Etsy Tuesday Tips: product descriptions

This week's Tuesday Tips are all about product descriptions.

Although I've seen a lot of sellers complain that most buyers only look at photos and don't read descriptions, I'm of the opinion that descriptions are super important. I personally always read them before buying anything online.
When I write my descriptions I always include: 

• what the product is and what you can use it for
• materials used 
• colors
• size, in inches and centimeters
• any additional features the product may have (like an inside pocket in a tote bag or a detachable keychain on a zipper purse, for example)
• care instructions, when relevant (how to clean, wash, etc)
• links to other products from my shop - I rarely do this, but if I have a tote bag and a matching zipper purse or key chain listed at the same time, I may consider it. 
• any customisation options - I don't offer them on a regular basis, but if I do they will be included in the description

What I like to avoid: 

• Descriptions that are too long (those are the ones that will probably never be read entirely). 
• Adding other messages in the description that are not product related, except in very specific cases. I've seen people include in the descriptions way more about their shipping policies and custom orders prioritisation than about what they are selling instead. At one time (last year, when I went on vacation with my family for two weeks and couldn't ship out orders as I wasn't home) I added a two-lines message just asking people to be aware of the extended shipping times. But that was it. Nothing else unrelated goes in there. 
• Anything that looks or sounds unprofessional - the shop may be my personal business, but it's still a business and should be treated as one

Here's an example of one of my descriptions - one of my favorite items in the shop, and probably one of the longer descriptions I have written: 

My descriptions have evolved a bit over time, as I gained experience about what worked and what didn't, but I was pretty clear from the start about what I wanted to include. 

I also try to be as consistent as possible, so that if people are looking at more than one product from my shop they are treated to the same description structure every time, but that's more a quirk of mine than really a requirement, I guess. 

And that's it from me. Happy Tuesday, stay safe, and don't forget to check the other Tuesday Tips posts from this fantastic group!

Kelsey's Crafts