E-Commerce Prompts That Sell: 50+ Templates for Product Pages

I almost went bankrupt listening to my developer.

Our Shopify store had 200+ products with generic descriptions copied from manufacturer specs. Conversion rate was terrible—6%. Industry average is 12%.

My developer said: "We need better copywriting. Hire an agency."

I knew that would cost $15k+ and take weeks.

Then I tried something stupid: ask AI to write better product descriptions.

First attempt was terrible. Generic, salesy, felt fake.

But then I spent three hours refining the prompt. Gave it examples of our best-performing product pages. Told it our brand voice. Specified exactly what made products sell in our niche.

Something clicked.

I rewrote 50 of our worst-performing products with AI copy.

Conversion on those 50 went from 6% to 12%. Revenue increased 30%.

That's when I learned: the prompts matter way more than the AI model.

The Difference Between Okay and Great E-Commerce Prompts

Bad prompt:

Write a product description for [product name].
Include: features, benefits, specs.

This produces forgettable garbage.

Good prompt:

You are writing product descriptions for [store type].

Our customers typically:
- Are [specific demographic]
- Buy for [specific reason]
- Care most about [priority 1], [priority 2], [priority 3]
- Respond to [tone/style]
- Get scared away by [common objection]

Our best-selling products mention: [things that work]

For this product: [product name/details]

Write a description that:
- Opens with the benefit (not the feature)
- Addresses the main objection
- Includes specific proof (warranty, materials, testimonials)
- Ends with a compelling CTA
- Sounds like [your brand voice]

Length: [word count]. Tone: [specific tone]

The difference is astronomical.

Product Description Prompts That Work

Template 1: SEO-Optimized + Conversion-Focused

You are an e-commerce copywriter for [store type].

Target customer: [Description of who buys this]

For this product: [Product name]
Specs: [Key specs]
Price point: $[price]

Write a product description that:

HEADLINE (First 8 words):
- Lead with the benefit, not the feature
- Include power words
- Make them want to keep reading

BODY (150-200 words):
- First sentence: Why does someone need this?
- Use "you" language (you get, you'll experience)
- Address the biggest objection [objection]
- Mention specific proof: [warranty/materials/origin]
- Include 1-2 emotional benefits
- Each paragraph max 2 sentences

CTA:
- Action-oriented verb
- Create urgency without being pushy

Include these keywords naturally: [keyword 1], [keyword 2], [keyword 3]

Avoid: salesy language, excessive punctuation, vague claims, jargon

Match our brand voice: [examples of your good copy]

I use this for 80% of product descriptions. Works consistently.

Template 2: Short-Form (Social Media / Mobile)

Write a short product description (50-75 words max) for social/mobile:

Product: [name]
Main benefit: [what it does for them]
Who wants it: [customer type]
Why now: [urgency/relevance]

Make it:
- Conversational (like texting a friend)
- Include an emoji or line break
- End with a question or curiosity hook
- Sound authentic, not corporate

Example from our brand:
[paste example that resonates]

Mobile descriptions beat long ones by 40% on mobile devices. Test both.

Template 3: The Story Approach

Use this when your product has personality or a unique origin story.

Tell the story of this product:

Product: [name]
Story: [Where did it come from? How was it made? Why does it exist?]
Customer: [Who's it for? What problem does it solve?]

Write a description that:
- Starts with the origin or problem (narrative hook)
- Weaves the solution naturally
- Makes the customer the hero, not the product
- Ends with why they should buy from us (not why it's good)

Keep it human. Sound like you're explaining why you love this thing.
- Length: 200-250 words
- Tone: [authentic, conversational, expert, playful]

This crushes it for premium products and niche items.

Recommendation and Cross-Sell Prompts

Template 4: Smart Cross-Sell

Product they're viewing: [Product A]

Products in our catalog: [List 5-10 related products]

Generate 2-3 recommendations that:
- Solve a related problem they might have
- Pair well with what they're looking at
- Are complementary, not competing
- Are at various price points ($, $$, $$$)

Format:
[Product name] - [One-sentence reason why it pairs with Product A]
[What problems it solves together]

Example recommendation style:
"Pair with: [Product]. You'll get [specific benefit]."

Don't recommend:
- Competitors to this product
- Products at way higher/lower price point
- Things that don't actually pair well

Good cross-sell increases order value by 15-25%.

Template 5: Intelligent Upsell

Customer is considering: [Product B] (Price: $X)

Our upsell options: [List premium versions/upgrades]

Which should we suggest based on:
- Their product choice suggests they want: [assumed priority]
- The upgrade provides: [key differences]
- Worth it if customer cares about: [what the upgrade delivers]

Recommend: [Product name]
Reason: [One compelling sentence why this person specifically]
Price: [Show the difference clearly: $X → $Y, only $Z more]
Value proposition: "For only $Z more, you get [main benefit]"

Don't oversell. This person needs [upgrade] IF they care about [need].

Upsells work when targeted to actual customer needs, not greed.

Review Analysis and Summary Prompts

Template 6: Extract Sentiment and Themes

Analyze these customer reviews for [product]:

[Paste 10-15 recent reviews]

For each theme, identify:
1. Positive mentions
2. Negative mentions
3. What matters to customers (what they mention most)
4. Common objections
5. Use cases customers mention

Format as:
THEME: [e.g., "Durability"]
Positive quotes: [specific mentions]
Negative quotes: [if any]
Customer priority: [High/Medium/Low based on frequency]

Then provide:
MAIN SELLING POINTS (Based on what customers actually value):
- [Point 1] - mentioned X times
- [Point 2] - mentioned Y times

RED FLAGS TO ADDRESS:
- [Issue 1] - [suggested fix]

PROOF ELEMENTS TO HIGHLIGHT:
- [Testimonial snippets that sell]

Use this to update your product descriptions based on what customers actually care about.

Template 7: Competitive Review Summary

Analyze reviews comparing our [product] to [competitor product]:

Our reviews: [Paste our customer reviews]
Competitor reviews: [Paste competitor reviews]

Compare on these factors:
- Quality/durability
- Ease of use
- Value for money
- Customer service
- Appearance/design

For each, show:
"We win because: [specific customer quote]"
"They win because: [their specific quote]"
"How we should position this: [strategy]"

Bottom line: What's our actual advantage based on what customers say?

Price wars are dumb. Feature wars are dumb. Compete on what customers actually experience.

Personalization and Email Prompts

Template 8: Dynamic Email Copy

Customer profile:
- Browsed: [Product A]
- Abandoned cart: [Product B]
- Past purchase: [Product C]
- Customer type: [New/Repeat/VIP]
- Season/need: [Relevant context]

Generate email subject line + copy:

SUBJECT (50 chars max):
- Create curiosity, not pushy urgency
- Mention their specific interest if possible
- Make them want to open it

BODY (100-150 words):
- First line: Reference what they looked at
- Second line: Why this matters to them
- Third line: Address their likely objection
- CTA: Clear action (view, buy, check out)
- Tone: [Personal, not salesy]

Make it sound like it's from a real person who knows them, not a marketing robot.

Personalized emails get 2-3x higher click rates. Prompts are how you personalize at scale.

Category and Collection Pages

Template 9: SEO-Friendly Category Page Copy

For e-commerce category: [Category name]

This category serves:
- Primary customer type: [Description]
- Problem they're solving: [Specific problem]
- Comparison: [How does our selection compare to competitors?]

Write category description (200-250 words):

HEADER: Why would someone shop here?
BODY: What makes our selection special?
  - Variety available
  - Price range
  - Quality/materials
  - Unique factors
FILTERS/NAVIGATION: Help them find what they need

Include keywords: [keyword 1], [keyword 2], [keyword 3]
But naturally—don't stuff them.

Make it scannable:
- First line: Why shop here
- Subheading: What they'll find
- Features: Bullet list of benefits
- Link: To best sellers in this category

Category pages rank for broad keywords and drive consistent traffic. Good prompts = traffic.

A/B Testing and Variation Prompts

Template 10: Generate Multiple Versions

Product: [Product name]

Generate 3 different product descriptions:

VERSION A: Emotional/Storytelling Angle
[For customers who buy with their heart]

VERSION B: Practical/Feature-Focused Angle
[For customers who research specs]

VERSION C: Social Proof/Authority Angle
[For customers influenced by credibility/reviews]

Test each version on your store.
Track which converts best.
That tells you what your actual customers value.

For each version, vary:
- Opening hook
- Language style
- What benefit you lead with
- Proof elements

Split testing descriptions increases winner conversion by 15-40%. Always test.

Prompt Implementation Tips

Tip 1: Include Your Brand Voice Examples

Match our brand voice. Here are examples of copy we've written:

GOOD (This gets results):
[Paste 2-3 of your best-performing descriptions]

AVOID (This doesn't work for us):
[Paste examples of copy you didn't use or that flopped]

Notice our tone: [Describe what you notice]
Notice our language: [What words do we use?]

AI learns from examples better than instructions. Show, don't tell.

Tip 2: Give Context on Your Customers

Our customers are typically:
- Age range: [range]
- Looking for: [primary need]
- Price sensitive: Yes/No
- Care about: [priority 1], [priority 2], [priority 3]
- Objections: [What stops them from buying]
- Words that work: [Words that resonate]
- Words that don't: [Turn-offs]

This person exists. Write for them, not for everyone.

Specificity wins. The more you describe your actual customer, the better the copy.

Tip 3: Specify Length and Format

Length: Exactly [150-200] words (not "about 200")
Format: [Paragraph form / Bullet list / Mixed]
Tone: [Specific tone]
Reading level: [8th grade / professional / casual]
Include: [Must-haves]
Exclude: [What not to do]

Constraints actually improve outputs. Tell the AI exactly what you want.

Real Numbers: What This Actually Does

Based on what I've seen:

Before AI descriptions:

Conversion: 6%
Avg order value: $45
Revenue per visitor: $2.70

After AI descriptions (with good prompts):

Conversion: 12%
Avg order value: $52
Revenue per visitor: $6.24
Total improvement: 131%

Time invested: 3 hours on prompts. Could have hired someone for $30/hour. Instead, saved $10k+ and got better results faster.

Plus: Every new product uses the same prompt. Updates take minutes, not days.

Common Mistakes I Made

Mistake 1: Generic AI Copy

I thought "AI writes copy" would work. It didn't. Generic descriptions convert worse than okay human writing.

Fix: Make prompts specific. Include examples. Describe your customer.

Mistake 2: Too Long

My first attempts were 500+ words. Nobody reads that. Product pages with 150-200 word descriptions convert better.

Fix: Enforce word limits in prompts. Force concision.

Mistake 3: Feature-First

"Made of high-quality leather, waterproof, has 5 compartments..."

Customer doesn't care. They care: "This bag will last 10 years and hold your entire laptop setup while looking professional."

Fix: Lead with benefits. Make prompts say "Open with what problem this solves."

Mistake 4: No Social Proof

Good descriptions mention: warranty, customer reviews, origin story, specific materials.

Bad ones don't. Guess which converts better.

Fix: Include "Add proof element: [testimonial/warranty/origin]" in prompts.

Tools That Make This Easier

Integrations:

Shopify has built-in AI (just use better prompts)
WooCommerce has plugins
Custom scripts with OpenAI/Claude API

Spreadsheet approach: Paste product details → Generate descriptions → Review → Upload

Takes 2 hours for 100 products. Better than weeks of writing.

The Real Takeaway

E-commerce is a numbers game. Everything gets tested, measured, optimized.

Good product descriptions are the cheapest way to improve conversion rates.

The difference between 6% and 12% conversion is often just copy. And you can write good copy with AI if you use the right prompts.

The brands winning right now understand this. They're not using generic AI. They're using AI with prompts tailored to their customers, their voice, their products.

That's how you get 30% revenue increases.

These e-commerce prompts work best when combined with personalization techniques. Learn about adaptive prompting to create dynamic product recommendations based on customer behavior.

For sales-specific prompting techniques, check our guide on AI prompts for copywriting and sales.

Email prompts are also critical—see our 100+ email and communication templates for subject lines and copy that converts.

For tracking performance and optimizing, implement our AI workflows to continuously improve your prompts.

And always remember: test everything. The prompt that works for one store might not work for yours. Iterate, measure, and optimize.