Should some search options be removed when you land on the results page?

Question

I am designing a search page and wondering how some advanced search options affect filters. Here are two examples to help set the context:

1 Reed

On the home page you have the option to show more search options, which are removed once you hit the search results page but are reflected in the results filters.

2 Trivago

On the home page you have a basic search with no additional options, once you start getting search results you have additional options (such as check in, check out, room size). Here, the search options remain the same and the filters reflect completely different items.

My questions are:

1. What are filters meant to reflect?

2. What is the difference between filter options and advanced search options?

3. Would you change the options available for a user to perform a search (i.e. if you used Trivago's version and then removed the additional panels?)

I imagine it depends on the way you want the search to operate, we are looking to build search around location and keywords.

All opinions are very welcome, please comment and let me know what you think!

Answer 1

From what I looked on both sites, here's my opinion:

What are filters meant to reflect?

most likely filters and search are usually the same, but it may vary.

For me search is what you entered first on open search bar(like google, bing, or your favourite search engine) while filter means you're filtering from existing search result. Or I also call this search terms

When you tried to use search engine, what you typed in search bar is called search, and filtering the search result (like price range, limit the source, limit location) is called filtering

What is the difference between filter options and advanced search options?

I think they're the same.

Would you change the options available for a user to perform a search (i.e. if you used Trivago's version and then removed the additional panels?) Nah, some users might revise their search or/and filtering options. Don't make them do additional action by going to previous search page

IMO, you're comparing 2 different sites. I'm totally new to both sites (after you asked this question).

When you search for a job, most likely you already have some specifications like job field, salary, location, etc. But when you're looking for hotel, you only know your destination, and looking for places (either the best place or the cheapest one). That's why trivago only show location at first search then give you filter options like price range, reviews, etc.

Just my 2 cents

Answer 2

I'm not quite sure what you're looking for, and I don't want to just give you a (my) opinion, but here's what I think.

• I think what people call "search" and what they call "filter" will vary from person to person.

• Search sounds like the user knows the item or its attributes. Filter sounds like the system presents a list and the user (de-)selects them.

• Today, search often is google-like: One field for input, all fields of the items are searched for this input. "Advanced" search options are required to search for sets of attributes ("bigger than 1m", "between 3 and 5 EUR") or for fields which cannot be identified by their content (is "April, 1st" arrival or departure?).

• I've not looked at Trivago (as mentioned, please post images if they are important to your question), but removing search/filter elements on the way from the search page to the results page does not sound like a good idea to me. What if I made a typo? What if I see that I need to reformulate my "search" query? I want to fix such errors on the results page, and not need to back out the search page.

Hoping this helps... if not, please refine your question.