Winning in E-commerce: How Retailers Can Overcome Product Content Challenges

Challenge 1: Content Inconsistency

One of the most pressing issues in retail today is content inconsistency. When supplier or private label-submitted data lacks accuracy or completeness, retailers struggle to provide shoppers with reliable product information. This inconsistency can lead to discrepancies across online and offline channels, eroding trust and impacting purchase decisions. Ensuring content quality through verification and standardization is key to delivering a seamless omnichannel shopping experience.

Challenge 2: Poor Searchability and Product Discoverability

Product discoverability remains a significant challenge for many retailers. Without standardized product names, structured titles, and enriched attributes, shoppers struggle to find relevant products through search and filters. Additionally, as dietary preferences and lifestyle choices shape shopping behavior, ensuring that products appear in the right search categories is more important than ever.

The Solution

Standardization is the foundation of effective search optimization. NIQ Brandbank structures product data to ensure accuracy across all channels, making it easier for shoppers to find what they need. By optimizing search functionality with structured keywords, dietary attributes, and lifestyle-based filters, we help retailers improve search performance and drive conversions.

Challenge 3: High Cart Abandonment and low-quality content

Cart abandonment is a persistent issue in e-commerce, often driven by a lack of confidence in product details. Studies from the Baymard Institute suggest that there is an average cart-abandonment rate of over 70%, meaning 7 in 10 shoppers are building and then abandoning their carts online due to a lack of confidence.

Shoppers hesitate to complete purchases when product pages lack high-quality images and detailed specifications. This is a key challenge in online shopping, the shopper is unable to physically engage with a product, meaning key information like size, quantity, flavor, variety and more are essential to showcase on the product page, providing the shopper with as much information as possible to influence the path-to purchase.

Providing a comprehensive, visually engaging product experience can significantly reduce drop-off rates.

Challenge 4: Low Engagement and No Optimized Product Content

Retailers often invest heavily in their digital presence, yet underperforming product pages remain a common challenge. Poor-quality images, uninspiring product descriptions, and a lack of rich media content hinder engagement and conversion rates. With the rapid evolution of online shopping behavior, rich media has become essential. 76% of shoppers now prefer to have rich media available when purchasing online.

High-resolution images, optimized descriptions, videos, and interactive content all contribute to a more compelling digital shopping experience. In fact, simply after watching a video, 64% of shoppers are more likely to buy a product online.

Rich media is focused in two key places on the product page. Firstly, starting with above-the-fold carousel imagery, GIFs and video that focuses on specific and key-converting product attributes and feature callouts. This visual content allows a shopper to visualize the product beyond a simple pack-shot, replicating the in-store experience and replacing the experience of physically holding, examining and reading product information.

Secondly, below-the-fold feature sets that also include Image Hotspots and comparison tables can be utilized to showcase additional brand features. The below the fold space allows you to showcase more about the brand features, other products in a range or can even be updated seasonally to showcase new campaigns, promotions or limited-edition varieties.

Challenge 5: Poor Supplier-Retailer Collaboration Leading to Delayed Product Launches

Launching new products to market quickly is a competitive advantage, yet many retailers face delays due to inefficient content submission processes. Incomplete supplier submissions slow down product onboarding, preventing retailers from capitalizing on market trends and shopper demand. Without a streamlined process for content submission, validation, and approval, retailers are forced into manual follow-ups, repeated requests for missing information, and labor-intensive corrections. This inefficiency slows down the entire product onboarding process.

The consequences of these delays are far-reaching. Products may miss crucial seasonal windows or promotional campaigns, diminishing their commercial impact. Retailers risk losing early market share to more agile competitors, while suppliers miss out on the momentum and visibility a timely launch can offer.

Challenge 6: Poor Private Label Performance

Private label products have evolved far beyond their former image as low-cost, no-frills alternatives. Today, they are a strategic asset for retailers, offering higher margins, fostering brand loyalty, and providing differentiation in an increasingly crowded marketplace. In many categories, private label lines are now competing directly with national brands on quality, innovation, and shopper appeal. NIQ Data shows that over half of global shoppers (53%) are buying more private label products than ever before.

However, despite their growing potential, many private label ranges underperform online, often due to weak or underdeveloped product content. Unlike national brands, which often invest heavily in marketing and content creation, private label products rely solely on the retailer’s ability to present them compellingly. When product pages lack high-quality imagery, transparent nutritional or ingredient information, and engaging descriptions, shoppers are far less likely to consider them.

Conclusion: The Future of E-commerce Success

The digital commerce landscape is evolving rapidly, and retailers who prioritize high-quality product content will be best positioned for success. From ensuring data consistency and optimizing search to enhancing engagement and reducing cart abandonment, every aspect of the online shopping journey is impacted by the quality of product information.

By partnering with NIQ Brandbank, retailers gain access to a comprehensive solution that enhances product content, streamlines operations, and ultimately drives e-commerce growth. Investing in superior content today will define the leaders of tomorrow’s retail landscape.