How Mobile Is Transforming Product Search — And Why Voice May Be Next

More than a quarter century after the introduction of Archie, considered by historians the first web search engine, search is still an integral component of the digital user experience. Search boxes — models of design simplicity comprising nothing more than a text input field and submit button (and, sometimes, a magnifying glass icon for flair) — are fixtures of virtually every content-rich website, enabling consumers to pinpoint anything and everything they’re seeking in a matter of keystrokes. Search tools are especially critical to shopper satisfaction, according to a new study conducted by omnichannel personalization services provider RichRelevance. Among the roughly 1,000 U.S. online consumers surveyed last month, 83% said the search box is “important” or “extremely important” to them when shopping on a retailer’s web or mobile site, and 76% said they “always” or “often” use the search box when visiting a merchant site. Read more at Retail Dive.