Just because your visitor has arrived to a specific product page, it doesn’t mean he will add the product to the cart. The product detail page needs to continue the conversion effort that the landing page and the category page started.

On this page, visitors will explore your offer more closely.

In terms of the product, you want to provide:

• A large enough photo (or a link to enlarge)
• Alternative photos if applicable (different angles, colors, etc.)
• Main product features and benefits
• Product options or accessories
• Price, availability, or sale/discount options
• Customer testimonials
• Product warranty/support options

Out of the list above, the product photo may be the most important. Most people are visual and will judge your product on one image alone. Don’t use your digital camera. Think of the competition you have online… you need to show, not tell how much better your product is. See our post about hiring a professional photographer.

When designing a product detail page, keep the following visual considerations in mind:

• Keep them simple. If there is a lot of information for your product or service, consider separating it into sections and using tabs to go back and forth.
• Place the “add to cart” button above the fold. Don’t make people scroll to click on it. If you have a long product description, simplify it, show the button, and then provide the rest of the information below.
• Show quality photos in context. Seeing how the product looks when in use is more powerful than seeing the same product on a white background. Also, provide different angles if appropriate.
• Include related items if possible. What else could the same visitor be interested in based on the product he is looking at right now?
• Make your offers clear. Label and explain any offers or discounts you have for this product and place that information where it makes sense. Don’t say “free shipping” next to the color options just because you want to show it above the fold.

Typically, the product detail page is the last page visitors see before clicking on the “add to cart” button. The more attractive, helpful, and intuitive they are, the better the chances of actual purchase.