Hey {{first_name}}
Imagine walking into a restaurant and waiter hands you a menu.
But instead of meals, it just lists ingredients.
Chicken
Garlic
Butter
Pasta
Tomatoes
Parmesan
Olive oil
Salt
Mushrooms
Aubergine
etc
Technically, everything needed for a decent meal is there.
But now you have to do the chef’s job.
You have to work out what goes together.
What is enough food.
What is good value.
What is best if you have never eaten there before.
What to order if you are hungry.
What to add if you want something on the side.
And if the waiter says:
“All the information is on the menu.”
They are right.
They are also missing the point.
Because you did not ask for ingredients.
You asked for dinner.
This is where a lot of eCommerce websites get Merchandising wrong.
They show products.
But they do not shape the buying decision.
They do not guide the buying journey.
They give the customer a catalogue and expect them to turn it into the right order.
This is where merchandising comes in.
Merchandising is not just “which products are shown first on a collection page”.
That is only a small part of it.
Merchandising is how your website helps the customer decide what to buy.
Which product
Which bundle
Which size
Which flavour
Which routine
Which starter kit
Which refill
Which add-on
Which subscription frequency
Which next purchase
That makes it a CRO lever all on its own.
Because the way you present products changes the order the customer builds.
And sometimes it changes whether they build an order at all.
Merchandising is across the whole journey.
It starts on the landing page.
Are you sending people to a single product, a starter kit, a collection, a quiz, a bundle, or a subscription offer?
It’s in navigation.
Are categories organised around how the business sees the range, or how the customer wants to shop?
“Cleansers, Serums, Moisturisers” might make sense internally.
But a new customer may be thinking:
“Where do I start?”
“Best for dry skin” might help them more.
It’s in site search.
What happens when someone searches “starter kit”, “refill”, “sensitive skin”, “puppy”, “wedding guest dress”, “filter coffee”, or “wide fit”?
Do they get the right buying options?
Or just a pile of loosely related products?
It’s on the PLP.
Product order
Filters
Sorting
Badges
Labels
Product tiles
Price framing
Badges like best seller, most popular
It’s on the PDP.
One-time purchase vs subscription
Single product vs bundle.
Starter kit vs refill.
Small vs large.
Pack of one vs pack of three.
Build your own vs pre-built set.
Add the matching item.
Upgrade to the complete routine.
It’s in the cart and checkout.
Recommended products.
Upsells.
Cross-sells.
Free delivery thresholds.
Gift thresholds.
Bundles.
Add-ons.
Merchandising does not stop at checkout either.
It continues after the order.
The thank you page.
The post-purchase offer.
The replenishment email.
The subscription reminder.
The “you bought this, so next you need this” message.
The box insert.
The reorder flow.
The second purchase is often shaped by the first Merchandising decision.
If someone buys the starter kit, what should happen next?
Do they need a refill?
A larger size?
A complementary product?
A subscription?
A usage guide?
A reminder in 28 days?
All of this is still Merchandising.
Get yourself into your customers mind, what are they thinking:
“I’m new here. What should I start with?”
“I’ve used this before. What do I need next?”
“I want better value. What is the best value buy?”
“I’m buying for a specific problem. Which one is right?”
“I’m close to free delivery. What is actually worth adding?”
If your site does not answer those questions, the customer has to merchandise their own order.
Some will but a lot of them won’t because your competitor is doing a better job of this.
Chat soon,
Peter
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