Beyond selling great products, standing out in the competitive world of e-commerce demands excelling on all relevant fronts. Impactful product descriptions—which were once a good-to-have feature—is now an area of excellence that can drive sales.
At the most basic level, a product description needs to be just that: It should include aspects such as features, compatibility, and suitability for different use cases. But consider that engaging descriptions attract the attention of potential buyers by highlighting product benefits; SEO-friendly descriptions improve search rankings, increasing traffic; and persuasive descriptions can convert window shoppers into buyers.
It would be useful to compare what we might call “generic descriptions” or “bland product descriptions” and “engaging descriptions” of products in diverse areas:
Product 1, Consumer Electronics: Wireless Earbuds
Generic Description:
“Wireless earbuds with a comfortable fit, 24-hour battery life, and great sound quality. Compatible with all devices. Great for daily use for everyone.”
Engaging Description:
“Experience unparalleled freedom with our wireless earbuds. Featuring ergonomic design for all-day comfort, 24-hour battery life for non-stop music, and immersive sound quality with deep bass. Seamlessly connect to all your devices and elevate your workouts, commutes, or moments of relaxation. Perfect for active lifestyles and audiophiles alike.”
Key Improvements:
Highlighted unique features (ergonomic design, deep bass)
Used emotive language (“unparalleled freedom,” “non-stop music,” “immersive sound,” “elevate your workouts”)
Tailored the message to target audiences (users with active lifestyles, audiophiles)
Product 2, Fashion Apparel: Men’s Blazer
Generic Description:
“A stylish men’s blazer made from wrinkle-resistant fabric. Perfect for formal or semi-formal occasions. Available in multiple sizes and colours.”
Engaging Description:
“Redefine sophistication with our premium men’s blazer, tailored from luxurious, wrinkle-resistant fabric for a flawless fit. Designed to transition seamlessly from boardroom meetings to evening events, it exudes timeless elegance. Available in versatile colours like charcoal grey and navy, this wardrobe essential ensures you make a statement at every occasion.”
Key Improvements:
Highlighted the premium nature of the product (“redefine sophistication,” “premium,” “flawless fit”)
Added specific use cases (“boardroom meetings,” “evening events”)
Used evocative language (“luxurious,” “timeless elegance,” “make a statement”)
Let’s take an in-depth look at how successful e-commerce brands are leveraging AI to craft just such product descriptions.
From Bland Product Data to Engaging Product Descriptions
As opposed to perhaps just a decade ago, the state of the art of natural language processing (NLP) means AI algorithms can analyse large volumes of product descriptions that can be described as engaging and persuasive—and then craft descriptions for other products at a comparable level of linguistic competence.
To be able to do so, the algorithm would also need answers to questions such as: How detailed should the description be? Where will it be published? What are the unique selling points of the product? The answers can be part of the input to the algorithm—or they might be implicit in the descriptions used to train the algorithm.
Tasked with writing an informal, 100-word description of a clothing item, an appropriately trained AI algorithm would be able to take products details as input and generate a compelling description as output—as in the example below.
Product 1, Men’s Apparel: Relaxed Fit Jacket
Input: Jacket in a soft weave featuring notch lapels with a decorative buttonhole and a two-button fastening at the front. Jetted front pockets with a flap, a chest pocket, two inner pockets, decorative buttons at the cuffs and a single back vent. Relaxed fit for a casual but not oversized silhouette. Lined. Length: Regular length Sleeve length: Long sleeve Fit: Relaxed fit Collar: Notch lapels Style: Blazer, Single-breasted Description: Greige, Solid colour Generic name: Blazer Care instructions: Line dry Only non-chlorine bleach when needed Unwashable Medium iron Can be dry cleaned Material: Blended Polyester, Viscose, Elastane |
| Output: Elevate your wardrobe with this sophisticated blazer, designed for the modern man who values both style and comfort. Crafted from a soft weave fabric in a chic greige solid colour, this single-breasted blazer features notch lapels adorned with a decorative buttonhole, adding a touch of elegance to your ensemble. The two-button fastening at the front ensures a tailored fit, while the relaxed silhouette allows for ease of movement without compromising on style. With jetted front pockets complete with flaps, a chest pocket, and two inner pockets, this blazer is as functional as it is fashionable. Made from a combination of polyester, viscose, and elastane, this material offers the best of all worlds: the durability and easy-care properties of polyester, the soft and breathable feel of viscose, and the stretch and flexibility provided by elastane. The decorative buttons at the cuffs and the single back vent enhance its refined look, making it perfect for both casual outings and more formal occasions. Care is simple with instructions to line dry and use only non-chlorine bleach when necessary, while it can also be dry cleaned for maintenance. |
Source: H&M Product Page
The algorithm that generated the output used elements from the textual description as well as the list of specifications in the input. It then elaborated upon certain aspects of the product, notably material types. To be able to do so, it would need to have processed—and formed “ideas” about—similar information in the descriptions that were used to train it.
Let’s take a look at another example.
Product 2, Electronics: Mobile Phone (Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra)
| Input: Display: 36.99 cm, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Anti-Reflection Thickness: 5.4 mm Weight: 723g (5G), 718g (Wi-Fi) Storage: 1TB/512GB/256GB Memory: 16GB/12GB Front Camera: 12 MP + 12 MP UW Rear Camera: 13 MP + 8 MP UW Capacity: 11200mAh Durability: Enhanced Armor Aluminum, IP68 Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7 |
Source: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra – Product Page
| Output: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Tablet features a 36.99 cm Dynamic AMOLED 2X display for vibrant visuals and anti-reflection. At just 5.4 mm thick and weighing 723g (5G) or 718g (Wi-Fi), it’s portable yet powerful. It offers up to 1TB of storage and memory options of 16GB or 12GB. The tablet includes dual front (12 MP + 12 MP UW) and rear cameras (13 MP + 8 MP UW) for quality photography. Its 11200 mAh battery ensures long-lasting use, while the durable Armor Aluminum construction and IP68 rating provide protection. Connectivity includes advanced 5G and Wi-Fi 7, making it ideal for work and play. |
The output clearly highlights the desirable features of the product while conveying a message that resonates with the target audience. In this example as well, it is easy to infer that the training data for the algorithm carried information that helped it understand the details in the input: That “IP68” is a rating, for instance.
Product Descriptions: The AI Edge
Humans can, of course, write descriptions of the kind we’ve looked at. But here’s what gives AI the edge in terms of applicability for e-commerce companies.
Resource intensiveness: Most importantly, writing large numbers of augmented descriptions—of the kind we’ve seen—would take up much more time and effort for people than for a dedicated or specialised AI algorithm, which can craft accurate, engaging descriptions for thousands of products in minutes.
Data handling and data-focused creativity: Engaging product descriptions need to be creative and well-crafted. Humans can—conceivably—perform the task, but consider that each description also needs to take into account data such as resonance with the target audience, cultural sensitivity, textual overlaps with descriptions of other products, the tone of the descriptions of other products in the same group, and so forth. Taking such volumes of diverse data into consideration would make it overwhelming for humans to write creative descriptions in large numbers.
Updating existing descriptions: AI algorithms are well-suited to the task of updating existing product descriptions to make them more current as well as more engaging. This is because they can—more easily than humans—spot what is missing in existing descriptions in terms of information as well as messaging.
Scalability: AI tools can quickly write large numbers of descriptions while considering large volumes of product data. This means they can write appealing yet different descriptions for new products similar to those in an existing catalog, which would be difficult for humans to write from scratch.
Here are some further benefits of the use of AI in writing product descriptions.
Personalisation: AI tools can look at customer data and create different product descriptions, each tailored to a certain group of people. Such personalisation means the descriptions are more relevant and more appealing to each audience segment.
Improved SEO Performance: By inserting relevant keywords right into the organic text of a product description, AI can make the product rank higher up in search engine results.
Multilingual Capabilities: AI can not only translate product descriptions into different languages but also adapt them to different cultures, which helps brands reach customers all over the world.
How Top E-commerce Sites Are Using AI to Revolutionise Product Description Generation
1. Amazon
Amazon employs AI extensively to manage its vast inventory—including the generation of concise, informative, SEO-optimised product descriptions that ensure consistency and accuracy across its platform. Amazon also uses its proprietary machine learning (ML) systems and NLP tools, such as the A9 algorithm, to dynamically update product descriptions. These tools analyse customer behaviour, reviews, and trending keywords to keep descriptions relevant and optimised for current search trends. For example, terms like “gluten-free” will appear more prominently in the descriptions of relevant products for customers who regularly search for gluten-free items.
2. Alibaba
Alibaba’s AI tool, AI Copywriter, has transformed how product descriptions are created. Using deep learning and NLP, AI Copywriters can generate hundreds of descriptions in mere seconds. Sellers can fine-tune the tone, style, and focus of each description, allowing them to stay true to their brand’s voice while targeting the right audience. This flexibility ensures that every product listing is effective as well as appealing.
3. Wayfair
Furniture and home goods retailer Wayfair employs a custom AI system to create personalised product descriptions. By analysing browsing behaviour, purchase history and user reviews, Wayfair ensures that each description resonates with its audience. The AI system continually updates descriptions in response to changing customer trends and seasonal demands, helping Wayfair’s content stay relevant and engaging across the platform.
4. ASOS
ASOS, a leading fashion retailer, uses an AI-powered solution to optimise its product descriptions for search engines. The system analyses search trends, popular keywords, and customer interactions to create descriptions that are search-friendly as well as engaging. It ensures that ASOS’s product listings remain competitive in the fast-moving fashion e-commerce market by regularly updating content in response to shifting market trends.
5. IKEA
IKEA, the world’s largest furniture brand, uses a multilingual AI system to generate product descriptions for global markets—descriptions that maintain a consistent tone and quality across regions. The system also analyses local customer preferences and feedback to continually refine descriptions so they resonate with their target audiences and align with region-specific marketing strategies. This in turn improves customer engagement and conversion rates.
Conclusion
AI is making product descriptions on e-commerce sites more engaging, SEO-friendly, persuasive, and personalised. By leveraging AI, brands can create product descriptions in a much more efficient manner.
Companies including Amazon, Wayfair, Alibaba, and IKEA are already reaping the benefits of AI-driven product description generation. The adoption of AI in this once-overlooked function is fast becoming a necessity for businesses looking to stand out—and succeed—in a crowded marketplace.
Table of Contents
