A recent corporate training session on eCommerce conducted a thorough study on what it takes to optimize the impact of an online store’s product description. Aside from listing the specific details of the products, it is also important to pay particular attention to the photos and product descriptions. It is for buyers to better understand the product. It is also imperative to show good-quality photos, including close-up shots showcasing the different components of the product. Recent studies have shown that carousel ads of at least five to six photos are more effective at encouraging potential buyers to make a purchase decision. The most noteworthy finding is that photos depicting the product usage in daily life are highly effective in arousing customers’ desire to purchase it. The bottom line is that shopping platforms should not simply be cold, unfeeling product shelves. It is also important to take a humanistic approach.
What Else Should Your Online Store Have Apart from Displaying Product Information?
The eCommerce boom has caused too many business owners to focus only on listing products online as quickly as possible. After putting out some advertisements, businesses assumed that customers would flock to their store and everything will sail smoothly. Based on the global experience, especially on Amazon, the technicalities of how to best optimize product information pages have already been dead. It is because not all product elements can be directly applied to online stores. In Hong Kong, the underlying design and technology of product pages are not the same. Customer habits also differ by region. However, they can still serve as good references for online stores to emulate. Many online stores only display product photos. None shows the products being used in real-life settings. They are let alone on videos.
An international company, Stackla, recently surveyed more than 2,000 customers. According to the research, more than 80% expressed that they are more willing to buy a product if shown pictures and videos of it being used in real life. More than 80% of users also expressed that these two things were what they are most keen to see on a product information page. Therefore, if you want a product to sell well, in addition to listing information regarding product price, quality, and its caption, you should also quickly add photos and videos of products being used in real life to your product description page.
Tap on Social Commerce to Appeal to Millennials and Gen Z
Social commerce, another popular buzzword, has room for growth in Hong Kong. Many online shops have yet to enter the realm of Facebook and Instagram Shops. It is the first step into social commerce. Many merchants pay very close attention to the consumption habits of Gen Z. The data shows that more than 60% of Gen Z and millennials leave an eCommerce website without making a purchase. It is because of the absence of product photos being used in real life or user reviews. Most merchants have a love-hate relationship with user reviews. Their greatest fear is to receive a negative review. In reality, customers are very discerning. They would find it too fake if a product has only positive reviews and no negative reviews. If a brand makes a high-quality product, it should also invest in managing user reviews. It should also encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Of course, negative reviews must be actively dealt with. They should receive the necessary follow-up both online and offline.
Serious UGC Ignites Further Buzz
Influencers taking selfies with products as a seeding exposure strategy to facilitate product launches are taking a hard sell approach. It is because it ultimately does not offer much brand personality. User-generated content (UGC), on the other hand, has a significant impact on the customers’ purchase decisions. More than 80% of customers express that a high-quality UGC influences their purchasing decision. For our client, Muji, we have identified a group of real users of the brand in planning our UGC strategy. The results were far beyond what one could see in hard selling and seeding sales strategy which would, at best, help to gain only short-term exposure for the brand. UGC is a strategy that has a significant impact on sales. It also improves brand reputation and exposure. They are important elements that every brand needs to incorporate into its eCommerce marketing plan.