Contents
A well-designed store finder page is essential for any omnichannel retailer. In this post, we discuss how to optimise store locator design to deliver the best user experience online to drive footfall in store.
For more on UX Take a look at our post comparing our 10 favourite store finders.
Selecting the right search filters
Selecting the right filters depends on the user’s decision-making criteria when choosing a store. A sports retailer may choose to add a filter for the different types of sports equipment available, whereas a supermarket may add a check box for in-store chemist facilities. There’s no secret formula, but testing is essential to find the sweet spot between too many / not enough results. Using different coupon downloads can help you monitor which has helped drive footfall.
Top tips:
- Add filter options in stages rather than upfront. For inspiration check out how Amazon adds filters in stages, rather than bombarding customers with too many choices on the search page
- Try dropdowns, sliders and checkboxes to deliver the best user experience
- Use a smart autocomplete API within the location field – Fuzzy matching by Postcode Anywhere is great!
Store finder credit: Sainsburys
Showing the most relevant search results
The order of results depends on the relevance of each store. The easiest way to calculate a result’s relevance is by calculating the straight-line distance from the point of origin to each store’s location. It’s also possible to sort results by journey time using an API such as TravelTime. UK job portal, Jobsite, found that results are 60% more geographically relevant when sorted this way.
Top tips:
- Display important store information alongside each result – opening times, facilities and more
- Limit the amount of results displayed on a map for a clean visual design
- Use an interactive map so that results change as the user moves the map
Store finder credit: Starbucks
Turning intent into revenue with mobile
Studies from Google and Comscore say that mobile users are more likely to take action and visit a store or make a purchase. Designing a perfect site for would-be shoppers requires the store finder page to be intuitive, engaging and informative.
Top tips:
- Use geo-location to speed up the search process
- Monitor mobile site load speeds to reduce bounce rates
- Sort search results by travel time for quick decision-making
- Provide directions on the page or link to a routing app
Store finder credit: Sports Direct
Learn more
Get inspiration from some of the best site search eCommerce sites including hotel search, property search and job search. Check out this search blog post for more or download our site search e-book.