Internal Search 2025: internal search keeps growing and driving web conversions

Search is not a secondary feature

According to research conducted by the Baymard Institute:

• 30% of users report using search every time they visit an e-commerce site
• 52% use it frequently
• Only 3% say they rarely or never use it

These figures highlight that for over 80% of users, the search bar is a habitual, almost default tool.

What the 2025 data shows: users who use internal search convert four to six times more

A comparative analysis conducted on a sample of 20 e-commerce sites showed that sessions involving the use of internal search record significantly higher conversion rates compared to the overall site average.

Users who use the search bar show a greater propensity to purchase, and this dynamic is particularly evident in the Beauty sector, where search precision — often tied to product categories, active ingredients or specific needs — makes the search function a fundamental element for sales performance. In this sector, despite the tool being used by only 7.8% of users, internal search generates almost a third of total revenue (31.8% of revenue), and the Conversion Rate of users who use search reaches 4.9%, more than four times higher than the 1.1% recorded in standard browsing.

The effectiveness of internal search is also evident in other sectors:

• Sport: search contributes to 19.2% of total revenue, with a session Conversion Rate of 3.3%, compared to a site average of 0.5% — an increase of almost six times, highlighting the importance of search in guiding users towards purchase.
• Apparel & Shoes: even in a sector traditionally driven by visual browsing, search proves significant. Although accounting for only 4.7% of sessions, users who use the search bar generate 23.0% of the total transaction value, demonstrating how the ability to quickly find the desired product substantially shortens the sales funnel.

Overall, users who rely on internal search convert on average four to six times more. The search bar therefore represents one of the highest-value strategic touchpoints across the entire platform.

Mobile and Desktop in 2025: different usage, same importance

An analysis of performance by device type reveals complementary dynamics that confirm the importance of a consistent, omnichannel search experience. This is not merely a matter of design, but of responding to profoundly different user behaviours between desktop and mobile.

Mobile: search is a shortcut to purchase

On smartphones, internal search is generally used more frequently. This reflects the very nature of the experience on smaller screens: compressed menus and less straightforward navigation paths make the search bar a natural shortcut to the desired product.

Users who use the search bar convert at rates ranging from 0.9% in the luxury sector to 4.5% in beauty, compared to a standard browsing average of between 0.1% and 1%.

Sessions with search generate between 17.0% and 33.8% of mobile revenue, with the best results found — beyond Beauty — also in Apparel & Shoes.

As part of a study on mobile search layout, we tested several interface solutions, and the data shows that an immediately visible search bar increases search sessions by between 15% and 42%, with a proportional impact on transactions.

Desktop: purchase finalisation

On desktop, where exploratory browsing is more straightforward, search remains crucial for finalising decisions users have already made. The Conversion Rate for sessions with search ranges between 1.5% and 6.7%, compared to a standard average of between 0.33% and 1.63%, with the highest results again in Beauty and the lowest in Luxury — where a more minimal aesthetic tends to be maintained, at the expense of visibility and usability.

In terms of revenue, search contributes between 17.0% and 27.9% of desktop turnover.

Our tests show that optimised search — from search bar design to clear results display — can increase search sessions by 20%, with a consequent uplift in Conversion Rate.

The data makes clear that neglecting search optimisation on either channel results in a systematic loss of revenue opportunities. On desktop, search accelerates the closing of decisions, while on mobile it compensates for the physical limitations of the device and reduces drop-off.

Sales Periods and Black Friday 2025: the role of internal search

During high-traffic periods such as promotions or sales, every session counts. The more users arrive on the site, the more crucial it becomes to offer quality tools that allow them to quickly find the desired product. An effective search bar reduces friction, speeds up the purchase journey and turns even lower-quality traffic into concrete conversion opportunities.

Summer Sales: during this period, the use of the search bar as a proportion of total sessions is above the annual average. Despite this, the advantage in terms of conversions and revenue remains stable in favour of sessions with search.

Black Friday: A comparison between annual performance and figures recorded during Black Friday highlights how internal search becomes a true conversion accelerator at peak moments. In the Sport sector, the effectiveness of search relative to standard browsing increases, rising from six to seven times higher — indicating that high purchase-intent users rely on search to quickly find the products they want.

Exceptional results are also recorded in the Beauty sector: during Black Friday, the search bar generates 37.5% of total revenue, with a conversion rate reaching 6.0%, confirming the central role of internal search in maximising sales during periods of intense traffic.

Best Practices for optimising internal search

Here are some tips to optimize the internal search.

• Make search visible and recognisable: The search bar must be immediately identifiable, expanded and clearly visible. An icon alone is not enough; it must be accessible at every key moment of the user journey.
• The preview and results page: A clear separation of elements: popular searches, recent searches, recently viewed products and search results. Results must include all essential information: product image, name, price and a CTA inviting the user to view or add the product to the cart.
• Managing queries: It is important to account for synonyms, plurals, abbreviations and typing errors.
• Working on results ranking: Prioritise the most relevant content and products, promote bestsellers, key pages or strategic content, and avoid results that are technically “correct” but unhelpful.
• Handling “no results” effectively: A zero-results page is a critical moment. It is helpful to include clear messaging, alternative suggestions, related categories and recommended products or content.
• Analysing the data: Search can yield a wealth of insights: what are users looking for? What are they failing to find? Which searches lead to conversion? Which ones result in drop-off?

Optimising internal search is one of the most powerful tools available to an e-commerce business for increasing conversions. With careful management and purposeful design, the search bar not only facilitates the purchase journey — it becomes a genuine growth engine, capable of significantly boosting sales. On both desktop and mobile, the importance of making search easy to use and always visible cannot be overstated. Investing in internal search optimisation means giving users a smooth, targeted shopping experience, reducing drop-offs and maximising return on investment.

Drawing on our expertise in UX and Internal Search, we can help you choose the tool best suited to your specific needs and work with you to design the layout that integrates most effectively with your platform.