Lefties Search Autocomplete Actor

Overview

The Lefties Search Autocomplete Actor is an Apify actor designed to retrieve search autocomplete suggestions from the Lefties website. This actor helps you discover popular search terms and trending queries by leveraging Lefties' autocomplete functionality across different regional markets.

Features

• Multi-region Support: Works with 20 different country markets supported by Lefties
• Fast Autocomplete Retrieval: Quickly fetches search suggestions based on your input query
• Structured Output: Returns organized data with timestamps for easy processing
• Error Handling: Robust error management with detailed logging

Supported Countries

The actor supports the following regional markets:

Country Code	Country/Region
EG	Egypt
ES	Spain
IC	Canary Islands
IT	Italy
MX	Mexico
PT	Portugal
RO	Romania
SA	Saudi Arabia
TN	Tunisia
TR	Turkey
AE	UAE
AD	Andorra
BH	Bahrain
IL	Israel
KW	Kuwait
MA	Morocco
OM	Oman
QA	Qatar
XE	Ceuta and Melilla
JO	Jordan

Input Configuration

Required Parameters

• query (string): The search term you want to get autocomplete suggestions for
  • Example: "ropa", "shoes", "dress"
  • Default: "ropa"

Optional Parameters

• countryCode (string): Two-letter country code for the Lefties regional site
  • Default: "ES" (Spain)
  • Must be one of the supported country codes listed above

Input Schema Example

{
  "query": "ropa",
  "countryCode": "ES"
}

Output Format

The actor returns autocomplete suggestions in a structured format:

Main Output Structure

{
  "results": [
    {
      "query": "ropa deportiva"
    },
    {
      "query": "ropa niña"
    },
    {
      "query": "ropa bebe"
    }
  ],
  "completedAt": "2025-06-11T12:51:58.592Z"
}

Dataset Output

Each autocomplete suggestion is also pushed to the actor's dataset as individual items:

{
  "query": "ropa deportiva"
}

Key-Value Store

The complete results are saved to the key-value store under the key "output" with the following structure:

• results: Array of autocomplete suggestions
• completedAt: ISO timestamp of when the scraping completed

Usage Examples

Basic Usage

{
  "query": "dress"
}

This will search for autocomplete suggestions for "dress" in the default Spanish market.

Regional Market Search

{
  "query": "shoes",
  "countryCode": "IT"
}

This will search for autocomplete suggestions for "shoes" in the Italian market.

Multiple Language Markets

{
  "query": "قميص",
  "countryCode": "SA"
}

This will search using Arabic terms in the Saudi Arabian market.

Error Handling

The actor includes comprehensive error handling:

• Missing Query: Throws an error if no search query is provided
• Invalid Country Code: Uses default "ES" if an invalid country code is provided
• Network Errors: Logs and re-throws network-related errors
• API Errors: Handles and logs API response errors

Performance Notes

• Speed: Typically completes within 5-15 seconds depending on network conditions
• Rate Limiting: Respects Lefties' server limitations to avoid blocking
• Concurrent Runs: Can be run multiple times simultaneously for different queries/regions

Output Data Usage

The autocomplete data can be used for:

• SEO Research: Discover popular search terms in specific markets
• Market Analysis: Understand regional shopping preferences
• Content Strategy: Identify trending product categories
• Competitive Intelligence: Monitor popular search patterns

Best Practices

1. Query Selection: Use relevant base terms for your industry or product category
2. Regional Targeting: Choose appropriate country codes for your target markets
3. Data Processing: Process results to remove duplicates if running multiple similar queries
4. Rate Management: Avoid excessive concurrent runs to prevent IP blocking

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. No Results Returned

   • Check if the query is too specific or uncommon
   • Verify the country code is correct and supported
   • Try with a more general search term

2. Actor Fails to Start

   • Ensure the query parameter is provided
   • Check that the country code is from the supported list

3. Partial Results

   • This is normal behavior; autocomplete systems return varying numbers of suggestions
   • Results depend on the popularity and relevance of the search term

Debug Information

The actor provides detailed console logging:

• Search query and country confirmation
• Number of results found
• Completion status and timing
• Error details if issues occur

Technical Details

• Runtime: Node.js
• Memory Requirements: Minimal (128MB sufficient)
• Typical Runtime: 5-15 seconds
• Output Format: JSON
• Data Storage: Apify Dataset and Key-Value Store

Support

If you have any questions or encounter any issues, please consult the Apify documentation or reach out to us through one of the following channels:

• Telegram: @pintoflow
• Email: pintoflowpt@gmail.com
• Apify Platform: You can also contact us directly through this platform.

---