Opencart search far too weak

OC version 1.5.3.1 (clean install)
I noticed a very weak search function of OpenCart. It's gotta be one of the weakest I'd seen so far.

E.g. I cannot even use a simple "search me" phrase enclosure... it would give me no results, when in fact, just below - in the "featured products" there would show items with a heading/title that includes "search me" - as part of their tittle even ! More better, the advanced search option doesn't offer a "phrase" search neither, only an option to add subcategories and description to the search. ??

WOW, if this isn't included in a normal, simple search... what is the search searching for at all?

I tried anything [_]. {_}. '_', "_", (_) ... nothing gave me any results. I tried two words, and yes, it throws something at me, a fraction of what it should have given me, but then again, it throws things at me which I don't even dream about searching for. No good at all, no no no.

I tried to find something in the admin section that would allow me to configure the search functionalities - but - there is "None" ! Well, that makes OpenCart indeed a very weak cart system. All other stuff you may have, what good is it if client can't find anything?

A shop without a proper search function is no shop, it's an utterly messy storage room at best, and no customer wants to go in there.

Is that it? Or did I miss/not see something ??

From what i know, Opencart doesn't have a proper search engine. I agree with you that this should be improved.

@growlbox
Thanks, least I know I am not the only one, lol. Do you know of any "good and functional" solutions? I checked four extensions and neither of them is just nearly worth paying for neither. But for me - search - is the most important feature of a shop if you'd like turn visitors into clients, and not away ;-)

LOL
I believe there is no ultimate, nothing is perfect, but certain "core" functions should be present to a level to suit our time (2012) and "premium" extensions should undergo a certain OpenCart quality control, otherwise it's just pushing selling "cats in a bag"

This issue is exactly why I wrote Smart Search. It seems to work well for everyone that's using it -- you can see a list of positive reviews on the OpenCart extension page.

***** E X C E L L E N T
Jonathan, you're the only one who seem to know what you're doing, THAT'S what I call a search!
I'll need to have look what else you offer now, but THIS is on my hottest hotlist now!

Just, Why couldn't I find your search extension but all the other !!! you should be at the very front with that quality!

Anyway, I will now enjoy a very happy Saturday morning!

Thanks, I appreciate the compliments. What terms did you search for in the extension store where mine didn't come up?

Heh, the reason it didn't come up in the extension store is because the extension store doesn't utilise the search either, just any combination of keywords unfortunately, so lots of crap extensions come up instead of what you're looking for

JAY6390 wrote:Heh, the reason it didn't come up in the extension store is because the extension store doesn't utilise the search either, just any combination of keywords unfortunately, so lots of crap extensions come up instead of what you're looking for

LOL, I noticed that - you better use Yahoo or Bing Search to find anything rather than the system's own site search... hm
Anyway, I gotta, now you can't escape any longer, I'll be in touch soon, checking some of your other modules, too.

Yeah I use google before the extension store search if I need anything. Find stuff a lot quicker I find

I have actually copied the product name and search didn't find it. It found a lot of stuff with one or two words in the name but not the actual product itself. This should be addressed high-priority. I now find I have to "buy" what should be a basic function. Pathetic

Johnathan wrote:This issue is exactly why I wrote Smart Search. It seems to work well for everyone that's using it -- you can see a list of positive reviews on the OpenCart extension page.

I want to purchase your extension, but I need to know how it works, does it reply/ make use of opencart search codes. The reason am asking is that my serach does not work at all, i.e it generates product totally different from the products I searched for. Will making use of smart search totally replace the basic opencart search or does it rely on it.

Smart Search changes how the products are pulled from the database -- it does not change how they are displayed. This maintains 100% compatibility with custom themes, but it does not rely on the native OpenCart search code at all. You can read a description of the Phases that it uses on the extension page.