When a shopper visits an ecommerce store, the product detail page is one of the most important pages they will visit. So, the design of a product detail page can significantly impact the customer's buying experience and can ultimately make or break the overall success of an ecommerce store.
To create product detail pages that convert, learn about the key components you need to include. Then follow best practices to design ecommerce product pages that will improve the customer experience and drive sales.
What is a product detail page (PDP)?
A product detail page (PDP) is a web page on an ecommerce store that provides detailed information about a product the brand sells online. A PDP typically includes product images, descriptions, pricing information, customer reviews, and more.
The goal of a PDP is to provide potential customers with everything they need to know about a product before making a purchase decision. By including thorough product information, compelling product photography, well-crafted copy, and elements of social proof, ecommerce stores can increase the chances that shoppers will add items to their cart and complete a purchase. And all these elements should be wrapped in a user-friendly design that gets customers to buy.
What are the key components of a product detail page?
There are several key components to include on every product detail page. These elements help shoppers navigate your site, and understand your product and why they should buy it.
Site menu: The site menu helps shoppers browse your ecommerce website. They can use it to peruse products, access their shopping cart, or navigate to informational pages like your FAQs or shipping information.
Breadcrumb: A breadcrumb is a navigation element that shows shoppers their current location on your site. It might read something like this: "Home > Bottoms > Leggings." With each linking to a page higher in your site's organizational hierarchy. This can be helpful if they want to backtrack or need to reference where they are in the shopping journey.
Product name: The product's name helps a customer identify the product they're viewing.
Product pricing: Product pricing should be clearly displayed on the product detail page and can include discounts to illustrate former prices and drive sales.
Product images: Product images help shoppers understand what your product looks like.
Product descriptions: Product descriptions typically describe what a product is, how it can be used, and who it's for in compelling copy to entice a customer to buy.
Product specifications: Product specifications, or specs, list the technical product details. That might include materials or ingredients, care instructions, color, and sizing/fit details.
Variant and quantity selection: Customers need to be able to select product variants like color or size and choose how many of a particular SKU they're adding to their cart.
Call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA is one of the most essential elements of any page and will encourage a customer to take a desired action. On a product detail page, the CTA is typically something like "Add to Cart" or "Buy Now."
Product availability: Product availability helps shoppers know if an item is in stock. If not, you can replace your add-to-cart button with an option to be notified when the product is back in stock. Or, if you have low stock, you can add text like "only a few left" to create urgency.
Company policies: Company policies include things like your shipping information, return policy, warranty, and privacy policy. These elements give customers peace of mind that they're shopping on a reputable site and can negate objections to purchasing when they see how fast they can get a product or how easy returns are.
Best practices to design product detail pages that drive sales
When designing your product detail pages, there are a few best practices to keep in mind that will help improve the customer experience and increase sales.
Start with a design that prioritizes the customer experience
Whether you use a template provided by your ecommerce platform or hire a designer, creating an enjoyable customer experience through your product page design is essential.
All of the product information a shopper needs should be easy to find. Text should be easy to read. Your layout should make it easy for customers to add products to their carts. And you should have an accessibility plugin to meet the varying needs of your site visitors.
Then you can ensure a smooth buying process that leads to sales.
Use high-quality product images
Your product images are one of the most important elements on your product detail page as they help shoppers understand what your product looks like. Use high-quality images to show your product from different angles and in use.
For example, Gregory Mountain Products uses studio shots from multiple angles to clearly show its Border 25 commuter backpack. Additionally, in-use pictures show off the pack's features and help the customer see how the product fits into their life.
Write compelling product descriptions
Ecommerce product descriptions should be clear and concise and use persuasive language to encourage customers to buy. Product descriptions are not the place for detailed, technical writing. Instead, speak to your target audience and focus on how it will improve your customer's life. If there are common concerns shoppers have about a product, include those here as well.
For example, eco-friendly brand etee sells reusable glass straws. Glass comes with durability concerns, so in the brand's product description, they describe its ability to withstand extreme temperatures:
"Fancy (borosilicate) glass withstands temperatures below freezing and up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Same glass used in Pyrex ®."
Include social proof
Social proof shows prospective customers that others have enjoyed your product. And it builds trust, too. This can come in the form of logos and quotes from prestigious publications, customer reviews, or awards you've received.
For example, hair and skincare brand Spoiled Child highlights some of the best customer reviews on their product detail pages. The brand also includes results from a clinical study with its products. Talk about solid social proof!
Use a strong call-to-action
Since your "add to cart" button is arguably the most important element on your product page, make sure your CTA stands out from the rest of the page and is easy to find.
Experiment with different button styles, text, and colors to see what gets customers to click.
Add a related products section
A section of related products shows a customer similar products they might like or products often bought together—for example, a replacement battery for a camera.
Not every ecommerce product page includes this, but it's an effective upselling and cross-selling strategy to increase average order value.
Show your product in action with video
Including product videos is a great way to show your product in use without the customer having to leave your site. You can add a video to your product page that shows the product in use or gives an overview of the product's features.
For example, Milk Makeup added an engaging video to an eyeliner product page to illustrate how easy it is to apply and how bold a color shoppers can expect.
Build a mobile-friendly design
As of Q2 2022, over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices in the US. And by 2025, 44% of ecommerce purchases are predicted to be made on mobile devices. So, it's important to ensure your product detail pages are mobile-friendly.
That means using a responsive design that changes depending on the user's screen size and orientation, using large font sizes, easy-to-tap buttons, and redesigning your site menu for the mobile experience.
Support your product page efforts with an effective cart abandonment strategy
A good ecommerce product detail page design will make it easy to learn about your product and compelling to buy. But your work isn't done yet.
Once you've crafted great product pages, you'll want to address abandoned carts. While your product page might encourage people to add items to their carts, they haven't crossed the line yet.
If customers are adding to their cart but not buying, implement these essential cart abandonment strategies to win over more customers.