What is Typeahead?
Typeahead (also called autocomplete or search-as-you-type) is a feature where the system predicts and suggests queries or results as the user types in the search box. It improves speed, accuracy, and overall search experience.
How It Works (quick)
- Input capture: Detect keystrokes after a short debounce.
- Query expansion: Match prefixes, synonyms, and popular queries.
- Ranking: Prioritize by popularity, personalization, and availability.
- UI display: Suggestions drop down under the search bar, often grouped by categories or content type.
Why It Matters in E-commerce
- Faster discovery: Shoppers find products with fewer keystrokes.
- Error reduction: Prevents typos from leading to empty results.
- Merchandising: Promote seasonal products or high-margin items in suggestions.
Best Practices
- Debounce keystrokes to reduce API load.
- Show 5–10 high-quality suggestions only.
- Highlight matching characters for clarity.
- Add category or brand chips to refine quickly.
- Track CTR and zero-result rates for optimization.
Summary
Typeahead speeds up search and prevents errors. In e-commerce, it’s both a UX tool and a conversion driver.
