Products: From Paper to Pixels

But make sure to play by the rules; a balance of romantic (read: promotional) copy and helpful product information is key to keeping a user’s interest, and consequently, business.

Petra Schindler Carter, director of consulting services at Fry, points out that consumers don’t have to make cognizant decisions when looking at catalogs; they just flip through. But on the Web, they must choose which pages to click on. Once users make their selections about which products to view, it’s up to you to keep them on your site. While strategies for product presentation vary according to company size and type of merchandise, a few general guidelines apply.