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Catalog filters

| Article: 3 min read | Store pages

Catalog filters (faceted search) are a set of parameters (price, brand, color, size and so on) by which a customer narrows down a list of products. Each filter consists of a category (a property, such as color) and values (red, blue).

In plain words

When a category has hundreds of products, a customer can't find what they need without filters. Nielsen Norman Group writes that sites without filters are now an exception, and users complain about their absence (NN/g). In NN/g's first study, 27% of failed attempts happened because the user didn't find a suitable product even though it was on the site.

What a good set of filters looks like

NN/g formulates the criteria for good filters (NN/g):

  • Relevant. They cover the aspects that really matter for choosing. Brand, price and color are just the beginning; shoes need size, washing machines need drum capacity.
  • Predictable. The customer understands what is in the category. Vague names like "Product type" confuse; more specific ones are better.
  • Free of jargon. Replace internal codes with plain words, and explain complex terms with a hint.
  • Ordered. General filters at the top, specific ones below; a filter that strongly affects the choice can be moved higher. Numbers in logical order, words alphabetically only for familiar names (brands).
  • Built on data. The basis is interviews, search queries, questions from managers and support, filter usage analytics, and name tests.

What Baymard shows

According to Baymard's benchmark of 170+ sites (Baymard):

  • 51% of sites don't have all five basic filters: price, average rating, color, size, brand;
  • 14% don't let you select several values of one filter;
  • 20% don't show applied filters as a list;
  • 69% don't have all four basic sorts: by price, rating, popularity and newness;
  • during tests some participants applied 5–6 filters, a few up to 10.

On mobile, Baymard advises showing an overview of applied filters above the list; 66% of mobile sites don't do this (Baymard).

How different sources see it

NN/g advises not showing filters that lead to empty results, and keeping the same sorting and filtering logic across the whole site (NN/g). Baymard adds that a horizontal filter bar works only with a small number of types (in clothing, usually around 8 or fewer). Subcategories have their own place for NN/g: they are best shown separately from filters, above the list (NN/g).

For a Ukrainian store, here is an example: in the "Footwear" section, size, season and material matter more than "product type"; in electronics, screen diagonal, memory size, power. Look at which words people use to search on the site: it's a ready-made hint for filter names (site search).

Common mistakes

  • No filter for size or another key property.
  • Vague or "internal" names.
  • It is impossible to select several values.
  • Applied filters are not visible, and removing them is hard.
  • Photos in the list don't match the selected color.

FAQ

What are filters in an online store? Parameters by which a customer narrows a list of products: price, brand, color, size.

Which filters are mandatory? Baymard names five as basic: price, average rating, color, size, brand. Beyond those you need properties specific to your category.

How many filters should you show? The sources give no clear figure. General ones up, specific ones below; check in analytics which ones are used.

How do I know which filters are needed? From search queries on the site, customers' questions to managers, and filter click statistics (NN/g).

Sources

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