On both ecommerce and shopping comparison sites, users can find products in two different ways: searching and browsing. Searching obviously means using the site search whilst browsing involves drilling down through the categories provided by the website.

Regardless of which method is used, users will be presented with a product listing from which to find the product(s) they want. This product listing can contain tens, hundreds or even thousands of products, so finding the right product from this list can be a difficult or even impossible task on any ecommerce site.

Getting sorting and filtering right improves findability and allows users to find the product they want in less time, from this product listing. If users can't find the exact product they require in the minimal time, there's a good chance they'll go to an ecommerce site where they can.

What is sorting and filtering?

Sorting is a method of changing the order of any product listing, where by users can choose which c