5 tips for designing a more shoppable product page

Your product page is arguably one of the most important pages on your website. After all the hard work you’ve put into developing your product, let’s make sure you have a product page that will actually help with conversions. 

Is Your Product Page Worthy Of Your Product?

Your product page is a key player in people’s shopping and buying — that’s where the add to cart button is after all! It needs to show off your product and convince the customer they need it now. So let’s dig into the details of what will grab people’s hearts and have them “adding to cart”.

5 Tips To Make Customers Click “Add to Cart”

1. Make sure your text is skimmable

• Not everyone reads every word on your website, but we still want them to understand some key parts about your product. You didn’t just write this for fun! You have some important, interesting, and converting information on this page. Let’s make sure people get the gist. 

• Quick Tip: Break up big chunks of text into subheadings and small paragraphs so people can quickly get to know your product.

2. Use icons when possible

• Icons (or line drawings) are so powerful (and fun) for conveying information in a simple way. They can highlight your values and what makes you unique, while also bringing out your personality! Use line weights, styles, colours and more to make your brand unique and memorable.

• Quick Tip: Highlight key information, such as ingredients, process, or use, with icons that highlight the key info while also adding brand personality.

3. Add some of your brand story to your product page

• Your product page might be the first - and potentially only - part of your website people see. That means we can’t assume they know the context of your brand, so it’s essential this page is more than just a few product shots and a buy button. 

• Quick Tip: Give a sense of why people should shop with you: add a section for what makes you unique, how your products will help their lives, actual results and feedback from happy customers. 

4. Have reviews & a review summary at the top of your page

• Reviews are an essential part of helping consumers buy. A reported 93% of consumers say that reviews influence their purchase decisions. By putting a summary of your reviews (like the star rating and number of reviews) at the top under the title, we can build that recognition and trust right from the start. 

• Quick Tip: Show the star rating for the product at the top close to the product title, which when clicked, will scroll them down to all your reviews.

5. Make checking out easy

• You’ve worked hard to get someone to click ‘add to cart’ — only for them to be overwhelmed, confused or surprised at check out and abandon their cart. Not what we want, right? Once we have them saying yes, we want to make it as easy and frictionless as possible to pay and get the product. 

• Quick Tip: Shopify has a simple and easy default checkout, but if you need to deviate from that in order to align with your brand, try to keep it minimal and simple.

• Bonus: If your item is a consumable that can be refilled, be sure to have a “subscribe” option on your page. This will put your sales on autopilot.

6. BONUS - Share your values often 

• Your brand values are a key connection between you and your people, which means we want them integrated and present in every part of your brand — not just your about page.

• Quick Tip: Turn your values into icons that you use on every page including your  product page. You can also infuse your values in  the language you use and how you explain why you chose your process or ingredients. 

Recap

Your product page has a huge impact on whether people purchase your product, so don’t take shortcuts. Show the product, but also give it context, trust and differentiation.

If the idea of tackling this in addition to your growing to-do list is intimidating (I get it!), we can help with that. Reach out to work together to keep your ideal customers on your page and loving your product.

5 Brand mistakes that are turning your people away

You’ve created something beautiful and necessary. Now, it’s time to start putting your product out into the world, but how do you not get lost in the noise?

You’re brand and packaging.

You know the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well, people do. And it’s the exact same thing when it comes to products.

1 in 4 people in the US have said they bought something because of the packaging.

Because your packaging is the most common instance of your brand, we’re going to talk about both throughout this article. Because it’s both that are going to work together to separate you from the competition and tell you’re brand story.

So without further adieu, here are 5 common branding & packaging mistakes to avoid so you can invite your people into your world — instead of turning them away.

5 Common Branding & Packaging Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Having a Complicated Logo That You Can’t Shrink
   Your logo is your business’ signature — your customer should recognize it in a split second. That means your logo needs to be recognizable and memorable no matter the size or setting. If someone has to squint at your logo or search for the name, it’s not doing its job.

   • Example: Compare Apple with an overly frilly, artsy logo.

   • Check: Test out your logo at all different sizes. I’m talking social media profile picture small to billboard big. Is it clear, easy to read, and recognizable? If not, consider getting different versions of your logo that work at various sizes.

2. Prioritizing Your Preferences Over Your Audience’s Feelings
   Your brand isn’t just a piece of art you like; it represents your business to people who need to feel connected and want to buy. To make that conversion, you need to know what your customers like and why, as well as how that connects with your brand values. When making design decisions, take a step back to ensure you’re communicating that to your customers.

   • Example: Let’s say your brand is a skincare company looking to break the mold and create bold new products, but you love off-whites. You can explore off-whites, but you might need to go with a bolder color to reflect your products’ innovation.

   • Check: Think about how you want people to feel when interacting with your business. Then ask yourself — how would a stranger with no prior knowledge of me or my business describe this logo? Does that align with how I’ve said I want people to feel about my business?
     If you haven’t done much strategy, now might be the time to download our free strategy journal.

3. Being Too Broad
   Trying to appeal to everyone will leave your brand ‘nice for anyone’ but without a ready-to-convert audience. You need to know exactly who you’re speaking to. It’s scary to feel like you’re cutting people out, but the truth is, you need to be irresistible to those who will buy. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’re saying no one else is welcome! But you want to speak so specifically to your people so that they can’t help but become obsessed.

   • Example: Merit Beauty is concise with its product messaging, targeting busy, professional women who want to look like a million bucks in five minutes. Even if that's not you, you can still appreciate and buy their quality products. While that might not be for everyone, they know who their audience is inside and out.

   • Check: When you think about narrowing down your target audience, how does that make you feel? Don’t avoid leaning into your brand’s superpower. Ask yourself—who would benefit the most from using your product?

4. Looking Like Everyone Else
   No one is immune to falling in love with beautiful packaging. When we believe something is clever and leaves us saying, ‘That is exactly what I wanted to do,’ it’s easy to end up copying. Not exactly, of course—no messing with copyrights—but ideas, style, maybe a color or two… it’s a slippery slope. Avoid this if you want to stand out on a shelf.

   • Example: Have you ever stood in the candle aisle at a store like Marshalls, TK MAXX, or Winners and tried to pick a candle? They all look so similar. No one candle stands out, and they get lost in the crowd. A consumer will struggle to understand the differences and may choose something randomly. In a landscape of white labels and text, Caftari stands out with its thoughtful details and textures.

   • Check: When you imagine your dream packaging, does a product from your industry jump to mind? If you already designed it, was your inspiration hugely influenced by direct competitors? Keep competitor research and inspiration separate.

5. Crafting in Isolation
   When designing and developing your brand & packaging, it’s easy to create in a vacuum. To look at PDFs filled with just your brand and fall in love. But your brand exists in the world and will be compared to the competition. You need to consider how your product fits into a customer's life and how it looks alongside your competition.

   • Example: You need to review the competition to understand category indicators (what cues tell a viewer your product a tea instead of a coffee or seasoning), but look for inspiration in brands that share your values (but aren’t in your industry). This will inspire unique ways to communicate with your audience without sounding like everyone else.

   • Check: Review your current product design or inspiration beside your competition. How similar does it look? Are you able to communicate the category while still grabbing attention? You can even show someone an image of your packaging and ask them what 3 adjectives they would use to describe it.

Recap:

If your logo or packaging didn’t pass the tests, it might be time to consider a rebrand. The product you’re developing is needed and filling a gap. Let’s make sure your branding & packaging help get noticed and a first chance.

We’d be honored to help you stand out in your industry, build recognition, and grab attention. Inquire here to talk all the details.

What we can learn from our fav cult brands and how to apply it (even if you’re just starting)

Industries are more crowded than ever. With nearly 30,000 new products coming to market every year and about 95% expected to fail according to an MIT study. It’s important to set your business up for success, from the very beginning. 

So what makes those 5% successful, or even, magnetic?

Below are 5 of the biggest lessons from brands that have done it well so that you can apply them from the very beginning.

1. They use visuals to differentiate themselves from the competition

Your visuals do a lot for your brand, but let’s focus on 3 key aspects; positioning, differentiation, intrigue. Because visuals are processed 60,000 times faster by the brain, they are key to attracting your people and telling your story.

• Salt & Stone: timeless and elevated packaging, positions as luxury in market, recognition in different colour ways because of the strong text structure on package.

• Eadem: simple but unique in the colour palette, very welcoming

• Hot Girl Pickles: So fun and playful, but professional. Feels positioned as high end.

• The Lesson: don’t skimp on the design. You’ve spend so long developing your product, but people will never know how good it is if they don’t give it that first chance. Beautiful and resonant design will get you that first purchase, justify the price point, and a proudly displayed spot in their home.

2. They use copy that resonates with their customers

The key to compelling copy that converts is to demonstrate how well you know them. By showing you understand them, they believe they can trust you to consider their needs. Which means they’re more likely to try — and like — the product. 

• Eadem: before product launch they spoke to the immigrant community about their shared lived experiences.

• Merit: 5 minute beauty as the name of a kit being exactly what people were looking for in their make up. 

• The Lesson: Research, research, research. It can be tricky finding the perfect places to look at first, but keep digging. Look for podcasts, reddit threads, facebook communities, instagram posts, your competitors good and bad reviews. Talk to people on the street or invite people to surveys. You’ll want to start keeping a document of quotes, sources, and observations so you can better speak to them.

3. They show you how their product will improve your life

People need to understand and clearly see how your product fits into their lives. Remember in The Wolf of Wallstreet when they were asked to sell a pen? We want to do the same, show why your product is going to make a difference in their lives. We can do that with lifestyle photography, influencer marketing, sales copy, etc. The key is being able to illustrate a key moment where your product becomes essential.

• Merit: so easy you can do it in the back of a cab campaign

• Summer Fridays: Jetlag Mask being so hydrating, jet setters

• The Lesson: Think of moments in your customers lives, big or small, where your product is going to really shine. The more specific, detailed and drilled into the moment the more the customer is going to understand why they need your product.

4. They're everywhere

Marketing isn’t just about being seen as much as possible, but being seen in the right context at the right time. The key is finding the opportunities that both confirm your unique positioning and how you are the best choice for your people. It’s a user-centric approach that puts — and keeps — your products top of mind. 

• Merit Beauty: All over social media with influencers, lifestyle shots on Pinterest, the cab campaign, etc. They went from no-where, to everywhere seemingly overnight.

• LINK: https://www.shopify.com/blog/integrated-marketing

• The Lesson: First, take a look at this Shopify article. It’s super detailed and a great starting place for integrated marketing. Next, consider your target audience. Where do they hang out, who are the smaller brands they’re likely following? The better you know your customers and potential collaborators the more successfully you can plan a marketing campaign. The goal is to seamlessly start showing up often and in the right setting for your people.

5. They've engineered the user experience from purchase to use

Think of the last product you loved. Did it just do the job or did it go above and beyond? It probably exceeded your expectations. Companies that make it to the top 5% know that the user experience beyond the decision to buy the product matters. It seems simple, but the small delights in thoughtful details are what people will rave about.

• Merit: free make up bag (premium product, thoughtful delivery)

• Apple: the unboxing experience is engineered, right down to the friction of the inner box to make it smooth but slow to open. 

• Eadem: unboxing experience

• The Lesson: consider the details and where you can add tiny moments of delight. From extra gifts, the packaging design, hand written notes, to creating anticipation with a moment of slow.

Recap

Standing out in a highly competitive global market is hard, but it's not impossible. And we can learn from successful companies that have come before us. The trick is deciphering what’s going to work for your product, in your industry, for your people. No detail is too small, actually the more deeply you dive into it the better the experience you will create. 

Have questions about how to elevate your brand and packaging experience? Let’s talk! We offer a free 1:1 strategy call where we can discuss your business and tackle anything that is keeping you up at night.