Sign up | Read online

Hey, it’s Jochem. Welcome back to the Ecom Handbook #7.

Quick question: What can I do better with these emails? Hit reply and let me know. I would really appreciate your feedback

-Jochem (@iamjochems)

Every e-commerce operator has faced this problem:

You write a long product description.
You list every feature.
You think “more info = more conversion.”

Then you check conversions… and it’s flat.

Most product descriptions fail not because they lack words, but because they lack clarity of message.

Long descriptions often:
• bury the outcome
• talk features instead of results
• use warehouse language instead of customer language
• make assumptions about what shoppers already know

Today, we’ll break down why long descriptions underperform and how to turn them into high-converting messaging that actually drives action.

Let’s get into it.

Your product description is not a product manual.
It’s a conversion asset.

Most descriptions are written from a brand point of view:

• what the product is
• how it’s made
• features, specs, materials

But customers don’t buy features.

They buy what those features do for them, the outcome.

They arrive with a question:

“Will this make my life better?”

If your copy doesn’t answer that quickly, they bounce.

Today’s descriptions must be:

• scannable
• outcome-focused
• customer-centric
• built around questions shoppers actually ask

That’s the shift.

A long laundry list of features might sound thorough, but it doesn’t help the shopper decide.

Shoppers rarely scroll to read walls of text, they scan for evidence that this solves their problem.

Brands assume customers:
• know what terms like “duplex weave” mean
• care about manufacturing details
• already understand why the product matters

That’s a mismatch.

Descriptions must start with “What’s in it for the customer?” first.

When you make customers work to understand value, you weaken every downstream metric:

• add-to-cart
• conversion rate
• AOV
• retention

Short, outcome-oriented messaging converts better than paragraphs of features, every time.

Instead of:

Write:

Notice the difference?
Same fact, different reason to buy.

Before you write your next description, answer these:

• What problem does this solve?
• Who is it for?
• What’s the most convincing proof?
• What’s one real benefit first-time buyers care about?

Turn each answer into a short sentence.

Shopper eyes jump, they don’t read.

Use layouts like:

What it does
Who it’s for
Why it matters
Proof/Outcome
One-liner that supports the add-to-cart

This keeps meaning high and cognitive load low.

Use AI to help focus and shorten descriptions, not replace them.

Try prompts like:

“Reword this product description to be outcome-focused and scannable. Emphasize benefits over features and keep it under five lines.”

AI will reduce verbosity quickly.

Then you edit it further.

Shopify competitor Swap raises $100M for AI-powered commerce platform

Swap Commerce secured $100M in new funding to expand its AI-driven tools for storefronts, cross-border selling, inventory, and returns, signaling growing investor confidence in automation-first e-commerce platforms.

Read it here

Shopify + OpenAI commerce rollout expands checkout opportunity

OpenAI’s Instant Checkout now lets users buy products directly inside ChatGPT, and as the feature expands to include Etsy and soon Shopify merchants, stores can turn AI discovery into real transactions, though merchants will pay fees on purchases processed through this channel.

Read it here

eBay bans autonomous AI shopping agents

eBay updated its User Agreement to ban unauthorized AI automation tools (like shopping bots and LLM agents) from browsing and ordering on the platform without prior approval, signaling increasing platform-level controls around agentic commerce.

Read it here

Community Connect is where e-commerce builders, founders, and operators in our network help each other grow.

Each week, we highlight people who are looking for collaborators, partners, or expert support - so the right connections can happen faster.

Reply to this email with “Connect” and a short note on what you’re working on and what expert help you are looking for.

This reach out is completely FREE.

We feature a limited number each month, so please reply soon to secure your spot before slots fill up.

Do this today:

Pick one product with an underperforming description.

Rewrite it using this structure:

Headline: Shopper outcome
Line 1: What it does for them
Line 2: Who it’s for
Line 3: Proof or reassurance

Example:

Headline: Moves with you all day, stays dry
Line 1: Four-way stretch keeps you comfortable
Line 2: Made for long training sessions
Line 3: Trusted by thousands of athletes

Then measure results.

Better copy doesn’t wait.
It converts.