Understanding Match Types

Before configuring search fields, review the types of matches available. The matching type determines how the system compares a field’s contents to a search term. Also, check the definitions for each type of match as it would be applied to the item attribute text "wifi router":

Type of Match	Description	Usage
Exact	Matches the exact text of the item field contents. For example, if the shopper types “wifi router” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.” Note: If the search query provided by the shopper includes a non-alphanumeric character, the word order is preserved as if it were a phrase search for Exact match type. For example, consider that Drywall Screw is an item in your catalog and the name specified in the Product Name field is 4128mm Drywall Screws. If you do not want the non-alphanumeric character to be ignored during search, you must configure the Product Name field as a search field with an Exact match type.	Exact match holds good in situations where a shopper might provide the exact search string when searching for a product. Ideal for the SKU and Online Name fields where there are chances that a shopper remembers the full name and provide the exact search string. Note: If you select the same search field multiple times and use it with different types of match, define exact match at the top of the list for that search field.
Keyword	Appears anywhere in the text. For example, if the shopper types “router” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router."	Keyword holds good for fields with a lot of text. Ideal for fields with description such as Detailed Description or in case of the Online Name field where shoppers might search for only part of the full item name. Note: To avoid false positives in your search results, ensure that the item descriptions do not repetitively use terms associated with other unrelated items in your catalog.
Starts with	Behaves the same as Keyword search but only for the first 20 characters of every word in a field. For example, if the shopper types "wifi" in the search box, the search matches "wifi router."	You should use Starts With only if your site uses Type Ahead search and only use it on fields such as Online Name.
Starts With Exact	Matches the exact text from the beginning of a field but only up to the first 20 characters. For example, if the shopper types “wifi” or “wifi rou” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.”	Starts With Exact holds good in situations where a shopper provides the exact first few characters (up to 20 characters) as the search string. Ideal for the SKU field where a shopper might provide only the first few characters of the SKU number. Note: If all your SKU numbers are less than 20 characters, it is possible to only use Starts With Exact for the SKU field instead of Exact.
Fuzzy	Matches similar text or misspellings depending on the length of the search term specified. Following rules are applicable when the type of match is Fuzzy: Fuzzy matching is not applied for search term with three or fewer characters. Search term with four or five characters will fuzzy match against one character being different. Search term with six or more characters will fuzzy match against up to two characters being different. For example, if the shopper types “mifi” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.”	Since fuzzy matches can return irrelevant items (skirt versus shirt) in the search results, use the Fuzzy type of match only if you have a valid use case. If you want to include the Fuzzy type of match in your Search Settings, place it at the bottom of the list. Since the list of search fields is ranked in order, top to bottom, fuzzy matches near the top of the list can return irrelevant items at the top of the search results list.

Type of Match

Description

Usage

Exact

Matches the exact text of the item field contents. For example, if the shopper types “wifi router” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.”

Note:

If the search query provided by the shopper includes a non-alphanumeric character, the word order is preserved as if it were a phrase search for Exact match type. For example, consider that Drywall Screw is an item in your catalog and the name specified in the Product Name field is 4*128mm Drywall Screws. If you do not want the non-alphanumeric character * to be ignored during search, you must configure the Product Name field as a search field with an Exact match type.

Exact match holds good in situations where a shopper might provide the exact search string when searching for a product. Ideal for the SKU and Online Name fields where there are chances that a shopper remembers the full name and provide the exact search string.

Note:

If you select the same search field multiple times and use it with different types of match, define exact match at the top of the list for that search field.

Keyword

Appears anywhere in the text. For example, if the shopper types “router” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router."

Keyword holds good for fields with a lot of text. Ideal for fields with description such as Detailed Description or in case of the Online Name field where shoppers might search for only part of the full item name.

Note:

To avoid false positives in your search results, ensure that the item descriptions do not repetitively use terms associated with other unrelated items in your catalog.

Starts with

Behaves the same as Keyword search but only for the first 20 characters of every word in a field. For example, if the shopper types "wifi" in the search box, the search matches "wifi router."

You should use Starts With only if your site uses Type Ahead search and only use it on fields such as Online Name.

Starts With Exact

Matches the exact text from the beginning of a field but only up to the first 20 characters. For example, if the shopper types “wifi” or “wifi rou” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.”

Starts With Exact holds good in situations where a shopper provides the exact first few characters (up to 20 characters) as the search string.

Ideal for the SKU field where a shopper might provide only the first few characters of the SKU number.

Note:

If all your SKU numbers are less than 20 characters, it is possible to only use Starts With Exact for the SKU field instead of Exact.

Fuzzy

Matches similar text or misspellings depending on the length of the search term specified. Following rules are applicable when the type of match is Fuzzy:

Fuzzy matching is not applied for search term with three or fewer characters.
Search term with four or five characters will fuzzy match against one character being different.
Search term with six or more characters will fuzzy match against up to two characters being different.

For example, if the shopper types “mifi” in the search box, the search matches “wifi router.”

Since fuzzy matches can return irrelevant items (skirt versus shirt) in the search results, use the Fuzzy type of match only if you have a valid use case.

If you want to include the Fuzzy type of match in your Search Settings, place it at the bottom of the list. Since the list of search fields is ranked in order, top to bottom, fuzzy matches near the top of the list can return irrelevant items at the top of the search results list.

Note:

If the search query provided by the shopper includes a non-alphanumeric character, it is treated as white space for Keyword, Starts With, Starts With Exact, and Fuzzy match types.

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