by
Emma Ertinger
If you’re an ecommerce retailer trying to gain a competitive edge, you could be overlooking a simple but critical step: eliminating errors on your product pages. Whether you’re looking at image titles, descriptions, images, or product attributes, all the content on your product pages needs to be clear, accurate, and comprehensive. Even if you offer trending products before your competitors do, you could lose out on sales and frustrate your customers if your product data contains misinformation. Find out how inaccurate product pages impact your sales, and how to implement ecommerce solutions to address this issue.
How Product Data Errors Affect Your Business
You might think a couple of errors might not make an impact in the long run. But erroneous or incomplete product data can have serious implications for your business, including:
- Product returns: When a buyer completes a purchase on your website, they expect the item to look like the picture and match the description. If you have incorrect information on your product page, however, they’re likely to be disappointed. When the item that arrives isn’t what the customer expected, they will probably return it. Processing a return takes time and money while leaving customers with a negative impression of your business.
- Negative reviews: If your product data has errors or inaccuracies, your customers ultimately may leave poor reviews and low ratings on your website. These negative reviews can make a major impact on your future sales: 94% of consumers will be convinced to avoid a business based on a poor online review.
- Buyer confusion: Unclear product data can even affect customers before they commit to making a purchase. If your product page has conflicting information, grammatical errors, or other problems, potential buyers may simply navigate away from your site and look at other retailers instead.
Any of these issues can negatively affect your customer relationships: Zippia reports that up to 91% of customers won’t go back to a company that leaves them unhappy. And without clear and consistent product data, buyers simply don’t have the information they need to make an informed decision.
What Steps Can You Take to Improve Your Ecommerce Site?
Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to ensure your product pages accurately reflect your merchandise and your brand identity. Consider implementing these best practices:
Fix Product Data Discrepancies
First things first: a successful ecommerce site begins with accurate product data. Ensure that your product attributes match the information provided by the manufacturer and that all the content on a product page is consistent. For example, if a product title includes the words “blue sweatshirt,” you shouldn’t have any product images on the page that show the sweatshirt in other colors. You should also proofread your ecommerce content to ensure that it is free from grammatical errors and confusing language.
Address Negative Reviews
Don’t leave negative reviews sitting on your site: take the time to respond. In each response, be sure to acknowledge the issue, apologize, and remedy the situation if possible. You should also contact the customer privately to handle the logistics of a refund, return, or credit. However, publicly responding lets other potential buyers see your commitment to customer service in action.
Add Unique Content
Your suppliers will likely provide product data, which is critical for confirming accurate details about item features and attributes. However, since other online retailers are getting the same data, you need to do something to set yourself apart. Consider adding unique information on your product pages, whether that’s client testimonials, how-to videos, or comparison tables that help customers differentiate similar items.
With well-organized, accurate, and detailed product pages, you can be confident that your customers will have a positive experience with your brand. They’ll be more inclined to return to your site in the future and recommend it to family and friends.
Ecommerce Solutions for Outsourcing Content Creation
With accurate, error-free product content, you can be confident that you’re making a good first impression on your potential customers. If you need assistance with onboarding, verifying, and updating your product data, turn to Virtucom Group. For over two decades, we’ve worked with leading brands across the United States and beyond, providing product content management, taxonomy, and expert writing services. To learn more about Virtucom Group’s ecommerce solutions, contact us today.
