Zero-Result Handling

When a shopper searches for something and no products match, you do not want them to see a blank page. FilterIQ provides configurable zero-result fallback behavior to keep shoppers engaged.

How It Works

When a search query returns zero results from the search engine, the backend checks your zero-result configuration and returns fallback content. This is configured per-shop in the app dashboard.

Configuration

Go to Merchandising > Zero Results in the app dashboard to configure:

Fallback Products

Choose what products to display when there are no results:

• Popular products -- Show your best-selling or most-viewed products
• New arrivals -- Show recently added products
• Curated collection -- Show products from a specific collection you choose
• None -- Show only the message, no fallback products

Custom Message

Set a custom message that appears above the fallback products. The default message is:

"We couldn't find results for '[query]'. Here are some suggestions:"

You can customize this text to match your brand voice.

Suggested Actions

Configure helpful actions that appear alongside the zero-result message:

• Browse collections -- Links to your top collections
• Contact support -- Link to your contact page
• Try a different search -- Prompt with popular search terms

Zero-Result Analytics

Every zero-result query is tracked and available in Analytics > Zero Results. This data helps you:

1. Identify missing products -- Queries for products you do not carry reveal demand gaps
2. Find synonym opportunities -- Queries that should have matched but did not (e.g., "trainers" when you only have "sneakers") can be resolved by adding synonyms
3. Spot data quality issues -- If common product names return zero results, your product data may need updating

Synonym Suggestions from Zero-Result Data

The system automatically generates synonym suggestions based on zero-result queries. When a zero-result query is similar to terms in your product catalog, a suggestion appears in Search > Synonyms > Zero-Result Suggestions.

For example, if shoppers frequently search "hoodie" but your products use "sweatshirt," the system suggests adding a synonym pair.

Pre-Search Panel

You can also configure what shoppers see before they type anything in the search bar. Go to Merchandising > Pre-Search to set up:

• Trending searches -- Show popular recent queries
• Featured products -- Highlight specific products
• Featured collections -- Highlight key collections

This pre-search panel appears when a shopper clicks into the search bar but has not yet typed anything.

Best Practices

1. Review zero-result queries weekly -- This is one of the highest-value analytics reports
2. Always show fallback products -- A blank page is a lost customer
3. Use the synonym suggestion pipeline -- Resolving zero-result queries at the synonym level is more effective than only showing fallback content
4. Keep your custom message helpful -- Include specific actions the shopper can take