How to write product descriptions for a website from a one-page fact sheet
Write the facts down first, then the description. For each product, list what it is, who it's for, what it's made of, its size and care, and the questions customers ask before buying. Turn that into one short paragraph that says why someone would want it, followed by scannable details. The facts do the selling; the words just put them in order.
Start with a fact sheet, not a blank page
Most weak descriptions are weak because the writer didn't know the product well, or didn't write down what they knew. Before writing a word of copy, fill in a fact sheet for each product. It takes five minutes and stops you writing "high quality" where you could have written "hand-stitched waxed cotton".
- What it is
- In plain words, as a customer would search for it: "a waxed cotton tote bag", not "the Harbour".
- Who it's for and when
- "Daily commute, fits a 14-inch laptop."
- What it's made of and where
- Materials, origin, who made it, how.
- Size, weight, capacity
- Exact numbers with units. Include a comparison people can picture.
- Care and lifespan
- How to clean it, what to avoid, how long it lasts.
- What's included
- Everything in the box, and what isn't.
- The questions people ask
- From emails, messages and conversations at markets.
- Why someone chooses it over the alternatives
- One or two honest reasons.
Structure it for scanning
Most shoppers scan first and read only when something catches. Give them a shape they can scan:
- Name: what it is, plus any variant. "Waxed cotton tote, olive."
- One to three sentences on the outcome or the feeling: what using it is like, who it suits. This is the only part that needs to be persuasive.
- A short list of specifics: dimensions, materials, capacity, compatibility.
- Care and delivery in a line each.
- Answers to the top one or two objections: "Will it fit my laptop?" "Is it waterproof?"
Length follows price and complexity. A greetings card needs two sentences; a piece of furniture needs dimensions, materials, assembly and delivery details. Write as long as the questions require and stop.
Answer objections before they're asked
| Objection | Answer it with |
|---|---|
| Will it fit or suit me? | Exact measurements, a size guide, a photo with something familiar for scale |
| Is it worth the price? | Materials, process, how long it lasts, what's included |
| What if it's wrong? | Your returns terms, linked beside the price |
| When will it arrive? | Dispatch time and delivery options |
| Is it really as pictured? | Several real photos, including close-ups and the back |
Words to cut and words to keep
- Cut empty adjectives: premium, luxurious, perfect, amazing, high quality. Replace each with the fact that made you want to use it.
- Keep sensory, specific words: "brushed", "heavyweight", "smells of cedar", "warm grey".
- Use the customer's terms: if they say "jumper", don't write "knitwear piece".
- Be careful with claims. Words such as eco-friendly, organic, waterproof or handmade are factual claims. The US FTC's advertising guide for small businesses says advertisers need evidence for claims before the ad runs, and other countries' rules are similar.
Product descriptions on an Anticode site
An Anticode online store build lays out a product grid and a separate Shop page if you ask for one, with buy buttons that open your payment link. Write your fact sheets before the build and put the real names, prices and details in the request. Where you give none, the first draft has to fill the gap, so check every product name, price and detail against your fact sheet before publishing.
For a catalogue that changes, a CMS collection keeps products as entries: the Products starting point gives each one a name, a price, a description in rich text and an image field. Anticode's design gate also blocks publishing pages that contain stock AI phrases, which catches some of the filler. It won't catch a vague description that's merely dull, so read each one as a customer would. Writing website copy that doesn't sound AI-generated helps with tone.
Questions people ask
Can I use the manufacturer's product description?
You can if your supplier allows it, but many shops publish the same words. Add your own details, photos and answers so your page says something the others don't.
Should product descriptions use bullet points?
Yes for specifications, such as size, materials and care. Keep the opening as a short paragraph so it reads as a reason to buy, not a spec sheet.
Can AI write my product descriptions?
It can draft them well from a good fact sheet. Without one, it fills the gaps with general phrases, so the fact sheet is the part you can't skip.