Need Better Search Results Presentation

[Larry Bohen]

We often find that visitors/customers get confused with the layout of our
current Search Results pages. Because there is no clear delineation of each
item on a Search Results page, they often click on and sometimes order an
audiobook in a format they didn't intend to.



We use the default Search template. I've got "Check here to display column
borders" checked which I hoped would put a border around each search result,
but it doesn't. On the Search Page Layout page, what does the selection
"Check here to display column borders" do? The Search Layout Settings help
says: "Column Borders: Check this box to show borders around the search
results."

We need either a horizontal bar between each search result, a border around
each earch result or some clear delineation of each search result.


I'd appreciate suggestions on how I can make each search result separate and
distinct form another.
--
Larry Bohen
www.audiobooksonline.com

[Nikolaus Gruchot]

Hello Larry,

there are several ways to influence your search result page. I have been
down this path some weeks ago and figured out the following that works well
for us.

Mainly I have added a line between the search results and changed the name
and description for the displayed page links.

If you like our search result layout (see danshop.com and search for "seal"
for example), here is how I have done it.

I assume that your are on v 7.1.x

1. Copy the shopsite default template: -> Merchandising -> Custom
templates ->
Search templates -> Copy ShopSite template => name it something like
search_audiobooks

2. Edit search_audiobooks and find the [-- loop search --] tag:

[-- LOOP SEARCH --]
[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
<tr>
<td></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<b>
[-- END_IF --]

[-- SEARCHRESULT --]

[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
</b>
</td>
</tr>
[-- END_IF --]
[-- END_LOOP SEARCH--]
---------------------------

I have changed it to the following:

[-- LOOP SEARCH --]
[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
<tr>
<td></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
# <b>
[-- END_IF --]

[-- SEARCHRESULT --]

[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
# </b>
</td>
<td></td>
<td><hr noshade size="1" color="#FF8040"></td>
</tr>
[-- END_IF --]

[-- END_LOOP SEARCH--]

=> If your want the horizontal line in your blue color, use #336699 as color
code. The # disables the bold tag, you can also simply remove it, if you do
not like the bold display of the product description.

2. Enable your own search_audiobooks template in -> Preferences -> Search
Settings -> Search Layout

3. This search template displays the product image, the product description,
etc. and underneath the name of the page and the page description the
product is assigned to.

If you want to change the way the page name and description is displayed in
the search results, you can edit the "Link info" portion in the -> Pages ->
Edit page content screen.

I have added a text "-- You will find more related products on this page the
product is assigned to." in the page link description field, so that this
text shows under the page name in the search results page. This makes it
easier for the customer to recognize the link as a page link.

The fields "Columns" and "Column borders" in the Search layout screen do not
seem to have effect at this moment. I think Jim or Loren pointed out earlier
here in the forum that this will come in future versions or in self-build
templates.

Regards,

Niko

"Larry Bohen" <lbohen@audiobooksonline.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:cnpqev$r4b$1@eval.shopsite.com...

We often find that visitors/customers get confused with the layout of our
current Search Results pages. Because there is no clear delineation of
each item on a Search Results page, they often click on and sometimes
order an audiobook in a format they didn't intend to.



We use the default Search template. I've got "Check here to display column
borders" checked which I hoped would put a border around each search
result, but it doesn't. On the Search Page Layout page, what does the
selection "Check here to display column borders" do? The Search Layout
Settings help says: "Column Borders: Check this box to show borders around
the search results."

We need either a horizontal bar between each search result, a border
around each earch result or some clear delineation of each search result.


I'd appreciate suggestions on how I can make each search result separate
and distinct form another.
--
Larry Bohen
www.audiobooksonline.com

[Larry Bohen]

Thanks Nikolaus! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

--
Larry Bohen
www.audiobooksonline.com

"Nikolaus Gruchot" <gruchot@watersafety.net> wrote in message
news:cnq5oi$vce$1@eval.shopsite.com...

Hello Larry,

there are several ways to influence your search result page. I have been
down this path some weeks ago and figured out the following that works
well for us.

Mainly I have added a line between the search results and changed the name
and description for the displayed page links.

If you like our search result layout (see danshop.com and search for
"seal" for example), here is how I have done it.

I assume that your are on v 7.1.x

1. Copy the shopsite default template: -> Merchandising -> Custom
templates -
Search templates -> Copy ShopSite template => name it something like
search_audiobooks

2. Edit search_audiobooks and find the [-- loop search --] tag:

[-- LOOP SEARCH --]
[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
tr
td></td
td align="left" valign="top"
b
[-- END_IF --]

[-- SEARCHRESULT --]

[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
/b
/td
/tr
[-- END_IF --]
[-- END_LOOP SEARCH--]
---------------------------

I have changed it to the following:

[-- LOOP SEARCH --]
[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
tr
td></td
td align="left" valign="top"
# <b
[-- END_IF --]

[-- SEARCHRESULT --]

[-- IF SEARCHLINK --]
# </b
/td
td></td
td><hr noshade size="1" color="#FF8040"></td
/tr
[-- END_IF --]

[-- END_LOOP SEARCH--]

=> If your want the horizontal line in your blue color, use #336699 as
color code. The # disables the bold tag, you can also simply remove it, if
you do not like the bold display of the product description.

2. Enable your own search_audiobooks template in -> Preferences -> Search
Settings -> Search Layout

3. This search template displays the product image, the product
description, etc. and underneath the name of the page and the page
description the product is assigned to.

If you want to change the way the page name and description is displayed
in the search results, you can edit the "Link info" portion in the -
Pages -> Edit page content screen.

I have added a text "-- You will find more related products on this page
the product is assigned to." in the page link description field, so that
this text shows under the page name in the search results page. This makes
it easier for the customer to recognize the link as a page link.

The fields "Columns" and "Column borders" in the Search layout screen do
not seem to have effect at this moment. I think Jim or Loren pointed out
earlier here in the forum that this will come in future versions or in
self-build templates.

Regards,

Niko

"Larry Bohen" <lbohen@audiobooksonline.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:cnpqev$r4b$1@eval.shopsite.com...
We often find that visitors/customers get confused with the layout of our
current Search Results pages. Because there is no clear delineation of
each item on a Search Results page, they often click on and sometimes
order an audiobook in a format they didn't intend to.



We use the default Search template. I've got "Check here to display
column borders" checked which I hoped would put a border around each
search result, but it doesn't. On the Search Page Layout page, what does
the selection "Check here to display column borders" do? The Search
Layout Settings help says: "Column Borders: Check this box to show
borders around the search results."

We need either a horizontal bar between each search result, a border
around each earch result or some clear delineation of each search result.


I'd appreciate suggestions on how I can make each search result separate
and distinct form another.
--
Larry Bohen
www.audiobooksonline.com