Product description: 5 examples to inspire you

The product description is a crucial element of the product page, it is one of the criterias¹ with the most influence over a shopper's decision to buy, topped only by photos and images. This makes it essential to pay particular attention to the description if you want your product to sell.

For a business, this involves implementing strategic watch, taking inspiration from attractive brands and keeping up to date on how to make your product descriptions more effective: transparency, storytelling, highlighting the main benefits, humor…

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Discover 5 examples to follow to help you write engaging product descriptions.

1. Ikea: Highlight the added value of the product

To persuade a buyer, a product description should contain essential information and show the benefits of the product: 20% of selling opportunities are wasted² due to the lack of pertinent information in the product description.

Take IKEA's description of their « RANARP » work lamp which allows shoppers to immediately see the product's added value. « You can easily direct the light where you want it because the lamp arm and head are adjustable ».

This description also allows shoppers to imagine themselves using the product in situ. The statement « great for reading » and the many photos of the lamp being used in different contexts (bedside table, office, dresser…) give life to the product and make it easier for the shopper to project themselves.

2. innocent: Use « the art of storytelling »

A well written product description should use storytelling and tell the truth: 86% of shoppers³ chose a brand based on this criteria. Storytelling, as its name suggests, involves telling a story around the product to promote it and create an « emotional link⁴ » with the shopper.

One example is « innocent », a brand that tells a fun story about the composition of its « rhubarb, apple and pear » juice to get to strike a chord with their audience. They use a natural and authentic tone to really create a closeness with their customers. They also use direct questions, the pronoun « you », silliness… They also urge their buyers to use their imagination by including sensory words⁵ to describe the product: « pink, tangy and crunchy », « lovely taste of rhubarb », « refreshing »… In this way, innocent creates positive emotions encouraging shoppers to buy their product.

3. Patagonia: Provide precise product information

For a product description to be compelling it must be precise and provide key information on the product in as few words as possible. It is vital to provide this information as 50% of shoppers⁶ have returned a product because it did not match the description.

One examples is Patagonia's Black Hole® 32L workhorse pack which enables shoppers to ensure that the product meets their needs and that it comes with the technical features they are looking for: « lining », « 32-liter », « Fair Trade Certified™ sewn »… It also gives them a good idea of the quality of the product: « webbing », « workhorse », « rugged enough to haul around the globe »… This allows the shopper to quickly assess the match between the pack and their specific needs.

4. Respire: Be transparent

To write a good product description, you need to be true to the product: 60% of shoppers⁷ take this into account when choosing a brand.

Take for example « Respire » a brand selling personal hygiene and beauty products. Respire is known for using transparent communication⁸ among its community.

For its « mini green tea deodorant », the brand reassures shoppers by providing information on the « ecological », features of this « vegan », « 99% natural origin ingredients », « eco‑responsible »… product. It also indicates the country of origin with the reference « Made in France ».

If a shopper still wants to know more, they can access additional information through the product page: qualities, comprehensive ingredient list, FAQs… and ensure that the product really is respectful of the environment.

5. Marshall: write hard-hitting texts

To persuade, a product description must be compelling. Over 90% of shoppers⁹ have previously abandoned a cart due to an uncompelling description, and poorly written descriptions are one of the main reasons⁹ for these abandons.

One example is Marshall, known for writing product descriptions that sell products. For the description of its « Willen », wireless speaker, the brand creates a strong link between shoppers and the product and encourages them to imagine themselves using it: « made to go everywhere with you », « raring to go wherever you go », « a ruggedness that dares you to push its limits »… Below the description, a link to customer reviews lets them read up on the tangible benefits provided by the product every day.

To sum up, the product description is one of the keys to transforming online visitors into customers. It must inform shoppers (main features, appearance, quality…) while appealing to them (storytelling, tone used, benefits). It is essential to make an effort when writing product descriptions to create a link between shoppers and the product and to encourage them to buy.

¹ Garcia, K. (2018, October 22). Why Product Page Details Matter. Insider Intelligence.
² Duistermaat, H. (2022, July 19). 10 Ways to Write Product Descriptions That Persuade. Shopify.
³ D'Henry, B. (2021, April 7). e-commerce alimentaire : Comment engager les clients grâce au storytelling. blog.sensefuel.com.
⁴ Santis, M. de. (2022, May 2). Le Storytelling, à quoi ça sert ? Définition et conseils d'utilisation. appvizer.fr.
⁵ Leuenberger, M. (2022, May 15). Les 5 meilleurs sites pour vendre des objets en ligne. Shopify.
⁶ Chrum, A. 10 Stats That Prove the Importance of Product Content for E-commerce [Infographic]. OneSpace.
⁷ Statista. (2023, January 6). Importance of trustworthiness & transparency in marketing worldwide 2021-2022.
⁸ Selmer, M. (2021, May 10). Pleins feux sur Respire, la marque de cosmétiques clean qui monte. Forbes France.
⁹ Study reveals poor product content's impact on digital sales. (2016, May 31). Retail Dive.