Product pages of ecommerce websites may not be the first page visitors see, but they are the most important “call to action” pages, since it is here that the casual visitor is on the verge of conversion, is about to click on the ‘buy’ button and pay for it by entering his credit card number. It is because of this that website product pages gain significance and are critical for the success of the ecommerce business. In fact businesses spend a lot of money on their product pages for this reason, and may not always get returns in proportion to the expense incurred. A well-designed and aesthetically appealing product page is a big asset and hence it is beneficial to follow the basic principles of product page design.
- Simplicity- ecommerce business owners show their desperation when they overcrowd their product pages with as many products as can be squeezed into the limited space available. The idea for them is to make sure that the visitor will buy one out of the many on display. Unfortunately, this strategy has the opposite impact. The visitor is confused and does not quite like to see a chaotic page. It is so important for the page to be clear, open, well spaced, and not crowded. The simpler the page the more desirable the impact and higher the chances of a sale. Clarity, brief product descriptions and images will help, but these must be well spaced, and multiple pages can be added.
- Ease of navigation- Prospective customers tempted to buy online from an ecommerce website, often need to clarify some last minute details before buying. Ease of navigation to check out reviews, explanations and product descriptions proves extremely helpful, and chances are that the purchase will be made. If however, the visitor is not able to navigate through the product pages to check out the details needed, they may just get irritated and click away from the site without buying. Dimensional navigation helps in linking product pages and shoppers can move from one product to the other and back.
- Useful and complete information- product pages need to rich in information, and provide a complete picture of all the products, since lack of detailed inputs can put off a customer’s buying decision. Additionally, information must not appear complex and difficult to understand, since that too can have a negative impact. A successful method of providing information is layering-which means it is all one click away, like technical details are one click away, physical features another link, and so on.
- Expert opinions help-Expert opinions are considered to be a powerful sales tool since they add to the authenticity of the product. Taken as independent reviews from people having the requisite knowledge and expertise, these opinions have the ability to push visitors to buy the products. Placed on a product page, they may just hasten the buying process.
- Place selections on the product page- Numerous products come in different colors, sizes or with different specifications. It is preferable to have customers make their selections at the outset, lest they find they have checked out without selecting, and may not have the patience to go back and may just exit from the page-making the ecommerce site lose a client on the verge of a purchase.
Thus the attributes of a perfect product page include the following:
- Clear title and pictures
- Detailed information about products
- Stock situation and product availability
- Delivery time schedules
- Guarantee policy if any, must be stated
- Prominent buttons for call to action like “buy” or “buy now”.
This is a guest post from Neil at eMobileScan. Based around Europe and currently running a total 18 ecommerce stores dedicated to selling professional handheld computer like the Motorola MC75A or barcode scanners like the Motorola ls2208