3 Rules of High Converting Product Pages
Why they work, backed by research & real-life examples
If companies want to see higher conversion in sales, they must use product pages to reduce the rate of returns, up-sell through recommendations, and establish brand trust through review sections.
Here are 3 rules for high-converting product pages:
Using Product Pages to Reduce Returns
E-commerce designers tend to be laser-focused on conversion rates, but they should view product pages also as a lever to decrease returns.
In 2022 “the average rate of returns for online purchases was 20.8% — an increase from 18.1% last year.”
So, how can we make the user experience feel as real as possible, when online shoppers cannot physically see or touch the product?
By providing enhanced product content, users are more likely to get a better grasp of the product offerings, leading to a lower number of returns.
Detailed product descriptions
10% of e-commerce sites have insufficient details in their product descriptions, yet over 45% of shoppers rely on them before making a purchase online.
Implementing the inverted triangle writing style into product descriptions focuses on highlighting the most important details and leaving no room for unanswered questions or confusion about product offerings and specifications.
The user is quickly able to learn about the product’s distinct features & specifications, essential details such as ingredients, and how to use the product. You should assume that a customer has no knowledge about the product and aim for them to understand the product offerings in under a minute so they can confidently purchase the item.
Here is an example of how I would design a product description section on mobile.
Product Comparison Tool
Amazon auto-populates comparison charts by brand, making it easier than ever to compare similar products side by side that may otherwise look the same to the average customer. By highlighting product details and using short descriptive phrasing, users are able to quickly learn about what item is best for them without the work of clicking into individual product pages.
Here is an example of how I would design a product comparison chart on a beauty site.
Virtual try-on and Size Guide enhancements:
Mango incorporates Fit Finder into its size guide in order to provide the most accurate sizing for shoppers.
Fit Finder “reduce[s] returns by an average of 8–10%…” and is proven to increase conversion and increase customer satisfaction.
Warby Parker’s mobile app has a virtual try-on feature that allows shoppers to preview glasses using augmented reality. Shopping for glasses is challenging since different styles and shapes look different on everyone. This feature makes it possible to have the feel of an in-person try-on experience at the comfort of your own home.
However, virtual try-on features tend to be extremely high scope so teams should conduct user research before diving in so they have conviction that the specific implementation would perform as expected.
Using Product Pages to Up-sell Through Recommendations
Personalized product recommendations give users suggestions on products they may like based on their preferences or related products they viewed while browsing an e-commerce site. Customers who click on the product recommendations have a 5.5 times higher conversion rate than those who do not.
Traditionally, recommended products are placed below the fold on product pages. Diving deeper, the click thru rate of product recommendations is 1.7x higher if placed above the fold. You can increase conversion even further by placing product recommendations at various points in the customer journey such as the landing page or shopping cart.
On Sephora, once an item is added to your cart, you are presented with more personalized recommendations.
Nordstrom includes recommended products, but takes it one step further by also including different ways to style an item. This makes it seem like you have a personal shopper curating and styling looks for you.
Using Product Pages to Establish Brand Trust Through Ratings & Reviews
Reading reviews and testimonials from real customers help inform shoppers’ purchase decisions. In fact, nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. Allowing your customers to publish personal product reviews, helps build brand credibility and social proof.
All products can experience higher conversion by including reviews, but it was found that higher-priced items with reviews experience a 380% increase in conversion while lower-priced items experience 180%.
When the price of an item is higher, there is more risk involved in the consumer’s decision. Having more information via reviews helps mitigate that risk.
Despite this benefit, providing an open forum for customers to post on product pages can create another host of issues: moderation. Ensure that proper reporting tools and headcount is allocated to this before rolling out reviews across your site.
Sephora averages around 35 million users a month, making it one the most successful online retailers in beauty and therefore has a robust review section of loyal customers. Users are able to easily filter and sort reviews and look at real life product images.
This is how I would design a ratings & reviews section on mobile.
Camille Hovsepian is a Product Designer who has worked with Vox Media and L’Oréal and is open to new opportunities. You can contact me by email at camille.hovsepian96@gmail.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter and check out my portfolio if you would like to connect.
