Product Description Template That Sells
Use this five-line template to write better product descriptions, with a before-and-after example, common mistakes, and when to hire a writer.
Key takeaways
- The template has five lines: who the product is for, what it does, what it’s made of, practical usage details, and what reassures the buyer before purchase.
- Lead with the benefit before the feature: say “Keeps your coffee hot for 6 hours” before “double-wall design.”
- A description copied from the supplier won’t persuade shoppers or help your page stand out in search.
- When you have dozens of products, handing the writing to a specialist can save you time.
A product description that sells answers five questions in this order: Who is this product for? What does it do for them? What is it made of? How is it used, and what are its dimensions? And what reassures them before they pay? One line for each question—that’s the whole template. Shoppers can’t touch the product or ask a salesperson, so the description is the salesperson. When it’s just a line copied from the supplier, the visitor leaves to find the answer in another store.
What is the visitor looking for in the description?
They’re looking for the answer to one question: Is this right for me? That breaks down into practical questions: Is the size right, is the material good, how do I clean it, when will it arrive, and what if I don’t like it? Every question the page doesn’t answer turns into either a message to you or a visitor who leaves.
The template: five lines in order
- 1. Who it’s for and what it is: a sentence that says what the product is and who it suits.
- 2. The main benefit: what changes in the buyer’s day, with a number if there is one.
- 3. Material and build: what it’s made of and why that matters.
- 4. Practical details: dimensions, weight, colors, how to use it, and how to care for it.
- 5. Reassurance: what’s in the box, warranty, exchange policy, and shipping time.
Make the first two lines a short paragraph, and the rest bullet points for people who scan quickly. Most visitors read the first two lines, then skim the bullets.
Before and after example
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| 500 ml stainless steel thermal cup, high quality, available in several colors. | A thermal cup for people who like to sip their coffee slowly on the road or at the office. Keeps your drink hot for 6 hours and cold for 12 hours according to the manufacturer’s data, with a double-wall stainless steel design that doesn’t affect the taste. |
| (Nothing) | 500 ml capacity, fits in a car cup holder. Leak-resistant lid. Hand wash only. In the box: the cup and an extra lid. Exchange within 7 days. |
The second description didn’t add a single exaggeration. It added answers. And its numbers—the hours, capacity, and exchange period—are just examples to illustrate the point; in your store, use only the real numbers for your product and your policy, because an incorrect number turns into a return request.
Mistakes that make visitors leave
- Claims with no proof: “high quality” and “the best on the market” say nothing. Say what makes it good.
- Features with no meaning: “5000 mAh” means little to many people; “charges your phone once fully” is clear to everyone.
- One long paragraph with no bullet points.
- Leaving out dimensions and care instructions, even though they’re the most asked-about details.
- Using one copied description across all similar products.
- Spelling mistakes that shake trust in the whole store.
Product descriptions and Google search
An original description helps you twice: it persuades the visitor, and it gives the search engine text that makes your page different from stores that copied the same supplier description. Mention the product name the way people search for it once at the start of the description in a natural way, and don’t stuff keywords.
Write it yourself or hire a writer?
If you have ten products, write them yourself using this template in one sitting—you know them best. If you have dozens or hundreds, the calculation changes: time spent writing comes out of selling and fulfillment. On Hylance at the time of writing, writing descriptions for twenty products starts at around SAR 115 (about $31), which is just a few riyals per description; the exact price is on the service page. Whoever writes them, prepare this for each product: the material, dimensions, what’s in the box, and the customer question you hear most often.
Try the template on a different kind of product
The same template works for any product because the questions stay the same. What changes is which line needs more detail. Here’s how to write a perfume description, where the buyer can’t smell it:
- Who it’s for and what it is: an oriental evening fragrance for occasions, for people who like warm scents.
- The main benefit: lasts on clothes for long hours, so you won’t need to reapply it during the evening.
- Ingredients: opens with saffron, has a rose heart, and a base of oud and musk.
- Practical details: 100 ml, spray bottle, in a gift-ready box.
- Reassurance: similar in character to well-known oud fragrances, and you can exchange it if it arrives sealed and doesn’t suit you.
With perfume, the ingredients line is longer because it replaces the sense of smell. With clothing, the size line gets longer. With devices, it’s the compatibility and warranty line. Ask yourself: what is the first thing customers ask about this product in messages? That is the line worth expanding. And as in the previous example, don’t write a longevity claim or an exchange policy unless it’s exactly what you actually offer.
Checklist before publishing
- Can someone understand from the first line what the product is and who it’s for?
- Did you mention the dimensions, material, and care instructions?
- Is every number in the description accurate, and can you back it up?
- Have you read it out loud, and does it sound like something a salesperson would say to a customer?
Writing services for your store on Hylance
SEO-friendly product descriptions for 20 store products
- Writing & Translation
- New service
Meta titles and descriptions for 10 pages
- Writing & Translation
- New service
10 Short Ad Copies for Your Social Media Campaigns
- Writing & Translation
- New service
Frequently asked questions
How long should a product description be?
As long as it takes to answer the buyer’s questions. For most products, five well-ordered lines are enough. A higher-priced or technical product needs more detail in the specs and how to use it.
Should I copy the product description from the supplier?
No. The supplier’s description is written for a merchant, not a buyer, and it appears in other stores too. Write your own description in your own words, starting with what the buyer gets from the product.
What’s the difference between a benefit and a feature in a product description?
A feature is a fact about the product, like “double-wall stainless steel.” A benefit is what that means for the buyer: “Keeps your coffee hot for 6 hours.” Lead with the benefit, then back it up with the feature.
Ready to put this into practice?
Browse Writing & Translation services on Hylance and order what your business needs, with escrow that protects both sides. Or create an account and list your first service in minutes.
