What makes a person want something outside of necessity? The complete answer to that question can be pretty complicated, however, put simply, we desire them. Such a basic and common human emotion, and yet it can drive us to do some pretty extraordinary things. What we are going to go over here is how to best display your products to bring out the desire in others to purchase them. This may not be an extraordinary feat, but the potential sales increase can be quite impressive.
Photos
Taking a picture is the most common form of displaying your product online, but how do we take that picture and make it appealing? There has been a lot of research done in regards to product display online, and what they have found is that keeping it simple and limiting the amount of photos will appeal more to the online shopper than overwhelming their visual senses. Basically the picture should be of the item for sale and little to nothing more. If you are unable to capture the whole item in one photo, taking one or two other pictures at different angles will be important, but any more than a couple can be too much. You should be able to capture the most important aspects of any item with less than four pictures.
Display is also important here. You want the shopper to want the product, so displaying it in such a way as to bring out the uniqueness of your product, or the most important aspect of it, can mean the difference between a purchase and a pass. In most cases a white or black background will provide the best contrast for most products. It’s simple and beautifully brings out the details of the item you’re trying to sell.
Another display option to consider would be an action display. Show the product being worn or used. A perfect example would be jewelry. Taking a picture of the jewelry being worn appropriately will allow the shopper to better imagine what it could look like on their own person and could potentially increase the desire for that item. The same goes for clothing, shoes, or any other type of accessory that can be used or worn. It is important to note here that if you’re going to take an action picture of your products, do not show the entire person displaying it. For example: if you are selling a pair of earrings, show one of the earrings on a woman’s ear, but the picture should only show part of her profile, not the whole thing. You want the focus of the picture to be on the earring and not the woman wearing it.
Both solitary and action displays are good ideas and potential boosters in sales, but definitely mix it up. Whatever you do, make sure the product is clearly visible showing the unique details so the shopper has little to no question of what they would be purchasing.
Description
Your description of the product is also quite important. Not only do people need to see the product but they also like to read about it. No matter how beautifully displayed your product is, if it’s not clearly described they’re not likely to purchase it. The key here is to hit all the important points of the product without overwhelming the page. Give them enough information so they know exactly what they are purchasing, but not too much that they won’t read the entire description. Below is a perfect example. You’ll notice that the product is clearly visible, you can see all the details of the pendant, and the description is short and sweet yet touches on the most important and unique aspects of the item.
Video
You can also choose to do a video. Some things are best displayed in true action. A short video of the products being used or worn can certainly have more of an appeal than a picture, however, this is only true for certain products. You also don’t want to overwhelm your product base with videos. As we mentioned before, mix it up.
The best type of product to use a video for would be an item that holds an action to it, such as a toy, exercise machine, a small kitchen appliance, etc. The possibilities are numerous. If you’re going to create a video, it is best kept short, typically within 30 seconds. Enough time to show the product in action. The exception to this might be for services such as karate lessons or a salon appointment. In this case you want to have enough time to describe your service, but shoppers tend to lose interest after about a minute, so when describing a service it is best to try and keep it within 60 seconds.
It’s About the Appeal
The right appeal ignites the desire and ends with the purchase. Show off what you have, create that product appeal and shopper desire. An aesthetically pleasing photograph or video, coupled with a detailed yet short written description, and you’ve got the right formula.
Remember, this is your store and these are your products, so display them exactly how you would like. Here at ShopOnMain we love that we’re able to provide you with the flexibility in creating your store and displaying your products in the fashion that you prefer.