The transparency of the purchasing process is one of the key factors influencing the volume and frequency of sales in B2B online store. Users of such a system attach great importance to the quality of product information and the time they spend on finding it. For this reason, a B2B Internet store should have a properly prepared search engine providing contractors with an easy and quick way to find the products they are interested in.  So what should be the search engine to actively support sales? How to create it and above all, what effects to expect?

Searching by keywords

The main task of the search engine is for the client to find an item from the assortment he would like to learn more about, and ultimately buy.  This means that it should be a tool that will efficiently filter the goods according to keywords. For example: by name, assortment, manufacturer, status, EAN code, SKU code, catalog number and description. The more search possibilities are available to the customer, the more accurate results will be displayed.

Searching by product features

You can additionally search by product features. This is a very useful option, thanks to which it is possible to find the item by its attributes, e.g. material, size, color, manufacturer. In this case, the search engine can take the form of a set of filters allowing you to select the appropriate parameters or form. This will allow to define many attributes describing the product. In this way, the displayed results will be more precise and consistent with customer needs.

Autocomplete feature

Another possibility, which is necessary during the search process, is the auto-complete phrase function. The client may not know or remember the exact phrase for the position he is looking for. While entering the name into the search engine, product proposals will be displayed after the first letters. Along with the number of letters you enter, they will be more precise. In the B2B platform it is a great convenience for customers looking for products by SKU codes. Thanks to this solution there is no need to enter long strings of numbers manually. Such auto-completion eliminates the risk of typing errors and saves customers valuable time. It is also worth to provide here the option not to erase the phrase after its approval in order to further refine it. This allows you to quickly receive information about available proposals, narrowing the number of proposals to more precise results.

Autocorrection

Another important option is automatic phrase correction. This is a very useful functionality that will allow the customer to find the product he is looking for faster despite the incorrect entering of its name. Correcting typos or small errors will save the client’s time, without having to re-enter the same phrase again. Additionally, thanks to the function of distinguishing synonyms, the same results will be displayed for both the official product name and its less popular terms or close words. Intelligent self-correction is already a standard we are used to with other programs or search engines. Therefore, the application of this solution on the B2B platform will significantly improve customer comfort.

Context search

Contextual search is also a great convenience. It consists in the fact that by entering words, the user receives a drop-down list of product hints related to the entered phrase. They suggest the most optimal suggestions and, in a way, predict the user’s intentions. The hints can be created on the basis of the search data of previous users who were also looking for this product. The currently available items from the offer are displayed, containing the keywords entered by the customer in different contexts. They can be displayed together with thumbnails or in a more advanced variant, with technical parameters of products. This will help the customer to get an idea of the current assortment before searching for it. Thus, they will have a better overview of the relevant product options, which will make it easier for them to make the final decision about the purchase.

B2B online store with intuitive search engine – what to pay attention to

The search engine interface itself plays an important role. The correct and intuitive way of constructing and locating it is one of the main keys to sales success on the B2B platform. It is the first place to which the customer is directed in the store. It should therefore be immediately visible and placed in an area that is not reserved for other modules or information making it difficult to find it.  Additionally, it must clearly direct the user to a specific action, e.g. by typing the appropriate product into a text field signed “type what you are looking for here” or “search in the store”.

The great importance of a well-built search engine is evidenced by the fact that about 50% of customers leave the B2B online store when they cannot find the product after entering the command into the search engine. It is an essential and strategic element of the sales process as it puts the customer on the path leading to purchase. The functions it can offer influence the customer’s further actions on the store. Missing or wrong search result discourages the user and introduces frustration resulting in interruption of activities on the site, while an easy and clear process suggesting possible options to the customer, distinguishing synonyms and correcting minor typing mistakes will make the time spent on the platform associated with easy and intuitive operation. So let’s provide our customers with the best solutions resulting in better accuracy of results, which will translate into higher sales on the B2B platform.

If you want to know what additional features will increase sales in your B2B online store, write to us.