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• Queries are case-insensitive, so you can type your query in uppercase or lowercase. 
  
  For example, these two examples are both valid and yield the same result:
  
  pen AND Paper
  PEN and paper
  
  
• Double quotation marks (") have a special meaning in searches. They should only be used to enclose a search phrase containing two or more words, spaces or punctuation marks. 
  
  A search phrase inside double quotes returns only items containing the exact combination of words, punctuation symbols and spaces in the exact same order as they appear between the double quotes.
  
  
• Don't use extra spaces and punctuation marks, such as the period (.), colon (:), semicolon (;), and comma (,)  in search phrases. 
  
  They yield unpredictable results. You should avoid using them unless they are included inside double quotes.
  
  
• Enclose other special characters, such as &, |, ^, #, @, $, ( and ) inside double quotation marks.
  
   This can also avoid unpredictable results.
  
  
• To search for two, or more, separate search words not contained in an exact phrase, combine them using the search operators AND, OR, etc.
  
  
• Noise words are  ignored during a search. 
  
  Noise words include the definite and indefinite articles, common conjunctions, etc. If used in a phrase, inside double quotation marks ("), noise words are treated as placeholders in queries.
  
  For example:
  
  Lock and Security returns items containing either the word Lock or Security, or both.
  
  "Lock and Security" returns only items containing both words, used in such phrases as "Lock for Security", "Lock and Security", and "A lock for the Security of...". 
  
  The words and, for , the, and of are noise words and serve only as interchangeable placeholders.
  
  
• Don't use double or single quotes to represent "inches" or "feet".
  
  For example:
  12" return nothing because of the incorrect use of a single double quote (")
  
  
• To search for a phrase containing a quotation, double the double quotes symbols around the word or words you want to be quoted. 
  
  For example:
  
  ""Ballistic"" nylon returns "Ballistic" Nylon, but not Ballistic Nylon
  
  
• Use the wildcard character (*) to find words, in a sample description, or an item part number with a given prefix. 
  
  For example:
  
  esc* returns matches such as "ESC," "escape," and so on.
  
  123* returns matches such as "123456", "123789", and so on.
  
  
• When searching for the manufacturer of an item by name, you do not need to use wildcards. 
  
  Just type all or part of the manufacturer's name into the Manufacturer text box. 
  
  For example:
  H P and Hewl Pack both find products manufactured by Hewlett Packard

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