19 Creative Ways to Display eCommerce Products

 Even high-ticket eCommerce stores may often stumble in the product display department.

Product display convinces the customer to purchase and reduces marketing budgets by promoting the products. 

Jump to:

1. Create thematic categories

2. Treat your copy like an elevator pitch

3. Focus on experience

4. Bundle complementary products

5. Remember: Less is more

6. Recommend better

7. Use customer reviews

8. Make your CTAs fun

9. Sway them with videos and AR experiences

10. Offer a downloadable product sheet

11. Clear doubts with FAQs

12. Design an effective product detail page

13. Personalize based on needs

14. Showcase your best first

15. Incentivize your display with limited period offers

‍16. Use whitespaces to emphasize product key features

17. Encourage buyer action with product keyword filters

18. Simulate real-world shop display for a memorable shopping experience

19. Command buyer response with your navigation bar

19 eCommerce product display ideas to boost sales

1. One-size-fits-all is old school. Categories are cool. 

Gone are the days when you could use a template-fitting, static website and get by with it.

Now, creative categorization and personalization are all the rage.

In the online world now, people want to easily find what they are looking for, and categories help them do just that. 

So, find a way to make categories cool: get creative, build immersive experiences, and look into bringing in interactive elements that will engage your audience.

Lush, for example, has prominently placed categories on the top of the website with sliding banners that effectively showcase the range of products as well as the highlighted offerings.

                                      

They also create immersive paths for their audience using category segmentation and curated content.

                                   

For example, each of the main categories is broken down into subcategories which can be filtered through to browse through their product range.

A great tip here is to always use and highlight content that is on point with your brand language and connects with your audience.

For Lush, it is the creative copy that supports their product display page.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Develop creative categorization for your website—keeping in mind seasonal holidays, mood boards, and product benefits.
2. It also helps to prominently display your categories on the top with sliding banners. 

2. Treat your copy like an elevator pitch

An important point to remember—one that we love reiterating—is that customers have a short attention span: 8 seconds, to be precise.

That means that you have 8 seconds to pitch your business and impress your customers.

You’ve got to be precise. It’s best to stick to the point and get the job done.

That is exactly what IWC does.

They use a clever hierarchy of information to present the important stuff—stuff that’ll make you want to read more—and then zoom in to additional details.

This strategy gives IWC a competitive advantage over other brands that spend too much time on their elevator pitch.

You take one look at their webpage and you’ll know exactly what they do, what they deliver, and why you should buy from them.

That’s the power of precision.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Take no more than 8 seconds to convey product USPs to gain a true competitive edge over other brands.
2. Always use a clear hierarchy of information, prioritizing persuasion triggers and core messaging.

3. Don’t just show. Let them experience. 

Customers don’t just want to see your products, they want to connect with your brand.

One of the hottest strategies for eCommerce right now is to let your customers experience your products and immerse themselves in your culture.

Especially with the launch of interactive features, brands are leveraging this across the world by giving customers the power to interact with products and experience them in a different way. 

Take a note from this beautiful example from Free People where the brand offers high-quality product images shot through different angles with the option to hover through. 

Pro Tips:

• Content is always king. Use it well. Take classy pictures, rev up your creative direction, and have fun with it. 
• Display your products in a way that doesn’t make it look like you are selling anything. Make it look natural, similar to how you would want it in real life.
• Let customers hover through. Sometimes, they don’t want to commit just yet, and hovering through lets them discover the product without even having to move to another page.

4. Bundle them up

Bundles are the holy grail of eCommerce.

They are a simple feature used in order to increase sales for your online shop.

They help to sell more products in fewer clicks.

They can also increase average order value, which means more revenue for you.

There are five main types of bundles:

• Product package or kit
• Upselling
• Package discount or tiered pricing
• Cross-selling
• Market segmentation

Depending on what you offer, bundles can be the secret weapon in your eCommerce arsenal.

Saje does a great job at this: displaying their bundle in a prominent manner that is instantly appealing to the audience. 

 

            

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Remember: customers like bundles as much as you do. For them, they’re a great way to bag a deal.
2. Use that well & nudge your customers towards the bundles using a creative display.
3. Persuasion triggers 101 — highlighting the price drop in red is a great way to bring in some excitement to your display and show your customers how good a deal the bundle is.

5. Less is more. Minimal is key.

Design is one of the most crucial and essential factors in making your product display look good.

After all, if your website does not look appealing, you will lose customers, right?

But design is not the only thing that matters — functionality and efficiency do, too.

That is why it’s important to display your products in a manner that is not only good looking but also efficient. 

Sure, go ahead and play around with illustrations, fonts, and all other pretty things.

But also keep it clean.

Display your products in a manner that is minimal and draws attention to what’s important.

If you need inspiration, Makr does a great job at this.

                  

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Catch their attention. A minimal display draws eyes to what’s important: the products.
2. Avoid using too many contrasting elements, heavy colors, or too much text. Keep it simple. 

6. Recommendations always work

Product recommendations serve two primary purposes: 

• Help brands showcase more of their products
• Make it easier for customers to find products they’d like

No wonder, product recommendations bag a valuable conversion rate.

But, you also need to ensure that they do their job well: display them well, show relevant suggestions, and offer recommendations that will be valued by the customer.

Another good way to display recommendations is to highlight what other customers liked.

That’ll bring in serious social proof points.

This example from Stelladot will show you what we’re talking about.

      

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Use complementary product recommendations to cross-sell your range to customers.
2. Leverage the power of social proof by highlighting what other customers are buying, and in turn, increase your average order value.

7. Reinforce decision making with customer reviews

Shopping online is easy, but shopping online from a brand you don’t know much about? Not so much.

That’s where social proof comes in.

As a customer, you’re much more likely to finish a purchase when you know that other people, real people, have used and liked the product.

So, it only makes sense that as a business owner, you leverage this pot of gold.

That’s exactly what REI does: they let their customers do the talking — and the proof is in the pudding.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. The key is in the details. Encourage your customers to leave detailed reviews, with pictures if possible. That’ll only increase your credibility.
2. Offer incentives to your customers for leaving reviews. Maybe a bunch of points, a sweet little deal, or even a freebie on their next order?
3. Be sure to include a scale for ratings as well. Ratings help potential customers quickly analyze whether they’d like to know more about that product or not.

8. Make your CTAs fun. Spark interest with creative content.

It’s no secret that the generous use of subtle CTAs, like the product recommendations list, has a substantial effect on conversion rate.

However, here’s an idea with which you can make your CTA stick out: it’s time to break the ice and use some humor!

In true Madewell fashion, they use clever copy & a clear hierarchy to encourage the audience to shop.

                   

After all, having great conversions on your site is good, but having fun while doing it is better. 

That’s because if people are enjoying themselves on your site, they are more likely to stick around longer.

If they’re having fun on your site, they are more likely to convert into sales!

So, make the experience fun: keep the flow easy, keep everything within reach, and make the customer journey hassle free.

Take a note of how Madewell offers their “perfect, vintage jean”.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Your brand has a personality. Flaunt it. Just like Madewell does above, build a narrative and align your CTAs around them. For eg, shop the story.
• Make each product pitch aspirational, one that encourages the audience to shop now. Convince them with CTAs such as Make ‘em yours.

9. Sway them with videos and AR experiences

It’s the digital age. Make good use of it.

New technologies are changing the way the market works.

People can now get authentic experiences from the comfort of their own.

With such technology, the possibilities are practically limitless and brands like IKEA and Crate & Barrel are leveraging them to their advantage.

Proof? Customers are 64% more likely to purchase a product after watching a video.

For example, Crate & Barrel uses AR to help customers envision how a piece of furniture will look in their home.

                          

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

Video content goes a long way in boosting customer engagement. Use it well.

• Develop installation and how-to videos to further aid the customers’ decision making.

Use augmented reality for an elevated experience that allows customers to truly connect with the product.

• Have a view-in-room option that lets them virtually experience the product in their own home.

Leverage augmented reality to boost in-app purchases and make the customer journey seamless.

10. Offer them a downloadable product sheet

The product sell sheet is like a good, old-fashioned sales pitch that every entrepreneur once used to use — and still does at times.

What a website captures in multiple pages a sell sheet collects in one PDF.

This is one detailed PDF that offers a true insight into your business — product USPs, benefits, value propositions, and everything else.

When used in tandem with a dedicated landing page, these product sheets can be used to cater to several levels of audience segmentation and offer each other exactly what they need.

Dole Food Service uses several brochures & sell sheets to cater to each category of their customers.

They break it down into Full Product Line, K-12, Healthy, Frozen Fruits, etc.

Inside, they follow it up with unique information on each product: features, benefits, value propositions, and more. 

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

1. Make the content useful. It should not only be an extension to your website but also offer additional information that makes it appealing to potential customers.
2. Remember to cater to all levels of your audience — and cater to them in a manner that is appropriate for that audience group.

11. Clear their doubts with FAQs

If you own an online store, you know how challenging it can be to answer all your customers’ queries — especially if you have to do them all yourself.

That’s where having an FAQ page helps.

An FAQ page is a great way of being there for your customers by answering their most common questions in a place that is convenient for them to find.

A classic FAQs page provides quick answers to the most common questions about your services, products, or business.

However, you can go one step further and break this down into categories, segment it into audiences, and make them easy to filter through.

Check out how Skinny Dip does it with clear, well-distributed categories that spread across the full realm of customer inquiries.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Keep the page neat and clean. When someone’s coming in with doubts, they’d like it to be solved quickly and easily.

Having a well-structured page will help you do just that.

• Maintain three crucial elements: lots of negative space, a clear search button, and detailed answers.

That’s all you need for a killer FAQ page.

12. Complete their journey with the product detail page

The product detail page is the culmination of the journey, the wizard.

This is where the buying decision is finalized.

It contains everything a visitor needs to complete their purchase like price, stock availability, product description, and customer reviews.

Customers can see what they are getting for their money, read any reviews customers have posted, and checkout with ease.

Once they land here, you know it’s a done deal — but you have to close it well.

Check out this example from Rocky Mountain Soap that highlights all the important stuff: product details, customer reviews, value propositions, and more.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Pitch to win. Treat your product detail pages like a closing pitch — ensure they have everything customers will need to finalize their decision.

Make it as tempting as you can.

• Take them on the buying journey, giving them all the information they’ll need to seal the deal: price, description, customer reviews, and most importantly, the option to checkout.

13. Personalize their display based on their needs

The aim of any eCommerce site is to help customers find and purchase products easily.

Your display needs to reflect that.

The more complicated your interface is, the less likely it’ll prompt customers to complete their buying journey.

Flashy websites are all the rage — but they can often hinder the buying process. Instead, opt for something that’s simple and clean, fast and efficient — something like Hollister has.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• The faster your checkout process, the better. So, prioritize things like customer journey, sort and filter options, prominent offer displays, and fast and easy loading.
• Personalization is critical. It helps you deliver the best possible experience to each and every one of your customers, allowing them to find exactly what they're looking for: product information, shipping options, payment options, etc. And what does that bring you? Faster checkouts.

14. Showcase your best first

In eCommerce websites, amidst the clutter of content, products, brand, CTAs, one thing stands out: the best.

When you add a bestseller tag to your product, people are instantly drawn to it — if only to know why and what makes it a bestselling product.

So, show them off. Display them in a prominent place, and make sure they get the eyeballs they deserve. Above-the-fold is always a good idea.

That’s what Ace Jewellers banks on.

                     

They not only display their bestsellers range above the fold but also follow it up with Bestseller tags on each product detail page.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Make the Bestseller tag eye-catching but not flashy. It should look classy and match the vibe of your website.
• Throw in another persuasion trigger to make the deal even sweeter. Match your Bestsellers with limited edition offers, only X piece left tags, and more.

15. Incentivize your display with limited period offers

One of the most important aspects of running an eCommerce store is to incentivize your audience, and limited period offers are a great way to do this.

There’s often a deadline to such offers and, as in the case of any deadline, there’s an urgency to finish the task i.e. finishing the purchase.

When you enhance this experience with a catchy offer, vibrant design, and prominent display, it only makes things better.

For example, Bassett. Don’t you love how they’ve done this?

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

Have a deadline-based offer and a timer that counts down to it. Nothing better to create that sense of urgency.

Keep a separate landing page for the offer, so you can not only track metrics but also give your customers a chance to check out quickly.

‍16. Use whitespaces to emphasize product key features

You probably already know that you should point out specific product features that address your buyers’ specific problems.

But that’s not enough to make your product display stand out.

You see, shoppers are impatient. They have a short attention span.

That’s where using whitespaces comes in.

Whitespaces reduce the number of texts and page elements visitors can see at once.

This design principle lets you draw shoppers' attention to key product features you want to ensure stands out to them.

New Chapter is a class act in using whitespaces to attract buyer attention.

The vitamins brand uses a lot of whitespaces between product image displays, texts, and other page elements to draw the buyer’s attention to the uniqueness of each product.

The result?

Customers know the value they are getting on the fly without drowning in a boring sea of texts and similar-looking products.

Also, the brand applied this principle in its entire online store design—not just product pages—so buyers can spot and respond to their calls to action easily.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Use whitespaces to draw eyeballs to your product's key features and CTA buttons to nudge buyers toward conversion.
• Use whitespaces instead of dividers to differentiate or emphasize key elements.
• Too many negative spaces make your store look empty, so use whitespaces in moderation.

17. Encourage buyer action with product keyword filters

Studies found that conversion rates drop by 0.3% for every additional second of load time.

It's also on record that websites that load within a second convert three times better than those with five seconds load-time.

And five times when the load time doubles.

So, it's safe to assume shoppers prefer to find products faster.

And one way you can create a faster and more intuitive shopping experience besides boosting site speed is by enabling product filtering.

It streamlines product discovery and reduces the time shoppers spend searching for items. 

The result? 26% conversion rate increase. Impressive, right?

Lush uses product discovery on each product page to make their customers’ buying experience faster.

The eCommerce store provides relevant product keywords to suggest specific product groups to buyers and make navigation and product searches effortless.

The feature encourages shoppers to take action, tempting them with a sweet and seamless search experience.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Allow shoppers to find products by clicking keywords instead of typing into the search box.
• Make the keywords match relevant product searches that buyers do on your store
• Ensure no filter returns zero results.
• Create a filter based on customers' search terms
• Make your filters mobile-friendly.

18. Simulate real-world shop display for a memorable shopping experience

Your buyers associate products to certain physical spaces.

By replicating those familiar spaces online, you ignite the positive emotions they associate with those spaces.

For example, if you sell books, you could build your website to display them in a shelf-looking design.

If you sell hoodies or other clothing items, you may want to have a closet-looking design to mimic an offline experience.

Likewise, if you sell jewelry, you can have them hanging on a mannequin or other jewelry displays to give a real-world feel of the product.

One of the benefits with display design is that, apart from calling up delightful memories, it uses more images and less text to emphasize the product’s appeal.

HeyShop does it well, and you can learn one or two things from them.

Product photos make up over 90% of the site's content, making the store noiseless.

Also, the brand simulates real-world product displays to create memorable shopping experiences.

For instance, it places books on shelves and hangs printed frames on the wall. 

Additionally, Hey displaces its bags hanging on real people’s shoulders. 

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Display products with lifestyle images shot from multiple angles.
• Make it possible for shoppers to see how the product looks in different colors, styles, and real-world spaces.
• Use only original product photos, don’t download from the internet.
• Your product features should show enough details and usable features.

19. New arrivals, best sellers, and deals: Command buyer response with your nav bar

Studies show that improving your site navigation can boost conversions by 18.5%.

But that’s if you tough the right emotions.

Customers have a strong positive association to new products, products that other buyers already use and love, and items that help them save money.

Emphasize these emotions right in your navigation bar.

Provide them the option to click to these product categories and fulfill their hearts desires.

Try including these categories in your navigation bar like Streetwear Official does and track your conversions.

Having them there—above the fold—helps them gain shoppers' attention when they land in the store. In addition, it allows them to command immediate responses from buyers.

Pro tips on how to display products on website:

• Put your deals, new products, and best sellers navigation tabs towards the center-left of your nav bar to help buyers find them easily.
• Make your store navigation mobile responsive.
• Complement the navigation with a site search tool.
• About 55% of consumers want price reduction, adding your deals page on the navigation bar could be helpful.
• Use the A/B test to find what works for you.

FAQs on how to display eCommerce products

1. What is the benefit of using lifestyle or contextual images in eCommerce product displays?

Using lifestyle or contextual images in eCommerce product displays offers several benefits:

Enhanced Visual Appeal: Lifestyle images help customers visualize how the product fits into their lives, making it more appealing and relatable.

Seeing a product in action or in a real-world setting can be more engaging than a plain product photo.

Increased Conversion Rates: By providing context and demonstrating the product's use in a real-life situation, lifestyle images can help customers imagine themselves using the product.

This can lead to higher conversion rates as customers are more likely to make a purchase when they can envision the product meeting their needs.

Improved Product Understanding: Lifestyle images can provide additional information about the product that may not be apparent from a standard product photo.

For example, they can show the size, scale, or features of the product in a way that helps customers better understand what they are purchasing.

Builds Brand Identity: Lifestyle images can help reinforce your brand identity by showcasing the lifestyle or values associated with your brand.

This can help create an emotional connection with customers and differentiate your brand from competitors.

Storytelling: Lifestyle images can tell a story about the product, its benefits, and how it can be used in various situations.

This storytelling aspect can engage customers on an emotional level and create a more memorable shopping experience.

2. How can I incorporate user-generated content (UGC) in my eCommerce product displays?

Incorporating user-generated content (UGC) into your eCommerce product displays can be a powerful way to engage customers and build trust in your brand. 

Here are some strategies to effectively incorporate UGC:

Customer Reviews and Ratings: Display customer reviews and ratings prominently on your product pages.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews by sending follow-up emails after purchase, offering incentives, or featuring a review section prominently on your website.

User Photos and Videos: Allow customers to upload photos and videos of themselves using your products.

These can provide valuable social proof and give potential customers a better sense of how the product looks and performs in real life.

You can showcase user-generated photos and videos on product pages or in dedicated UGC sections.

Social Media Integration: Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products on social media using a branded hashtag.

You can then curate and display these posts on your website or product pages using social media widgets or plugins.

UGC Contests and Campaigns: Run UGC contests and campaigns to incentivize customers to create and share content featuring your products.

Offer prizes or discounts to participants and feature the best submissions on your website and social media channels.

Incorporate UGC into Email Marketing: Include user-generated content in your email marketing campaigns to showcase real customer experiences and drive engagement.

You can feature customer photos, testimonials, or reviews in your promotional emails to encourage clicks and conversions.

Create a Community Hub: Build a community hub on your website where customers can share their experiences, ask questions, and connect with other users.

This can help foster a sense of belonging and encourage ongoing engagement with your brand.

Collaborate with Influencers and Brand Ambassadors: Partner with influencers and brand ambassadors who align with your brand values to create and share UGC featuring your products.

Their endorsement can help increase credibility and reach a wider audience.

3. Should I use product videos to enhance my eCommerce product displays?

Using product videos can significantly enhance your eCommerce product displays and provide numerous benefits. 

Here's why you should consider incorporating product videos into your strategy:

Improved Product Understanding: Product videos allow customers to see the product in action, providing a better understanding of its features, benefits, and how it works.

This can help address any uncertainties or questions customers may have and increase their confidence in making a purchase.

Increased Engagement: Videos are inherently more engaging than static images or text, capturing customers' attention and keeping them on your product pages for longer periods.

This increased engagement can lead to higher conversion rates and more sales.

Demonstration of Use Cases: Product videos enable you to demonstrate different use cases and scenarios in which the product can be used.

This helps customers envision how the product fits into their lives and how it can solve their specific needs or problems.

Builds Trust and Credibility: High-quality product videos can convey professionalism and credibility, enhancing customers' trust in your brand and products.

Seeing the product in action can help alleviate any doubts or concerns customers may have about its quality or performance.

SEO Benefits: Videos can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, as they can increase dwell time on your website and reduce bounce rates.

Additionally, video content is more likely to appear in search engine results pages (SERPs), especially for video-specific searches on platforms like Google and YouTube.

Social Media Sharing: Product videos are highly shareable on social media platforms, allowing you to reach a broader audience and increase brand exposure.

Encourage customers to share your videos with their networks to extend your reach and attract new customers.

Differentiation from Competitors: Using product videos sets you apart from competitors who may only offer static images or text descriptions.

It demonstrates your commitment to providing a comprehensive shopping experience and showcases your products in a dynamic and engaging way.

4. How can I incorporate storytelling in my eCommerce product displays?

Incorporating storytelling into your eCommerce product displays can captivate your audience, create emotional connections, and differentiate your brand. 

Here are some effective ways to infuse storytelling into your product displays:

Product Descriptions: Write compelling product descriptions that go beyond just listing features and specifications. Instead, tell the story of the product—its inspiration, creation process, and how it solves a problem or enhances customers' lives.

Use descriptive language and imagery to evoke emotions and paint a vivid picture for your audience.

Visual Storytelling: Use high-quality images and videos that tell a visual story about your products.

For example, if you sell outdoor gear, feature images of people using your products on adventurous hikes or camping trips.

Brand Narrative: Develop a brand narrative that informs all aspects of your eCommerce product displays.

This narrative should encompass your brand's mission, values, and unique selling proposition. 

Customer Stories and Testimonials: Share customer stories and testimonials that highlight real-life experiences with your products.

Include quotes, photos, or videos from satisfied customers who have benefitted from using your products. 

Behind-the-Scenes Content: Offer glimpses behind the scenes of your brand, such as how your products are made, the people behind the brand, or your company's sustainability initiatives. 

Interactive Features: Incorporate interactive features into your product displays that allow customers to engage with your brand story.

For example, interactive quizzes or guided product tours can help customers discover products that align with their needs and preferences while immersing them in your brand narrative.

Content Curation: Curate content from diverse sources, such as user-generated content, influencer collaborations, or industry insights, to enrich your product displays. 

Seasonal and Thematic Storytelling: Align your product displays with seasonal themes, holidays, or cultural events to create timely and relevant narratives. 

5. How can I optimize my eCommerce product displays for mobile devices?

Optimizing your eCommerce product displays for mobile devices is crucial, considering the increasing number of shoppers using smartphones and tablets for online shopping. 

Here are some tips to ensure your product displays are mobile-friendly:

• Use a responsive web design that automatically adjusts the layout and content of your product pages based on the screen size of the device. 
• Simplify navigation on your eCommerce website for mobile users by using mobile-friendly menus, buttons, and navigation bars. 
• Optimize your product images, CSS, JavaScript, and other elements to improve loading speed on mobile devices. 
• Present product information in a clear and concise manner, avoiding lengthy descriptions and unnecessary clutter. 
• Use bullet points, tabs, or collapsible sections to organize product details, specifications, and features for easy access on mobile screens.
• Ensure that buttons such as "Add to Cart," "Buy Now," and "Checkout" are large enough and easily tappable on mobile devices. 
• Compress images and videos to reduce file size and improve loading times while maintaining visual appeal.
• Simplify the checkout process for mobile users by minimizing the number of steps required to complete a purchase. 
• Implement autofill features, guest checkout options, and mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay to streamline the checkout experience.
• Allow users to filter products by category, price, size, color, and other relevant attributes to quickly find what they're looking for.
• Display product reviews and ratings in a mobile-friendly format that is easy to read and navigate. 
• Use a tabbed or collapsible layout to prevent reviews from overwhelming the page and allow users to access additional details if needed.
• Regularly test your eCommerce product displays across various mobile devices, screen sizes, and operating systems to ensure consistent performance and usability.