Jquery's .split() not converting a string : I have made an ajax search field. Ajax search works and items are being successfully added. When I remove the added search items. I am getting the clicked on added search values. Converting them to an array and then I will do inarray and remove the matched ones. But the problem is when I use **split** for jquery. It isnt converting a simple string to an array. Here is the HTML.

    <span class="search-field supplier-ajax">
    	<div class="placeholder">
    		<input type="search" id="woocommerce-product-supplier-field" class="supplier-field field form-control valid" autocomplete="off" aria-invalid="false">
    		<ul class="placeholder-items">
                <li class="supplier-ajax-placeholder" id="726" slug="bottle">Bottle</li>
            </ul>
    	</div>
    	<i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i>
    	<div class="hidden" id="suggesstion-box">
    		<ul>
                <li id="726" slug="bottle">Bottle</li>
                <li id="1011" slug="eurobottle">Eurobottle</li>
                <li id="612" slug="bottle-promotions">Bottle Promotions</li>
            </ul>
    		<i class="fa fa-circle-o-notch fa-spin fa-3x fa-fw hidden"></i>
    	</div>
    	<input type="hidden" id="supplier-nonce" name="" value="93b8e7346b">
    	<input type="hidden" id="product_supplier" name="supplier" value="bottle">
    </span>

In this input field, I am running the following jquery

    	$('.placeholder').on( "click", "li", function() {

		parent = jQuery('.supplier-ajax'); // Parent
		id = jQuery(this).attr('id');
		slug = jQuery(this).attr('slug');
		supplierval = parent.find('#product_supplier').val();

		console.log(parent);
		console.log('placeholderclick');
		console.log(slug);
		console.log(id);
		console.log(supplierval);
		console.log(typeof supplierval)


		supplierarray = $(supplierval).toString().split(",");
		console.log(supplierarray);

	});

The console outputs

    placeholderclick
    bottle
    726
    bottle
    string
    ["[object Object]"]0: "[object Object]"length: 1__proto__: Array(0)



The typeof the supplierval is string but still **split** does not work. I have tried removing .toString() from supplierarray but then it gives a .split(); function not found error. I dont know what is the problem.

Why isn't split working on a simple string who's typeof is also string. 