How to Write Product Descriptions for an e-shop

What Should a Good Product Description Look Like?

E-commerce professionals often believe that the more elaborate, original, and creative the product descriptions, the better. However, in this case, excessive creativity can do more harm than good. Why? Customers visiting an e-commerce website do not come with the expectation of reading something nice. Essentially, they are interested in one thing - making a purchase as quickly as possible.

If the customer doesn't understand the text, it doesn't resonate with them, or they don't find what truly interests them, it will discourage them from making a purchase. Therefore, the main task of a product description is to efficiently provide customers with factual information about the product and facilitate their purchase. The informational value and clarity of the description are more important than creativity.

5 Tips for Writing a Quality Product Description

A good product description is something you can usually write yourself, even without a professional copywriter - you know the most about your products and customers. Just follow a few simple rules.

1. Be specific

The description should provide the customer with the most accurate and objective information about the product. After reading the description, the customer should have a clear understanding of what they are getting when they purchase the product.

If you fail to mention an important feature, the customer will have to seek information from your competitors. Or they may purchase the product but end up dissatisfied because it didn't meet their expectations. As a result, they won't return to your e-commerce website.

Here are a few examples of what to include in product descriptions:

• Sports jacket: Weather conditions it is suitable for, recommended activities, whether it is waterproof.
• Cosmetics: Composition, fragrance, application method.
• Coffee: Roasting method, origin, suitability for espresso or filtered coffee preparation.

2. Put yourself in the customer's shoes

Try to look at the product from the perspective of someone encountering it for the first time. Is there anything that a layperson might not know about the product? What could confuse the customer? Will they need to purchase any additional equipment? Provide customers with as much information as possible to alleviate their doubts.

3. Write simply and clearly

As mentioned before, customers are not particularly interested in how creative you are. They just want to shop quickly (and well). Flowery language full of metaphors and adjectives is not suitable for product descriptions. Write in a way that even an elementary school student can understand - concisely, clearly, and comprehensibly.

Be careful with industry slang and terminology that most people outside your field won't understand. It's better to explain technical terms and foreign words so that even a complete novice can grasp them.

4. Consider readability

Customers usually "scan" the text for products and look for information that is important to them. Therefore, try to structure the text in a way that makes it easier for them - the customer should quickly orient themselves in the text and find what they are looking for.

Highlight the main features and benefits of the product preferably in bullet points at the beginning of the description. Use subheadings, bold fonts, and write shorter paragraphs in the text.

5. Maintain a consistent structure

Create a template for product descriptions that you will use for all products in the same category. This way, the customer will know exactly where to find specific information - for example, when comparing the features of two similar products.

The structure of a description could look like this:

1. Product Name
2. Key features in bullet points
3. Detailed description of individual features
4. Technical specifications, product composition, etc.

If your e-commerce website offers a product in multiple variations (e.g., different colors), you don't have to create a separate unique description for each. That would only confuse the customer. Just change the relevant parameter in the description.

Need help with product descriptions?

Contact us at info@pobo.cz