Despite the benefits of proper filtering, most retail websites offer a negative filtering experience. In fact, one research suggested that 34 percent of websites have a poor system, limiting the users’ ability to browse and sort through products. Only 16 percent of major e-commerce sites provide visitors with a reasonably good filtering experience.
This could cost retailers a lot of potential revenue. A bad filtering system confuses and frustrates visitors, causing them to abandon the website. This particularly affects those websites that have thousands of products and items on display. PR Caffeine discusses more about the importance of filtering in commerce sites.
The Thematic Filter
Many e-commerce websites don’t have thematic filters, even with products with thematic attributes such as style and season. Without this type of filtering option, viewing only the products of interest will be time-consuming for consumers. Lack of thematic filters usually leads to website abandonment as users may immediately conclude that the store does not have the items they are looking for.
The Compatibility Filters
Compatibility filters are one of the most important filtering types, as they give customers access to a list of products that are compatible with the product they own or want to purchase. Such filters are prerequisite for finding and purchasing matching or compatible products. It is important that product categories that contain compatibility-dependent items should have compatibility filter for better specification.
The Right Filter for Consumers
Retail website owners can benefit from creating specific filters for the most popular categories. It is not advisable to just rely on simple filter options like size and color. Think of what people want to differentiate among hundreds of items. Website filters should also be presented in a way that is easy and convenient for the users to understand.
Proper filtering makes it easy for customers to sort through hundreds of products and see those that match their individual needs and interests. This is why improving the filtering system for a retail site can have a huge effect on how many items customers view and buy from the website.