search: straight to SERP
This makes sense for e-shops where people mainly search for general queries (“dog food”, “work gloves”), or wherever the customer needs to think more, compare parameters, and work with detailed filters – typically technical and B2B catalogues.
The goal is to find a balance between a fast shortcut to a single product and space for a well-thought-out decision.
How it plays out in real life
Fast purchase of a specific product
A shopper is looking for “the latest Stephen King novel”. Autocomplete shows books by this author, highlighting the newest release as the first option. One click is enough, and they put the product in the cart or go to the product detail.
Broad assortment and the need for filtering
For a query like “dog food”, most customers want to see the full range: different pack sizes, flavours, sorting by price or popularity. Here, autocomplete tends to slow them down, and the SERP with faceted filtering is crucial.
Technical and B2B products
For technical components, precise parameters, dimensions, and compatibility are decisive. The customer needs a clear listing, detailed information, and strong filters, not just a visual preview. Direct entry to the SERP is usually the most effective route here.
How to find what works for you: A/B testing
There is no universal answer. Instead of relying on feelings, it is better to rely on data.
How testing works:
- We prepare two search variants: one with autocomplete as an intermediate step and one with direct entry to the SERP.
- We split the traffic between both versions.
- We send all data to Google Analytics, where we measure the impact on key metrics (conversion rate, revenue, order value).
The result is a clear answer to the question of which strategy in your segment and with your customers truly increases search performance and revenue.
What Search Ready can do for you
At Search Ready, we view internal search as an active sales tool, not just a passive box on the page. We help you set up the right combination of autocomplete and SERP, test different variants, and continuously tune them according to real data from your e-shop.
Do you have search that genuinely sells, or just a box that completes words?
Book a consultation with us and we'll show you how to choose a search strategy that will bring the greatest growth to your e-shop.
