Case Study: Improving Product Listing Page Filtering for E-commerce Discovery
Problem
Users browsing product listings struggled to understand how category filters affected search results.
The existing Product Listing Page relied primarily on breadcrumb navigation to display active filters. However, breadcrumbs did not clearly communicate how filtering worked or how users could remove filters.
This created confusion when users attempted to refine or remove category selections.
Research Objective
Evaluate alternative filtering interfaces that improve comprehension and usability for category-based filtering.
The research aimed to determine:
• whether filter tags improve filter comprehension
• which tag design best matches user expectations
• whether tags should replace or complement breadcrumb navigation
Research Methodology
The study evaluated three category tag prototypes alongside the existing breadcrumb navigation system.
Participants completed tasks that required them to:
• apply category filters
• remove category filters
• interpret how filters affected search results
Participants interacted with the filtering system and then used either category tags or breadcrumbs to modify the filters.
Researchers analyzed:
• task success rates
• participant expectations
• comprehension of filter behavior
• design preference
Prototype Designs Tested
Prototype A
Each category appeared as an individual tag.
Example:
Church Supplies → Communion → Cups
Removing a tag removed the selected category and its subcategories.
However, many participants misunderstood how removing tags affected results.
Prototype B
Similar to Prototype A but with clearer hierarchy and behavior.
Each category remained an individual tag, but removing a tag removed only the appropriate category structure.
Participants found this model easier to understand.
Prototype C
Only the last selected category appeared as a tag.
While the results still reflected all categories, only the final filter was visible.
This simplified the interface but sometimes obscured the full filter context.
Expanded Behavioral Analysis
Additional survey modules explored deeper behavioral signals, including:
• personal motivations and values
• ministry challenges such as volunteer management and resource selection
• decision fatigue and product overwhelm
• technology usage patterns and shopping devices
This helped connect ministry context with real purchasing behavior.
Key Findings
Filter tags improved usability over breadcrumbs
Participants consistently preferred category filter tags compared with the breadcrumb-only approach.
Filter tags were considered:
• easier to use
• more visible
• clearer in showing applied filters
Prototype B produced the best comprehension
Prototype B achieved the strongest overall usability performance.
Participants better understood:
• how filters affected results
• which categories were applied
• what would happen when removing a tag
For example:
• 60% correctly understood how removing a tag affected the results
• 73% understood the expected filter behavior in the second task
Users expected subcategory removal
Many participants expected removing a tag to remove only the subcategory, not all applied categories.
This expectation informed the final recommendation for filter behavior.
Participant Preferences
Across the studies:
• Prototype B received the highest usability scores
• Prototype C also performed well
• Prototype A caused the most confusion
Participants strongly preferred filter tags over breadcrumbs alone.
Outcome
The research provided a clear direction for improving the filtering experience on the Product Listing Page.
Recommendations included:
- implementing category filter tags
- retaining breadcrumbs for contextual navigation
- enabling removal of individual subcategories rather than resetting all filters
This combination provides the clearest filter feedback while maintaining navigation context.