Do Search Boxes ("Search Amazon.com") work?

Have my own affiliate program and think about promoting a search box

[antirack]

I've seen this ever since, for Amazon.com, EBgames.com, for about all the large stores with affiliate programs.

But does this work? Do people use this if they clearly know that this is not the search function of the page they are on?

[Dayo_UK]

Yep, Have the Amazon Search box on one of my sites and it works OK.

On the Amazon UK associate stats page they have an average conversion rate stated as 2.58% for the search facility.

(Conversion rates obv. depend on quality of traffic)

[Catalyst]

I just added a search box for one of the programs I manage and it seems to be doing really well so far. Bottom line is any tool you can give partners to increase conversions is a good thing. And anything that helps the buyer get more quickly to what they are looking for, with fewer clicks can help increase conversions.

Linda

[jackburton2000]

The search box seems to work really well. Amazon, that is. But I don't particularly like Amazon, especially their affiliate rates. But Amazon is such a big bear that they can pretty much do whatever they want, and people will still flock to them to be affiliates.

But if I ever find one that offers all the tools they do, and has a better affiliate rate, I'll switch in a heartbeat.

[thaedge]

I personally dislike search boxes, but there are variations of them that work and I love. Some affiliates/sites let you redirect or point to any page, well point to a search page. It is alot easier to have a link to "Buy blue widgets" and have it hit the search results page. Not always the best page, but alot better then sending a user to the home page that talks nothing of the blue widgets or where on the site to find them. And this works for amazon just FYI.

- edge

[rcjordan]

Among the merchants I know (and trust), they swear that search boxes are among the highest performing creative they have.

I run a couple and they work for me, very consistent performers. Whenever possible, ask the merchant if you can populate the search box or offer suggestions/instructions as to what types of searches your traffic might try.

[Catalyst]

Oh, I should mention the search box we use and the others I have seen that I think are good are NOT KW search boxes. There are too many chances for error or bad results.
I one I designed has search by product type or brand.
I like it because instead of taking someone to the homepage or to a specific single item, it gets them to a full page of choices that fit the criteria they are looking for.

Linda

[Yidaki]

Hmm, interesting opinions. Any experience about having a amazon search box somewhere at a allready searchable site? What would we a good place? People might get confused to find a second search box at the same page, no!? Any experience with having one global search box with options (or pulldown) to search different areas - like: search the web, search the site, search books? Confusing or worth a try?

[antirack]

I believe the search box in combination with the merchant's logo (or a "buy blue widgets hype") is the magic. I've seen through keyword advertising, that such things only work if they are well targeted and if somebody is clearly aware that it's the "Amazon" search box and it is helping him.

If he types in some keywords because he is looking for an article on your web site, but ends up with books from Amazon, I am not sure if that is good.

Because the affiliat search box comes normally clearly marked as such with the merchants logo, two boxes should not be a problem IMHO. Just imagine you've got a "search my site" and a "search google" with google logo. I guess most of the people would know what's going on.

I'll give it a try and let you know about my experience. I just didn't know that people use such search boxes at all ;)