1. A computer-implemented system for searching for a desired item, comprising: a database comprising information associated with items for which a search may be performed; and a server system associated with one or more software components collectively operable to: receive a first user input specifying an alphanumeric string associated with a desired item, search the database for an alphanumeric string that matches the user-specified alphanumeric string to determine item names and item descriptions for all matching items corresponding to the matching alphanumeric string; provide the determined item names and item descriptions for the matching items for display to the user; specify a particular matching item corresponding to the matching alphanumeric string; receive a second user input indicating a desire to view attribute values for attributes of the particular matching item, determine attribute names and attribute values for attributes of the particular matching item; and provide the determined attribute names and attribute values for the particular matching item for display to the user.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the database comprises a first table comprising rows each corresponding to an item and each comprising an identifier uniquely identifying the item, a name for the item, and a description for the item; the user-specified alphanumeric string comprises at least some of an item name or an item description; and the software components are operable to search the item names and item descriptions in the first table for alphanumeric strings matching the user-specified alphanumeric string to determine one or more item identifiers corresponding to the one or more matching alphanumeric strings, the item names and item descriptions containing the matching alphanumeric strings being provided for display.