What details must every product description include?
A practical checklist of the details shoppers look for in a product description, from size and material to what is in the box and delivery notes.
A shopper cannot touch your product. The description has to stand in for their hands and eyes. Here is a checklist of details that most buyers look for, whatever you sell. Not every item applies to every product, but run through the list each time you add something new.
The core checklist
- What it is: the product type in plain words.
- Size and dimensions: height, width, length, or garment measurements. Say what you measured and how.
- Weight: especially for anything that will be shipped or carried, and for food or cosmetics by net quantity.
- Material or ingredients: be specific.
- Colour: the name you use, with a note about screen variation. See describing colour accurately.
- Care instructions: washing, storing, handling.
- What is in the box: the exact items included, for sets and hampers especially.
- Any variation to expect: handmade pieces differ slightly.
- Delivery or dispatch notes: how long you need to prepare it, particularly for made-to-order items.
Size is the detail people ask about most
Nearly every clothing or accessory seller gets the same message: "what is the size?" Answer it in the description before anyone has to ask. For clothing, give actual measurements in inches or centimetres, not only S, M, L. On a Varchas store, sizes S, M, L and XL are set up as stock per colour, so the description is the place to say what those sizes actually mean on your pattern. More on this in setting up product variants properly.
Material, said clearly
"Premium fabric" tells no one anything. "Cotton, 120 cm wide weave" does. See describing material and fabric honestly.
What is in the box
Gift hampers and sets cause confusion because the photo styling can include props that are not for sale. List every item that actually arrives, with quantities. If the basket, ribbon or card is included, say so. If the dried flowers in the photo are only decoration, say that too.
Delivery and preparation notes
If you make to order, say how long you need. If a product is perishable, say how it should be stored on arrival. For general shipping information, see shipping across India explains what small brands should consider when setting delivery expectations.
Labelling and legal details
Some categories, such as food, cosmetics and textiles, may carry labelling or declaration requirements. These rules change and differ by product, so confirm what applies to you with a professional or the relevant official source rather than relying on a blog post. Once you know what you must include, add it to your own checklist.
Turn the checklist into a habit
Save the list in your notes app. Every time you add a product, go through it line by line. You will quickly find the descriptions that are missing something, and you will spot the questions you keep answering by DM. Write those answers into the description and your product page starts doing the explaining for you. A tidy, complete description is part of what makes a store feel dependable.