XiriGo Admin DocsSearch & Merchandising
Search analytics, query insights, synonyms, redirects, and merchandising rules to optimize the customer search experience.
Search & Merchandising
The Search module gives admins visibility into how customers search for products and tools to optimize the search experience. It combines analytics dashboards with merchandising configuration for synonyms, redirects, and result manipulation.
Search Analytics Dashboard
The analytics dashboard provides insights into search behavior across the marketplace:
Key Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Searches | Number of search queries performed in the selected period |
| Unique Queries | Number of distinct search terms used |
| Avg. Results per Query | Average number of products returned per search |
| Zero-Result Rate | Percentage of searches that returned no results |
| Search-to-Click Rate | Percentage of searches where the user clicked a result |
| Search-to-Purchase Rate | Percentage of searches that led to a purchase |
| Avg. Click Position | Average position of the clicked result in the list |
Top Queries
A ranked list of the most frequently used search terms:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Query | The search term |
| Count | Number of times searched |
| Results | Average number of results returned |
| CTR | Click-through rate for this query |
| Conversion | Percentage of searches for this query that led to a purchase |
Focus optimization efforts on high-volume queries with low CTR or conversion rates. These represent the biggest opportunities to improve the search experience.
Zero-Result Queries
Queries that returned no results represent gaps in the catalog or missing synonyms:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Query | The search term that returned zero results |
| Count | Number of times this query was searched |
| Last Searched | Most recent occurrence |
| Action | Quick action buttons: add synonym, create redirect |
A high zero-result rate (above 10%) indicates significant gaps in search coverage. Address the top zero-result queries by adding synonyms, expanding product titles/descriptions, or creating redirects.
Search Funnel
Visualize the search-to-purchase funnel:
Customer enters a search query. Track: total searches, unique queries.
Search results are displayed. Track: results count, zero-result rate.
Customer clicks a product from search results. Track: CTR, average click position.
Customer adds the product to their cart. Track: add-to-cart rate from search.
Customer completes the purchase. Track: search-to-purchase conversion rate.
Popular Filters
Track which filters customers use most frequently when refining search results:
| Filter | Usage Count | Conversion Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Category | How often the category filter is used | Conversion rate when filter is applied |
| Price Range | How often price filtering is used | Conversion rate when filter is applied |
| Brand | How often brand filtering is used | Conversion rate when filter is applied |
| Rating | How often rating filtering is used | Conversion rate when filter is applied |
| Vendor | How often vendor filtering is used | Conversion rate when filter is applied |
Search Health Monitoring
Monitor the overall health and performance of the search system:
| Indicator | Healthy | Warning | Critical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response time (p95) | < 200ms | 200-500ms | > 500ms |
| Zero-result rate | < 5% | 5-10% | > 10% |
| Index freshness | < 5 min behind | 5-30 min behind | > 30 min behind |
| Query error rate | < 0.1% | 0.1-1% | > 1% |
Synonyms
Synonyms ensure that alternative terms for the same concept return the same results.
Synonym Types
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way | Both terms are interchangeable | "phone" = "mobile" (searching either returns the same results) |
| One-way | Searching term A also returns results for term B, but not vice versa | "smartphone" → "phone" (searching "smartphone" also finds "phone" results) |
Managing Synonyms
View all configured synonym rules.
Click Create Synonym. Select the type (two-way or one-way) and enter the terms.
Use the search preview tool to verify the synonym works as expected before saving.
The synonym rule takes effect within minutes as the search index updates.
Common synonym pairs to configure for a Malta marketplace: "mobile/phone", "laptop/notebook", "sneakers/trainers", "jumper/sweater", "tap/faucet", "dummy/pacifier".
Redirects
Redirects send customers to a specific page when they search for a particular term, bypassing normal search results.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Query | The search term that triggers the redirect |
| Destination | URL to redirect to (category page, product page, campaign page, or external URL) |
| Match Type | Exact match or contains match |
| Active | Whether the redirect is currently active |
Use Cases
- Brand searches → brand collection page (e.g., "Apple" → Apple brand page)
- Campaign searches → campaign landing page (e.g., "summer sale" → summer campaign page)
- Support queries → help page (e.g., "return policy" → returns policy page)
- Misspellings → correct destination
Merchandising Rules
Merchandising rules allow admins to manually influence search result ranking for specific queries.
Rule Types
| Rule | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pin | Force a product to appear at a specific position in results | Pin "Featured Laptop" at position 1 for "laptop" searches |
| Boost | Increase a product's ranking for a query | Boost all "Premium" vendor products for "headphones" |
| Bury | Lower a product's ranking for a query | Bury low-rated products for "gift" searches |
| Hide | Remove a product from results for a query | Hide out-of-season items from "jacket" searches |
| Filter | Apply automatic filters to a query | Auto-filter "kids shoes" to the Children's category |
Creating a Merchandising Rule
Enter the search query (or queries) this rule applies to. Supports exact match and wildcard patterns.
Choose pin, boost, bury, hide, or filter.
For pin/boost/bury/hide: select specific products or define conditions (category, brand, vendor, attribute). For filter: select the filter values to apply automatically.
If multiple rules apply to the same query, priority determines which takes precedence. Optionally set a validity period.
Save the rule and use the search preview to verify the results look correct.
Merchandising rules are powerful but should be used judiciously. Over-merchandising can make search results feel unnatural. Focus on high-traffic queries where manual curation adds clear value.