CS Search
CS Search is a redesigned interface for the Steam Community Market that reduces clicks, improves search efficiency, and highlights commonly used features.
The Problem
Steam’s Community Market for CS2 feels outdated compared to modern third-party marketplaces. Its search menu requires significantly more keystrokes and clicks to complete the same tasks, creating friction and slowing users down. This inefficiency makes performing frequent searches unnecessarily difficult for power users, often driving them to alternative marketplaces.
To better understand these pain points, active CS2 investors and traders were surveyed. Their feedback highlighted frustrations with the current search interface and emphasized a need for streamlined access to commonly used features, such as search autofill, advanced sticker search for applied stickers, and applied charm search.
Design Goals
• Reduce the number of clicks and keystrokes for frequent searches
• Showcase commonly used features while keeping the interface familiar
• Maintain visual consistency with the current Steam Community Market design
Wireframes
Initial wireframes outlining the redesigned menu structure and key user flows. The design emphasizes accessibility, streamlined navigation, and intuitive placement of common features.
Implementation
The redesigned menu was built using HTML and JavaScript, styled to match the Steam Community Market’s existing color palette and menu patterns for a seamless look. Subtle accent colors inspired by CS2 were added to help users quickly distinguish common elements. The new menu remains accessible at all times, offering instant search with autofill, as well as direct support for applied sticker and charm searches.
Results
Efficiency Improvements
The SCM required 16 total interactions (7 clicks, 9 keystrokes), while CS Search reduced this to 10 total interactions (4 clicks, 6 keystrokes) — a 37.5% overall reduction*. This demonstrates a significant efficiency improvement for frequent searches.
*Search for AK-47 Redline, FT, MW, Normal
Old vs New Menu
Users still have access to all the specialized features in the old menu, but for most common searches, the new menu provides a more streamlined and efficient experience. This allows both new and advanced users to navigate the system comfortably without compromise.
*Zoomed in at 150%
Conclusion
Through research, design, and development, the new search menu transforms the Steam Community Market into a more efficient tool. With fewer interactions required, it removes friction from frequent searches and creates a smoother, more productive user experience.