1. A computer-implemented method of constructing a search query in an electronic commerce environment, the method comprising: receiving, over a communications network, a search query from a user through a user interface of a user computing device; identifying a plurality of search terms within the search query, each of the plurality of search terms including at least a portion of the search query; executing the search query to generate search results including a list of merchandise items relevant to the search query; sending instructions to the user computing device to provide a graphical indication to the user in the user interface, neighboring the search query, graphically identifying one of the plurality of search terms from among the plurality of search terms; receiving, over the communication network, an indication of a selection, by the user, of a search term from among the plurality of search terms; generating, based at least in part on the search term, one or more alternative search terms that are each different from the search term; sending, over the communication network, instructions to the user computing device indicating the one or more alternative search terms to the user computing device; generating a plurality of search category selectors based, at least in part, on the search query, each of the plurality of search category selectors being categorically representative, at least in part, of one or more properties of a merchandise item and representing a list of one or more additional search terms in a different category of search terms, search terms in each list of one or more additional search terms being distinct from the search category selector representing the list, at least one of the plurality of search category selectors being inactive; and sending instructions to the user computing device to simultaneously display the plurality of search category selectors to the user in the user interface, and upon receipt of a selection of one of the plurality of search category selectors, sending instructions to the user computing device to display, to the user in the user interface, one or more additional search terms represented by the one of the one or more search category selectors with the plurality of search category selectors and with images representing the merchandise items in the list of merchandise items, wherein at least one of the plurality of search category selectors displayed in the user interface is inactive.