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How to Write Better eBay Product Descriptions (& Make More Sales)

How to Write Better eBay Product Descriptions - Replyco Helpdesk Software for eCommerce

Learn how to create eBay product descriptions that get shoppers’ attention, lead to more sales and help your company grow.

All eCommerce pros know that their eBay product descriptions are a major factor in making plenty of sales. But if you’ve been selling online for a long time, your value proposition strategy may have grown a bit stale.

After all, when you’re listing item after item after item, it can be easy to get into a rhythm based more on speed than content quality. That’s why today, we’re covering how to really make your descriptions sing (and sell). Here are Replyco’s quick tips for writing better, more effective eBay product descriptions. 

Make Your Descriptions Easy to Scan

If you want to sell more items, make your eBay product descriptions easy to read and scan. With this approach, there’s one question you need to ask: “Can a shopper quickly deduce what this product offers at a glance?” If so, you’re on the right track. But if the answer is no, you need to tweak your content. 

A few ways to make your product descriptions more skimmable include:

  • Breaking your text up into short sections.
  • Using bulleted or numbered lists.
  • Separating sections with headers.
  • Writing in short words and sentences.

Snappy content that is broken into smaller sections while also using short, active sentences makes your descriptions “read” faster. Your shoppers will be more likely to feel engaged by your listings. They will also be more likely to read them through to the end and make a purchase, rather than getting bored and bouncing away to browse other sellers’ items. 

Keep Your eBay Product Descriptions Short

In addition to being skimmable and easy to scan, your eBay product descriptions need to be short and sweet. The key here is to be succinct while still conveying everything your item has to offer. 

Again, your shoppers are busy. Plus, they have tons of options when it comes to browsing online today. Use your product listing to clearly describe what you’re selling, along with its benefits and features.

Highlight the Benefits

Speaking of benefits, this is perhaps the most important piece of your product description. Highlight those benefits in such a way as to let your shoppers know that they’d really be missing out if they didn’t buy your product. 

And remember, as we stressed in our recent guide on the subject, features tell while benefits sell. For example, if you’re selling cotton t-shirts, the fabric is a feature. But comfortability is a benefit. 

Think through every possible perk a customer might experience from buying your item, and make those positive outcomes the centerpiece of your eBay product description. And going back to our previous sections, you could even place your benefits in your description’s section headers. That way, you will draw maximum attention to them and make sure your readers spot them when they’re scanning your listing.

Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

It’s also extremely important to optimize your eBay product descriptions. Make sure you’re using keywords that shoppers might use when searching for items like yours. 

Also, you should always write with eBay’s Cassini search engine in mind. This search engine parses listings to determine where to rank items in eBay search results. And while exactly how Cassini determines its rankings is unclear, most research suggests that it’s a good idea to use the term you want to rank for at least once or twice in your listing (including in the headline). 

A word of caution, however. Only uses above-board SEO tactics, also known as White Hat SEO. In other words, resist the urge to use backhanded (Black Hat) techniques. These include using keywords constantly in an unnatural way throughout your descriptions, or using popular keywords that don’t describe your product in an attempt to get more traffic. For example, if you sell HP laptops, don’t use phrases like “this HP laptop is way better than any MacBook Pro” in an attempt to attract shoppers searching for a Mac. Not only will buyers see this approach as deceptive, but it could also get your listings penalized in search results. 

Be Honest in Your Listings

That brings us to our next point, be honest in your eBay product descriptions. Yes, your listings should cover the reasons shoppers should buy your items in an attractive, enticing way. But that doesn’t mean they should gloss over any potential issues with the product. In fact, doing so will result in harm to your reputation as a seller.

Instead, cover all the specifics of your items thoroughly and honestly. For instance, if you’re selling used items, make sure to detail any scuffs or dings in the product. Or if you’re selling an item that is new but in an open-box, make that fact clear to your customers. 

Take Great Product Photos

Finally, your eBay product descriptions are only as effective as the photos you use with them. Take clear, attractive pictures of anything you sell in order to fully show customers what they’re buying. 

Here are a few quick tips on how to take great eBay product photos: 

  • Use good, bright lighting.
  • Place your product against a solid backdrop (preferably white, unless the item is white, in which case black or grey might work best).
  • Photograph your item from all angles.
  • Make sure every product detail is clear in your images.

Need some more help with taking the best possible eCommerce product photos? Check out our full article on the subject here.

How to Write Better eBay Product Descriptions: Final Thoughts

If you follow the aforementioned tips, you will be well on your way to sprucing up your eBay product description approach and making more sales. But don’t stop there. Once you set yourself up to close more sales, you’ll need a strategy for dealing with more orders (and therefore, more customer inquiries). 

The last thing you want to do is drop the ball when it comes to your customer support. But don’t worry; Replyco has your back. We enable multi-channel sellers to centralize messaging from all of their marketplaces and platforms into one easy-to-use inbox. And our tools for eBay sellers are second to none. From handling cases to processing returns and refunds, you and your team can manage all of your eBay customer service needs from directly within the Replyco Dashboard.

Ready to get control of your inbox and bring your eBay sales strategy full circle? Take a tour of our features or get started with your free trial today! 

Sheena Ingle - Content Writer for Replyco eCommerce

About the author: Sheena Ingle

Sheena Ingle is a copywriter and marketer with more than 10 years of experience. She studied communications at Southern New Hampshire University and specializes in educating consumers in the eCommerce, technology, customer service and SaaS industries. Sheena's work has been published in major outlets such as USA Today and LIVESTRONG.com, and she truly enjoys helping SMBs and online sellers achieve their goals.

To inquire about guest blog posting and other media opportunities, contact Sheena at sheena@replyco.com. You can also follow her on LinkedIn.

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