5 Must Haves for eCommerce Product Pages

Every year, the amount of people that choose to enjoy their shopping from the comfort of their own home increases. The ease of use is the major factor here, quite often they need something but don't have the time to run to the store. This increase creates a huge market for those looking to start a web presence, so it's very important to offer the highest quality online shopping experience possible. But it takes some effort; there's an inherent level of mistrust when it comes to shopping online. This is mostly due to the fact that the customer isn't actually there and they can't physically touch whatever it is they're thinking about buying. As an eCommerce retailer, it's in your best interest to alleviate as much of this uncertainty as you can.

The simple solution to this obstacle is creating quality eCommerce product pages. There are general guidelines to follow when it comes to making these pages the best that you can, and some of them vary from industry to industry. When it comes to Automotive eCommerce, the products being offered are generally quite expensive, so the way you prioritize your product pages is especially crucial. Below are 5 things you can't afford to leave out while designing your Automotive Aftermarket Parts product pages:

1. High quality images. These aren't 10 dollar t-shirts you're selling; they're expensive automotive parts that need to be perfectly put together if they're going to function properly. The biggest setback in online shopping is the fact that the potential buyer can't actually hold a tangible item and inspect it for themselves. Having multiple pictures, from a variety of angles, is the next best thing. Invest some time into taking your own pictures of the products you offer instead of pulling them from a manufacturer's site, it looks better and legitimizes your company in their mind in the process.

2. Give detailed specs. Automotive parts can be incredibly complex, and the tiniest difference between items can determine whether or not they will work in a particular vehicle. As an Automotive eCommerce dealer, it's your duty to ensure that each and every customer knows everything they need to know about a part before they buy it. After all, if they can't get all the info from your site, what's stopping them from looking for it elsewhere and not coming back? Make a list of bullet points so the information is easier to absorb and understand. Using a Year Make Model function (like the one that comes fully integrated with Web Shop Manager) is also a fantastic way of letting customers know if a part will work with their car.

3. Outstanding & original product descriptions. In a way, this goes hand in hand with providing detailed specs, as the two will often times be a part of the same section on your eCommerce product page. There are some differences between the two, however. A good product description serves a much larger purpose than just providing the user with more information. It is your chance to flaunt your knowledge of the product and establish your website as an industry leader. Think about it like this: a website does not have the advantage of having a sales staff on the floor like a brick and mortar location does, so your product descriptions should attempt to answer a few important questions that are a common concern for potential buyers. What is the product? Who would need to use it, and why? How would you go about using this product? Don't forget to include relevant keywords as well; this is yet another chance to increase your SEO value when Google indexes the page.

4. Include videos if you can! With digital media making such a huge push in online marketing, it has become substantially easier to get access to videos for individual products. Seeing the item in action and being explained in video format works wonders for easing the mind of a customer that's on the fence about purchasing online. While high quality pictures are easier to create, nothing trumps a descriptive product video. While it's true that making videos isn't a possibility for some companies, nowadays it's pretty easy to hop on Youtube and find videos put out by the manufacturers themselves. Most of the time it's as easy as grabbing the embed code listed underneath the video and copying it onto your website.

5. Keep your pricing competitive. Yes, this point is fairly obvious, but it's also of utmost importance. In eCommerce, it's a pretty safe bet that shoppers are checking out numerous sites and comparing prices before they make their final purchase. It's more than likely that they will narrow their options down to the websites that 1) offer the product at a competitive price, and 2) have eCommerce product pages that instill a sense of legitimacy in their mind. You can follow the first four steps on this page and create phenomenal product pages, but it makes little difference if your prices aren't competitive. Don't be the site that inexplicably sells everything for 10% more than everyone else! We've all seen them, and probably didn't buy anything.

At Web Design Solutions, we have excelled at cultivating eCommerce success in the Automotive Aftermarket industry for over 10 years. Through firsthand experience, we have accrued the knowledge necessary to label ourselves as experts in the field, and we'd be happy to use this experience to take your eCommerce website to the next level. Contact us for more information on becoming business partners in the Automotive eCommerce industry.

By: Dana Nevins