The product page is one of the most vital pieces of the eCommerce website. It is the place in which the action must take place. When successful, it instigates the action that leads to a purchase.
The basic elements of any good eCommerce site hold on the product page as well. The shopper should never have to think too hard about where to click to find the desired products. Layouts should never be too cluttered or offer too many pieces that compete for attention. Keeping it simple, especially at the product page level, will aid customers in locating just what they need.
A powerful product page:
· Showcases the product visually, so that the customer can see the adequate detail.
· Offers deep information about the product, its uses, and all other relevant information to aid the buying decision, such as:
o Options with easy to understand pricing for each.
o Safety precautions.
o Appropriate usage – age restrictions, environmental limitations, etc.
o The story of the product – where it comes from, how it’s made, and what makes it special.
o Care instructions.
· Makes help if more information is needed – phone number, online chat, etc.
· Provides product reviews, if applicable – customers rely on the advice of strangers and even occasionally negative reviews instill confidence in the brand.
· Shows shipping and delivery information, if relevant – perishable, seasonal, and other time-sensitive products should offer information about delivery times, shipping schedules, and stock availability.
· Contains clear and obvious calls to action.
· Displays easy navigation to similar products.
The call to action is where you want your customer to click. It’s often a button, or a text link with accompanying text inciting action. Above all, this page must be designed for conversion. It must be highly usable, so that it is always immediately clear where to click to initiate a purchase. If there are options, they should be apparent so that the choices are as simple as possible, and easy to complete. Of course, the Add to Cart button must be consistently and obviously placed.
But what if the customer hasn’t found exactly what they sought? If this product just misses the mark, is it easy to locate similar products that might be a perfect fit?
Tools to increase sales of other products from a product page:
· Breadcrumb trail – this series of links, usually at the top of the page, shows the path to the current product. It shows the departments and sub-departments that lead to the product on the current page. Not only is it great for the search engines, but it provides an easy way to follow the “breadcrumbs” back up through the departments to locate other products in the same categories.
· Upselling – by including a “you may also enjoy” type of section, you offer your customers very easy access to similar products. If the current product doesn’t suit their needs exactly, perhaps a similar product will.
· Accessible filtered search – with a search link or box on all pages, and results that can be arranged and filtered easily, the shopper will always have an easier time locating products that match the desired criteria.
The product page is frequently neglected as it is a deep, interior page. The assumption that a customer is on the product page because they want to purchase the item is dangerously untrue. With good search engine rankings, any page of the site might be the entry point for a shopper, making the home page itself largely irrelevant and the interior pages even more vital. With highly usable product pages that encourage purchases and offer easy navigation to locate other products, conversion rates grow.