Did you know that the number one reason visitors don’t buy from your online store is due to a lack of product information? I had no idea until I read 20 Questions Your Buyers are Asking (back when it was a thread on the Etsy forums.)
I’ve included a link to this post twice in the last week, but it’s played such an important role in boosting my online sales that I wanted to make sure everyone saw it. The post lists questions your buyers might have when viewing your product online (this has applications far beyond Etsy – it extends to any ecommerce store, and even to your wholesale materials.) Essentially, its a checklist of information you should be using in your product descriptions.
I’m a true believer in the power of this checklist. I was fortunate enough to have my cozy/cuff featured on a major design blog early last year, and sales were not as high as I would have hoped. A few months ago, I found this post and rewrote my product descriptions. Not long after, the cozy/cuff was featured again, and the difference in sales was astounding. Now, while you could argue that other factors contributed to higher sales (the economy, the time of year), I know that having more complete product descriptions played a big role in turning visitors into customers.
My challenge to you this weekend is to read over the list and sit down and rewrite a few of your product descriptions. Try to make it a goal to revamp a few products at a time until they’re all done. That way, when your marketing efforts pay off, you’ll be ready.
Thanks for the great suggestion! I have noticed that many of the shops that do very well on Etsy have wonderful little descriptions.
I was also wondering if you could post an example of one of your product descriptions before and after you revamped it. Or rewrite and old version from memory if you don’t have a copy of an old description.
Cheers!
Now I think I may just have seen it all. How crazy is this world!Just imagine what the real Jesus is going to say to stuff like this on Judgement Day.It’s lahuagble really what some folks do, yet without realising the consequences they are adding to their lives each day.ThanksDave
Aaron – thanks for the suggestion. Here are before and after descriptions for one of my cozy/cuffs:
Before:
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=21639267
After:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41437660
hope this helps!
Thanks Megan!! That is very helpful!!
Now I just need to figure out something interesting to say about my work 🙂
I found this article when you linked to it a while ago and I immediately sat down and rewrote the description for my Shiny Happy Bunnies. No sales yet – not many views – but I’m hoping it will help when people start shopping for Easter. Now I’m working on the rest of my descriptions. Thanks for the great link!
You have inspired me to go back in my shop today and revamp.
I am always concerned about being too wordy but I enjoyed reading your newest product description. Didn’t feel too wordy at all. I like that you included the fact about how many cozies get thrown out every year. Just that little bit of knowledge and awareness being shared is great! Thank you for the post!
Thanks for the reminder Megan! I’m familiar with that post and Etsy thread, but it’s definitely something to revisit and keep fresh in my mind, as I prepare my new online shop for launch. I need to go over the work I’ve done so far and make sure I’ve hit all of those marks!
This is SO worth the effort. I did this with my Bella Puzzles listings after reading that same “20 Questions” article on Etsy. It was a lot of work with nearly over 50 items in my puzzle shop. Here are some before and afters. Do you think they’re any better now?
Vintage Cheese Label Puzzle (old listing)
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=22445387
Vintage Cheese Label Puzzle (new listing)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34231331
I still need to go back in and explain that the Queen of England, Bill Gates, and several former presidents all collect wooden jigsaw puzzles…and why.
I’m getting so much out of reading your blog, Megan. Thank you.
P.S. I think it’s important to remember that most of the people who view our items for the first time don’t do so from within our Etsy shop. They don’t see our shop announcement, profile, or policies. They have no idea we only sell one kind of thing — or many. Lately in the Etsy shop critiques I’ve been hearing about all sorts of great ways you can turn these casual views (window shoppers) into more serious perusals (hey! they walked in the shop!). Certainly, answering those 20 questions in the item description is the main way to do this.
Another method mentioned in the shop critiques is linking (within an item description) to a saved search in your shop.
For example, I’m selling a few Alice in Wonderland puzzles right now. I could mention that at the bottom of each of my 51 non-Alice listings, and include a link, like this:
“I’m stocking Alice in Wonderland puzzles! Perfect for your post-movie party.
http://www.etsy.com/search_results_shop.php?search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_8287973&search_query=alice”
I don’t think it’s very PRETTY with that big hairy link – perhaps I need to make it a tinyurl – but I hope it shows the casual viewer that there is something else worth seeing in my shop.
Thanks Megan. I revisit the Storque post once and a while, but I think I’m an inconsistent writer when it comes to product descriptions. I’ve taken your advice and am applying the 20 questions to every post to clean things up. I printed the list in Word and stuck it to my office board. You rock.
Yes, I read this article and saved it in a Word doc so I could read it over and over.
Thanks for sharing! Your generosity with knowledge is super good karma indeed.
I remember that thread on the forums, but I thought at the time that it was just too much information or I wasn’t creative enough to come up with multiple uses for the same item. I recently saw a commercial for that bill paying organizer on TV, and I thought, “I’m not so goofy that I need a folding portfolio to pay bills.” But after it described all it did and all you could use it for (craft organization was one use), I began to think it was really cool. I guess there is a trick to doing that without making it sound like you’re Billy Mays. I will have to go back and rewrite some of my popular items this way and see the outcome.
I am taking on the challenge. Thank you for reminding me to do some construction.
btw, love your blog! I do not enjoy reading…but I really enjoy reading your blog and appreciate that they aren’t very long. 🙂
So true!! I can’t tell you how often I have passed on something online because they didn’t post things like washing instructions or complete dimensions, etc. There are a lot of MAJOR online stores that don’t do this! Often I’ll see something has gone on sale at a major retailer and I know one of the main reasons that they put it on sale is because it didn’t move. Whay didn’t it move? They forgot to include info people need to buy the product. So even the big guys do it too.
Hi, I’d like to buy a couple of your Scooter Racks. Your page says to email you, but I can’t find your email adsreds anywhere! Please let me know how to place an order!
Very interesting post! As a jeweler working with “tarnish-resistant Argentium Sterling Silver”, I’ve felt like that name says it all. However, there are many more qualities to Argentium that I’ve neglected to post in my product descriptions (durability, for one) in addition to important care instructions.
I’m planning to start revamping my Etsy shop product descriptions.
Thank you!
Joana
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Thanks for the link to the article! A few of these never would’ve crossed my mind! 🙂
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