Translating product information from a brick-and-mortar experience to an ecommerce one is not a simple task. Adding a few touch-and-feel details to an existing catalog description or a note on what an item is made from doesn’t cut it. Optimizing a SKU for online sales requires a completely different approach, one that closes the gap between in-person and online and covers a shopper’s questions before they ask them.
Doing this well is what drives conversions for your brand online. Conversion rate is the percent of visitors to that product page who ultimately buy the product. So your online SKU isn’t merely a digital version of your catalog—it’s also your salesperson on the floor.
Optimization can also minimize returns because you’re setting the right expectations for the end customer. And, it’s how SKUs become findable online by including all of the data points a customer might filter by to find what they’re looking for.
The design and features of a product page also have an impact—but those are in the control of your retail partners. That’s why manufacturers must do everything they can to make sure they are robust as possible and maximize the opportunity for a sale.
"Before you launch new product, manufacturers should have all of the data, content, imagery, assets they need up front," said Melley Richards, BrandJump Director of Brand Content. "Know all of the attributes and information you need and get it at the same time–again, before you want those products published."
A too-common approach to SKU optimization is “publish now, fix later.” But it’s important to take the time to optimize your data in the very beginning.
Other than efficiency (though that's certainly a reason), having all of the product data, content and imagery up front means your SKU is optimized right when it’s published to a retailer's website. Newly-published products often get a boost in the algorithm that only lasts for a short period—so you want to make the most of it. New products also typically get published quicker—retailers are excited about them, and if they have a publishing queue, they get pushed to the top. But other updates, like adding specs or imagery, aren't prioritized in the same way. So if you’re thinking you’ll get that SKU up to snuff later, it could actually be months before you see those changes in place and those SKUs in a fully optimized state.
Improving your product data typically isn’t the first step in creating an optimized online SKU–but it absolutely should be.
While having complete, correct and robust product data is important across the board, there are a few elements that are most commonly misunderstood in taking a SKU from catalog to ecommerce.
Every SKU needs a main image. Sounds obvious, right? You can't publish a product to most retailers without a main image, but if you’ve only been focused on offline channels, you may not have these at the ready. Make sure these are culled at the same time as all your other data.
You’ll also need lifestyle, detail and functionality imagery. That said, only having a main image isn't going to cover it. Many retailers require additional imagery for SKUs listed on their site. But it’s not just a matter of meeting retailer requirements—the end-customer has their own unspoken requirements, too. They expect to be able to see what a product looks like up close or in situ. Leaving these out greatly lowers their confidence to buy.
Specs must become selling points. You likely have the basic specs (size, materials, etc.) from your product catalog, but online, these need to be translated into selling points. That means putting them into consumer-friendly language that gives a shopper a reason to buy it. Front drawer might become Handled front drawer offers extra storage. On/off switch may turn into Easily accessible toggle switch on base. Foam cushions might be a spec, but Medium-firm foam cushions with removable covers is a selling point.
"Manufacturers know their products best, and creating selling points is an opportunity to tell the right story about them," Melley said.
To optimize product data for online, specs must be translated into selling points, or consumer-friendly language that highlights the features and benefits.
| Product spec | Selling point |
| Front drawer | Handled front drawer offers extra storage |
| On/off switch | Easily accessible toggle switch on base |
| Foam cushions | Medium-firm foam cushions with removable covers |
Each product needs unique romance copy. Romance copy is a paragraph or so of detailed marketing copy that not only provides information about the product but evokes emotion and creates a connection with the shopper. That means going beyond the technical specifications and highlighting how the product is unique, special or can fulfill a need or want for the customer.
While the right imagery, selling points and romance copy are must-haves for your product data, they don’t cover everything that goes into the SKU’s product detail page. Let’s walk through the different components and how to approach each to set your online SKU up for sales success.
Here’s what you’ll want to consider when creating a name for each SKU:
After your SKU has all of the foundational elements, it’s time to consider the supplemental pieces that enhance a SKU’s online shoppability. These elements are an additional investment, but a necessity for keeping SKUs on a growth trajectory.
According to Wyzowl, 82% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video. And it doesn’t have to be a high-production, cinematic masterpiece. Videos are another form to showcase product information.
“A great place to start is a short video that showcases the product’s features,” Melley said. “Think of that infographic imagery put into a video form.”
Feedback from previous customers is paramount to building the next shopper’s confidence to purchase. Online, a shopper can’t physically experience a product the way they would in a store, so they look to reviews from people who have. A study from Northwestern’s Spiegel Research Center found that the purchase likelihood for a product with five reviews is 270% greater than the purchase likelihood of a product with no reviews.
Manufacturers have a few options for adding reviews to their product pages. First, see if the retailer has a review program you can participate in. These are typically paid programs that tap real customers to authentically review products (and thus optimize your product listing). Or, if you have reviews on your own website, see if you’re able to syndicate those to a retailer’s website to get more exposure to the end customer.
Taking advantage of pay-to-play opportunities can give your optimized SKUs a major boost in visibility. There’s no sense in paying to get a SKU in front of customers only for it to be a lackluster listing that doesn’t convert, so it’s important to nail all of the other elements before you make this investment. You want your ROAS—return on ad spend—to be as high as possible, and to do that, you must have strong digital packaging.
Many retailers offer advertising programs that allow manufacturers to extend their reach to the end customer through an additional investment. This could be through boosting products in search, elevating your product(s) in certain assortments or presenting them through display ads throughout the site. Once your SKUs are ready for prime time, any of these are worth exploring to get your product in front of more customers.
While we’ve covered the nitty-gritty of creating an online-SKU, there are a few big-picture considerations you’ll want to keep in mind, as well.
1. Don’t leave anything out. We tend to think of product data as boxes to check or holes to fill in, so once it’s complete, we consider the job done. But if there is more to share about a product, find a place for that information. Don’t leave any details out just because they aren’t being asked for explicitly. Remember, more is more!
2. Answer all customer questions up front. You have to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and think about all the things they’d need to know in order to make a purchase. That can be challenging as a manufacturer who knows the products inside and out. Try talking to your sales team to understand what questions they’re hearing. Or, use AI to generate a list of most common questions about that product category and use those when creating your product content.
3. Consider the nuances of your product category. “Depending on your product, these might not be the only best practices. They are a baseline,” Melley said. “Your product category might warrant other must-have details.”
For example, lighting should include any lamping information like bulb base type or ratings for included lamping. Every category—and shopper—is different, so considering all of the possibilities will ensure your SKUs don’t leave any questions in the customers’ mind.
The information manufacturers plug into their SKU’s product detail pages ties directly to its conversion success. Translating product information into a comprehensive, shopper-friendly digital package is challenging—but possible with a targeted approach and necessary if your brand wants to turn online into a meaningful sales channel.