Principles of filtering and sorting products

Product filtering

Filtering allows the user to reduce the number of items on the list by eliminating products that do not meet certain criteria. This function is in turn useful for customers who already have some idea of what they are looking for. While the sorting options can be the same for all categories in the shop, with filtering things are different. Filtering criteria must be specific to each category. It is worth implementing filtering in your online shop, as too much choice can be overwhelming for customers. It is more difficult to compare and select one out of 100 products than one out of 10. In addition, by using filters, the products most relevant to customers' preferences are displayed. Reducing product options leads to an increased conversion rate. What's more, reducing the time it takes to find the right product speeds up the finalisation of a transaction.

Product sorting

Sorting products by specific criteria can be particularly useful for users who are not yet sure what they are looking for. Unlike filtering, this does not involve eliminating products from the list, but rather a certain order of display. Why do online shoppers need a sorting function at all? First of all, at the initial stage of the shopping process, they do not necessarily have a clear preference for what a product should stand out and their limitations, including budget. By looking through the sorted list and seeing what is available in the shop, they are often ready to flex their initial assumptions. Sometimes they don't want to use filters that remove products that don't meet the defined characteristics, so that they don't miss out on any suggestions. The use of filters can also fail when the user is unsure of the characteristics that the product they are looking for should have. In short, sorting allows you to see all the products in a category, but according to a certain key.

Examples of sorting options: most frequently purchased, product availability, name and price.