Product suggestions on empty search results: +30.7% conversion
Test run byVisuallyTesting and CRO tool
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsShowing relevant products when a site search returned no matches lifted conversion rate by 30.7% for Laura Geller Beauty.
Visually ran this test on its platform with the Laura Geller team and published it as a Visually case study.
The lift was most likely measured on shoppers who hit an empty search, not on all visitors.
- Conversion rate: +30.7%.
- The case study doesn't say which visitors were counted. It is probably shoppers who reached an empty search, so expect a smaller effect on the site-wide rate.
The change
The variant adds product suggestions to the empty search page.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
When a search found no matches, shoppers saw an empty results page with nowhere obvious to go next.
Variant
The no-results page showed relevant products, turning a dead end into a chance to browse.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- A blank page gives a shopper with buying intent no next step, so many leave.
- Shoppers who search are often ready to buy, so even a near match can save the sale.
- Suggestions also hint at what the store does stock, which helps people rephrase or pick an alternative.
Caveats: This is a vendor case study, and sample size, duration and significance were not shared. The audience the 30.7% applies to was not stated.
Who ran it
Visually ran this test for Laura Geller Beauty and published the results (Visually case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Visually →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we show relevant products on no-results search pages, then more searchers will buy because they get a next step instead of a dead end.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate of visitors who hit a no-results search
- Guardrails
- Exit rate from the search results page
- Revenue per visitor
- Search refinement rate
- Who should test it
- Stores with a decent volume of site search, especially where shoppers use shade names, slang or competitor terms. If few searches return nothing, the overall gain will be small.
Questions
What should a no-results search page show?
Show products shoppers are likely to want, such as bestsellers or close matches.
Laura Geller Beauty saw a 30.7% conversion lift when it did this.
How do I find out how often searches return nothing?
Most analytics tools and search apps can report searches with zero results.
Check that list before testing, as it also tells you which products or terms to cover.
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