Second-hand shopping is a rising trend that’s to the fact that new clothing is often paired up with customer concerns about sustainability.

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As a result of this trend, the presence of second-hand online marketplaces has also grown, for shoppers who like ethically-sourced fashion without the troubles of going through clothing racks. 

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In 2021, the global market value of secondhand apparel was estimated to be worth $96 billion.

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According to a ThredUp survey, the forecast suggests a substantial expansion in the U.S. secondhand market, with expectations to surpass $82 billion by 2026, more than doubling its current size.

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Suggested read: 10 Second-Hand E-Commerce Stores to Watch in 2024

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However, resale marketplaces come with their own search challenges, and there’s plenty of room for disruption.

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One of the most integral parts that is often overlooked by marketplaces is site search. Approximately 84% of companies don’t actively measure or optimize their on-site search.

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If you’re a fashion eCommerce marketplace selling pre-owned clothes, make sure you read our article to improve your site search and take advantage of the shift toward sustainable fashion. 

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Why Is Site Search Important in Second-Hand Marketplaces?

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As a reseller online fashion marketplace, you must guide visitors to the right products. Even though site search is often seen as a small bar on a website, its importance is much greater.

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Site search includes the search engine, related searches, autocomplete, and analytics.

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Combined, these things will take your shoppers' experience to the next level and provide you with insights into your customer behavior. 

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Suggested read: Personalizing the Second-Hand Clothing Experience With AI

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The Benefits of Using Site Search in Your Online Second-Hand Marketplace 

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Site search helps convert potential buyers who know what they’re looking for into customers.

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No matter how many products you have on your site, as long as they’re well-organized, your site search can analyze them all.

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Some of the benefits of using site search include the following: 

• Makes decision-making easier – Sometimes, as a result of a lack of data, marketplaces make decisions based on a whim.
  Through site search, you’ll be able to collect data about your visitors, what they like and how they interact with your website.
  With the gathered data, you can create reports that provide you with insights and make better business decisions in the future.
  For instance, you will gain insight into what products your customers are buying the most, and what products are less popular, and you can adjust your focus accordingly. 
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• Increases your revenue – The expectations of your visitors constantly change. If you don’t manage to meet them, they will leave your site and go to your competitors.
  Customers want to browse your website quickly and easily, so this means you need to deliver an amazing experience to them.
  By offering an amazing site search experience, shoppers will spend more time and money on your website.
  Even though a responsive site search experience comes with a price, it’s definitely worth the investment. 
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• Puts you ahead of your competition – As many companies aren’t putting enough effort and time into their site search, you should use this to your advantage.
  If you do your due diligence and give on-site search the commitment it deserves, it can give you a leg up on your competition.  

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Suggested read: Biggest Fashion Marketplace Challenges and How to Solve Them 

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5 Tips for Improving Site Search in Your Second-Hand Marketplace 

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Below, we’re going to look at some of the ways you can improve your on-site search as a second-hand marketplace. 

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1. Place the Search Bar in an Expected Location

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Users shouldn’t have to spend centuries to find your search function. By placing the search bar at the top-center or top-right of your website, you will make sure it’s available and visible to anyone who needs it.

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If users can’t find what they’re looking for, the chances are they conduct searches on other websites other than your own. 

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2. Use the Magnifying Glass Icon

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The magnifying glass has universal recognition from users and it is a well-known symbol of search, which is why your search box should always include this icon.

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Because it’s identified faster than text, we suggest that you place it directly in the search box or on the search button. 

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3. Introduce Visual Search

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Product discovery can be much simpler with visual search, where shoppers search for products with images instead of text.

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Humans are visual creatures, as we heavily rely on visual cues to adapt our behaviors.

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Customers can turn to visual search when they don’t have the words to describe what they’re trying to find.

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Visual search solution use AI technology, which means that their system is constantly improved as they gain experience. 

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Suggested read: The Essential Guide to Visual Search in Fashion Ecommerce

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4. Use Autocomplete

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Another great way to save time for your shoppers is using autocomplete since it will guide visitors and help them create a search query that will get them the products they want.

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Autocomplete means that you get an idea for phrases or keywords while you fill in the search box. You should definitely consider autocomplete if you have numerous products on your website. 

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5. Make the Search Result Pages Visually Appealing

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It’s unsatisfying when you go from a beautifully designed website to a bland search result page.

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Make sure you invest time in making your search page visually appealing and include images and small previews. 

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Final Words

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Undoubtedly, having a well-performing website is an absolute must for an online second-hand market, and site search is a crucial element of it.

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With websites like Google who’ve become an integral part of our internet experience, it is no surprise that visitors expect the same level of speed and ease when it comes to searching all websites. 

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We hope that our list of tips will help you to ensure your site search performs well and help you convert visitors into customers.

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If you want to use the power of visual AI to boost your site search game, see Pixyle in action.

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With Pixyle, you’ll be able to deliver an intuitive shopping experience to your customers and sell more.

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