3.1. “What” do you offer?

The entire product page is usually the answer to the “what” question. We’ve reviewed how to write a killer product description, the best way to include product information, and how to use photos effectively. One additional note here is to write a short summary at the top of the page. Many online stores have at least one short and one long description.

You can “turbo-charge” what you offer by putting more emphasis on the details of the offer that are not immediately apparent, such as what the package contains or what type of extended warranty applies.

The Omaha Steaks website features an extra warranty on its product page.

When possible, the value of the offer in the eyes of your customer should be increased by other methods. Gifts or loyalty points provided with the product, free shipping, or the above-mentioned extended warranty all have the effect of increasing value in the eyes of the shopper. 

3.3. “How much” does it cost?

For some products, where price competition is especially strong, it’s important to make your prices easy to see. For some boutique services, it’s not appropriate to put the price right out front. However, you should always clearly list the price for any item that will be purchased online, it’s an important part of the buying decision.

Discounts should be emphasized with your pricing. Discounts can significantly improve the price-value ratio of the specific pro duct in the eyes of the customer.

To maximize the effect of a product on sale, indicate both the sale price and the original price. You can even cross out the original price with a line, indicating it is no longer valid. In addition, the discount rate should also be shown — calculate it for the customer instead of forcing them to do it. Customers appreciate it when almost everything is done for them.

If the discount rate percentage is low, indicate it in dollars; otherwise, using a percentage is more effective and easier to communicate.

Amazon.com uses all of the above-mentioned methods to display prices.

Target.com also uses them, but does not emphasize them as much, preferring to use gray font instead of the red font used by Amazon. Perhaps there was a little too much red on the Target site already, and the designers had no choice but to use grey in this instance.

When you are displaying the price of your product, you can use discounts and emphasis to create a greater perception of value than simply listing the price alone.