Site update eliminated half the displayed tags in search results?! No way to scroll right for more?!

[Argyleimp]

About noon today, on the desktop website, Zazzle appears to have updated the site’s format for returning search results: specifically, the way that the TAGS are displayed.

Before: a set of blue buttons indicated popular tags, you could scroll to the right (or hit “more” or something) and see MANY more tags.

NOW: a set of round framed photographs sits atop a line of tags. There are 7 or less round photos/tags PERIOD (depending how wide your screen is). No way to scroll to the right.  Essentially making all those tags that used to display to the right hidden and useless????!!!!

Please please PLEASE tell me that I’m missing something. That there is some EASY way to SEE MORE TAGS in the search results that I’m missing!!! Otherwise, it appears that my product visibility has been DESTROYED by this change----the number of displayed tags has been sheered in more than half and are simply NOT THERE ANYMORE IN SEARCH RESULTS!  What?!!!!

Please enlighten me.

[KeegansCreation]

On the one hand, there are now fewer hot tags. On the other hand, this came after an A/B test to see what effect it had on customer behavior. If they decided to go with this format, it means that customers clicked more often on these large photo icon tags than they had on the text-only tags, making them more effective even if there are fewer of them.

I personally like this format (even though there are fewer hot tags) because I think it looks more attractive to click on. Clicking on any of the tags does still reveal more sub-tags (admittedly still less than before) so there is still good odds for visibility. 

Ultimately what matters is what gets more clicks. If the round photo icons got more clicks, then they will lead to more sales even though there are fewer of them. 

[Argyleimp]

Forgive my not mentioning that I love the new format---it is much more inviting and attractive.

But there is no way to see *more* tags---thus limiting the tags to the 7 or less---

I really think there needs to be a way to see "more"---like it did before, representing a much broader spectrum of the, often, thousands and thousands of products found under a basic tag search.

I find it surprising that creators aren't bothered by the drastic cutback in displayed tags.  :I

[Scott · Accepted solution]

The short answer: this is expected behavior.

Longer answer: These are actually suggested/related search terms, not product tags. The idea with this feature is to help a user find the product that they're looking for. We recently ran some testing and found that if we show fewer tags in a visual nature that people were more likely to click on them, and were more likely to buy a product on Zazzle.

[PAZP]

Thanks for sharing about the results of the testing. 

[Argyleimp]

Thanks for this, Scott, especially the clarification that these aren't product tags, and the results of the site testing that drove the decision.  I will be governed accordingly, and appreciate your reaching out!

[MasterpieceCafe]

I'm unclear where you are seeing this ... but judging from @Scott's  answer I have to agree with him. If I'm presented with a lot of options I shut down immediately and walk away. This is one reason I prefer shopping at Costco or Trader Joe's, I'm only given a few options and from that I can make a decision. I went to Old Navy once to buy my kids jeans, they literally had a 15ft wall of jeans to choose from. Regular fit, slim fit, husky, straight leg, boot cut, OMG. I walked out, I just wanted jeans. The grocery store has 100 different toothpastes to choose from. I. Just. Can't.

I can pick from the top 5, not top 15-100.

[Windy]

SO true! I have the exact same reaction to shopping. What works for me is fewer good and relevant options.