Amazon product description writing

What the description is for

Bullets answer the most important questions briefly. The description is for the buyer who wants to be sure: someone comparing two similar products, buying a gift, checking compatibility or worried about size. It can explain how the product is used, give fuller detail on materials and construction, list what is included and set honest expectations about limits. A description that answers those questions reduces the need to ask, and reduces returns from buyers who expected something else.

Avoid simply repeating the bullets in longer form.

A structure that works

Secondary terms, written naturally

Amazon's US guidance describes the description as a place to use secondary keywords to expand on features and benefits, and warns that keyword stuffing can create a poor customer experience and hurt rankings. Use the description to cover related terms buyers use, such as uses, occasions or compatible items, in sentences that make sense. If a term cannot be included naturally, leave it out of the description.

Use, care and contents

Readable on a phone

Buyers may read on phones, where long blocks of text are hard to follow. Use short paragraphs, put the most useful information first and use clear sub-points where the format allows. Check the published description on a phone and on a computer, since formatting can display differently. Plain language helps everyone, including buyers reading in a second language.

Honest limits

Saying what a product is not designed for, such as 'not suitable for dishwashers' or 'for indoor use only', may seem to put buyers off. It can help the right buyers choose with confidence and reduce returns and negative reviews from the wrong ones. Take limits from your product information and safety documents, not guesswork.

Example: a description that cut questions

Descriptions and A+ content

Amazon's US guidance says A+ content is free for brands enrolled in Brand Registry. A+ content is a separate piece of work, covered elsewhere. Whatever appears on the page, keep the written description accurate and complete in your product master, since it is the source for every channel.

Where the detail comes from

The best material for a description is already in your business: the product specification, the instruction leaflet, the safety information, supplier documents and the questions buyers send you. Customer reviews of your own product, and the questions that keep coming up, show what buyers did not understand from the existing listing. Write from those sources rather than from memory, and note where each fact came from so it can be checked when the product changes.

Keeping descriptions current

Descriptions go out of date when a supplier changes a material, the box contents change or a new size is added. Link description updates to product changes in your own process, so the person who approves a change also checks the listing copy. An outdated description can lead to returns and complaints from buyers who relied on it.