News Feature | November 2, 2015

Quality, Not Quantity, Of Product Info Matters Most In Gaining And Retaining Shoppers

Christine Kern

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Retail Shoppers Value Quality

New Study examines the impact of poor product content on retail business.

In an online shopper’s eyes, quality far outweighs quantity. Quality product information can make or break an online sale, and retailers that offer the most complete and compelling product content are considered as the most trustworthy. These are the findings of a new report from Shotfarm, an end-to-end solution provider for the management and exchange of product information for the ecommerce industry.

According to the 2015/2016 Shotfarm Product Information Report, online consumers search for the best and most complete product information available before finalizing purchases, readily moving between manufacturer and retailer websites to find it. Those offering the most compelling, engaging, and complete content are viewed as the most trustworthy by shoppers and will be rewarded by repeat purchases, lower levels of returns, and long-term loyalty.

"Until now, the importance of product content on buying behavior has been largely theoretical," said Mike Lapchick, CEO of Shotfarm. "We're now able to see a direct correlation between the quality of product information and conversion, abandonment, returns, and more. What's so valuable about this study is that the findings are actionable. Poor product content is such an easy and affordable problem to correct and the now-documented benefits of doing so are overwhelming."

The study found that the impact of poor product content manifests in returns, shopping cart abandonment, and brand erosion:

  • Forty percent of consumers have returned an online purchase in the past year specifically because of poor product content.
  • One in four consumers says they have abandoned a purchase because of poor product information.
  •  Eighty-six percent of those surveyed said they would be unlikely or very unlikely to make a repeat purchase with a retailer that provided inaccurate product information.

"Improving how product information moves from manufacturer to retailer will have an immediate impact on the online shopping experience," added Lapchick, "since it will allow trading partners to focus on the quality and completeness of their content instead of how it is managed and distributed."