The Importance of Accurate SKU Data and Unique Product Content

If you’re an online retailer there’s nothing more important to your future sales than making sure the data you’re presenting to consumers is both accurate and insightful. Without accurate SKU data and unique product content designed to assist your customer in the decision to buy, their online experience could be falling flat.

Shoppers want to shop before they buy

That’s because savvy Internet shoppers want to be able to navigate your site and obtain all the information needed to make their purchasing decision. When your customers face a less than stellar browsing experience, the frustration they feel can lead them away from your brand or site and on to the nearest competitor. 

Consumers want to feel confident about their decision to buy and providing them with all the pertinent data necessary to feel confident about that decision goes a long way towards helping them press the buy button. Online shoppers, like their in-store counterparts, want to learn about the product and experience it as much as possible prior to proceeding to the cart. This includes evaluating their choices, comparing overall selection, features, benefits as well as a comparison of product variations, brands, pricing, and specifications. 

But what is good data? What are the key differentiators between a frustrating or stressful online shopping experience and one that not only gains a customer but also instills confidence in your brand?

Organization is key 

Have you ever experienced a site so cluttered that it’s hard to find what you need? Ever found it difficult to find the search bar? Were the results of your text search what you expected and relevant to the terms used? And once you find the items you’re in the market for – is it just row after row of pictures and prices without any helpful descriptions, product details, item numbers or customer reviews? How likely are you to buy something with limited information? When you do make a purchase, wouldn’t you rather buy it with full confidence it is the item you were looking for?

The fact is proper data management along with useful, compelling content are both integral to providing an excellent user experience. The decision to include (or forget) these critical aspects of your site play a big role in overall site usability, which directly affects sales. The key to providing shoppers what they need is accurate data presented in an intuitive manner. Equally important is not overwhelming them with irrelevant content that lacks the ability to connect the consumer with the product.

Providing the consumer with good quality and succinct data that’s properly organized makes the difference between a stressful shopping experience that leads your customer away from the site and one where, within a few clicks, your customer finds what they’re looking for and completes a purchase.

Once a transaction is made, the importance of accurate data does not stop there. If your product data is outdated or inaccurate, you risk turning a positive customer experience into a negative one. While returns are an inevitable part of a business, reducing them is without a doubt a major win.

The importance of well-structured, accurate product data and descriptions cannot be overstated. Positive, stress-free experiences make for happy customers – just ask Amazon.com.

Good Data = great results

How can you optimize the data on your e-commerce website to facilitate a better shopping experience and create a win-win, every time?

Some customers like to use the search function, others like to browse and both desire ways in which to refine those results to better target exactly what they want. Think about it from the customer’s perspective and make sure your site can accommodate all their needs.

All searchable words should be properly indexed on the site for each product offering. You should also have engaging and unique content in the following areas:

  • Category descriptions
  • Product buying guides
  • Titles not drevied from attributes
  • Short & long descriptions
  • Features & Benefits
  • User-generated reviews

When enhancing content, be sure to know your audience and focus on improving the content that is relevant to them at the stage of their decision process. In a recent Entrepreneur.com article “How to Optimize Your Site for Every Stage of the Buying Cycle“, Neil Patel states “Even though you can’t make a customer buy, you can at least know how your site can meet the specific need that the customer has at any given point in the buying cycle“.

Taking the time to build the right infrastructure and display for your site, including an excellent data management system, quality product content, accurate SKUs and a well-organized consumer experience will result in increased conversions and a happier, more loyal customer base.

Want to increase sales conversions for your business? If you need help getting your e-commerce site’s content right and data tight, call us today at: 800-991-4641