16 Product Listing Page (PLP) Best Practices with Examples

So, you’ve carefully curated your product lineup, invested in a polished online store, but sales just aren’t hitting the mark. 

What could be holding you back? The answer often lies in your product listings.

In this article, we’ll explore the secrets behind crafting exceptional eCommerce product listings.

We’ll cover everything from creating enticing product descriptions to ensuring your images truly resonate, optimizing product listing page design, and providing a seamless user experience.

As you progress through this article, you’ll gather practical strategies that can enhance your online store’s performance. 

Are you ready to take the first step toward profitable eCommerce product listings?

Let’s get to it!

What is a product listing page (PLP)?

A Product Listing Page (PLP) is a dedicated webpage on an eCommerce site where products are organized and displayed systematically. 

It resembles a detailed catalog, allowing online shoppers to view items based on categories such as type, price, or brand. PLPs simplify the shopping experience by presenting products in a clear and structured manner. 

Customers can easily browse through the listings, compare features, and make informed purchasing decisions, similar to flipping through pages in a product catalog. 

Essentially, PLPs serve as digital showcases, making it convenient for customers to explore and select products before making a purchase.

Some people might confuse PLPs with PDPs and wonder, “What is the difference between product display page and product listing page?”. So, let’s take a look at some of the differences between PDPs and PLPs.

Product Listing Page (PLP) vs Product Detail Page (PDP):

pdp-vs-plp

The main difference between a Product Listing Page (PLP) and a Product Detail Page (PDP) is that a Product Listing Page displays a collection of products in a specific category and a Product Detail Page provides in-depth information about one specific product. When you click on a product from the PLP, you’re taken to the PDP, where you can learn everything you need to know before making a purchase decision.

It’s important to note that PDP pages are often referred to as product display pages as well as product detail pages, both of these terms can be used interchangeably to reference PDPs.

Understanding the difference between Product Listing Pages (PLP) and Product Display Pages (PDP) is essential for eCommerce.

A Product Listing Page is often the first page you see when shopping online, and it acts like a virtual store shelf, showing multiple items at once, allowing you to compare them based on brief information like price and image. On the other hand, a Product Detail Page is dedicated to a single product and it includes detailed descriptions, images, customer reviews, and specifications. 

Essential Elements in an eCommerce Product Listing Page

An eCommerce product listing page serves as a digital storefront for the product, providing potential customers with all the necessary information to make an informed buying decision.

  • Category Name: Clear categories serve as guides in the online store, simplifying the search for products in areas like clothing, electronics, or home decor.
  • Product Images: High-quality visuals showcase products comprehensively, offering customers a detailed view before purchasing.
  • Breadcrumbs: Digital trails show the product’s location, aiding navigation and enhancing the user experience.
  • Filters and Facets: Customizable filters refine searches based on price, size, or color, ensuring efficient and tailored product results.
  • Product Descriptions: Informative and concise descriptions highlight key features, acting as virtual sales assistants, aiding buyers in confident decisions.

By incorporating these essential elements into your Product Listing Page, you transform it into a user-friendly, visually appealing, and informative space. This not only simplifies the shopping journey for your customers but also boosts their confidence in your products, fostering a sense of trust and loyalty to your eCommerce platform. Happy listing and happy shopping!

Product Listing Page Best Practices & Examples

Creating an effective Product Listing Page (PLP) is pivotal for a successful e-commerce venture. Here are some best practices to enhance your PLP and provide an exceptional shopping experience for your customers:

1. Add to Cart Button for Easy Purchases

PLP-page

Streamlining the purchasing process is crucial for boosting conversion rates. Add an “Add to Cart” button onto your eCommerce product listings is a pivotal element of this process:

  • Prominent Placement: Position the “Add to Cart” button prominently on your product listings, ensuring it’s easily accessible to shoppers. This reduces friction and encourages immediate action, leading to more conversions.
  • Clear Call to Action: Use compelling language on the button, such as “Buy Now” or “Add to Bag,” to create a sense of urgency and desire to take the next step in the buying journey.

Does your current search and discovery tool allow you to customize your product cards with features like “add to cart” buttons?

2. Dynamic Filtering to Enhance User Experience

product listing page design

Enhancing the user experience on your eCommerce platform is essential for retaining customers and driving sales. Dynamic filtering is a valuable tool in achieving this:

  • Search Refinement: Allow customers to refine their product searches using search filters such as size, color, and price range. This helps them quickly and easily find products that match their preferences.
  • Faceted Navigation: Implement a faceted search engine that dynamically adjusts available filters based on the selected category, making the shopping experience more intuitive.
  • Real-Time Updates: Ensure that filter results update in real-time as customers make selections, providing instant feedback and improving user satisfaction.

3. Clearly Indicate Product Availability

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Transparency in product availability is crucial for managing customer expectations and preventing disappointment. Here’s how you can effectively communicate product availability status on your eCommerce listings:

  • Out of Stock Sign: Clearly mark products that are out of stock with a prominent “Out of Stock” sign or label. This prevents customers from proceeding with an unavailable item and fosters trust in your inventory management.
  • Expected Restock Dates: When possible, provide estimated restock dates to inform customers when they can expect the product to become available again. This helps in retaining potential buyers.

4. Display Discounts Prominently

product listing examples

Discounts and promotions can be powerful motivators for making a purchase. Here’s how to effectively showcase them on your product listings:

  • Prominent Placement: Highlight discounts and sales promotions prominently on product listings. Use eye-catching graphics or badges to draw attention to these deals.
  • Create a Sense of Urgency: Include expiration dates or limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to act quickly.

5. Leverage AI-Personalized Recommended Products

Product Listing Page

Artificial intelligence can significantly enhance the shopping experience by offering personalized product recommendations. Here’s how to implement this strategy into your product listing page:

  • Tailored Suggestions: Recommend products based on the customer’s preferences and behavior, enhancing their shopping journey and increasing the likelihood of additional sales.
  • Dynamic Updates: Ensure that these recommendations update in real-time as customers explore your website, providing relevant suggestions at every step.

Can you add personalized product recommendations to your product pages through your search and discovery solution?

6. Implement Cross-Selling and Upselling Strategies

PDP

Encouraging customers to buy more can boost your average order value. Consider offering product bundling options on your eCommerce product listings:

  • Related Products: Suggest related products that complement the customer’s selection. For example, if a customer is buying a laptop, offer accessories like a mouse or laptop bag.
  • Upsell Opportunities: During the checkout process, present customers with higher-priced alternatives or premium versions of the product they are considering.

7. Position Best Sellers at the Top 

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Making it easy for customers to find your most popular and high-converting products can significantly impact your sales. Customizing search result prioritization on your product listing page is key:

  • Algorithmic Ranking: Implement algorithms that prioritize products based on popularity, customer reviews, and conversion rates.
  • Featured Listings: Feature best sellers and top-rated products at the top of search results, giving them maximum visibility.
  • A/B Testing: Continuously test and refine your search result prioritization strategy to ensure it aligns with customer preferences and behavior.

8. Leverage Searchandising Features with Promotional Banners

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Adding promotional banners to your eCommerce product listing pages can capture customers’ attention and drive interest in special offers or collections:

  • Strategic Placement: Position eye-catching promotional banners strategically on your website’s search results page, category pages, and product listings.
  • Highlight Special Deals: Use banners to highlight special deals, new arrivals, limited-time offers, and seasonal collections. Create visually appealing graphics and compelling copy to entice customers.
  • Clickable Banners: Make banners clickable, redirecting customers to relevant product pages or promotions for a seamless shopping experience.

Does your eCommerce search and discovery platform have searchandising features like banners?

9. Optimize Headers:

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Ensure your headers are clear and concise. For example, if you’re selling clothing, use headers like “Men’s Apparel,” “Women’s Dresses,” etc. This helps visitors quickly understand the categories.

  • Maintain Consistency: Use the same font style and size for headers throughout the website, ensuring a cohesive look and feel.
  • Visual Hierarchy: Emphasize important categories with slightly larger or bolder fonts, guiding users’ attention effectively.

10. Implement Intuitive Navigation:

product listing page design

Place category options at the top of the PLP. When visitors can easily switch between categories, it enhances their browsing experience and keeps them engaged.

  • Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure the navigation menu is responsive and easy to use on both desktop and mobile devices for a consistent experience.
  • Clear Icons: Use intuitive icons next to categories for visual cues, aiding users in quickly identifying their desired sections.

11. A/B Test Your Product Listing Pages:

Experiment with different layouts, colors, or call-to-action buttons. A/B testing allows you to compare two versions of a page and determine which one performs better, enabling you to make data-driven decisions.

  • Define Clear Objectives: Set specific goals for each test, whether it’s increased click-through rates or higher conversions, to measure the effectiveness accurately.
  • Analyze User Feedback: Combine quantitative data from A/B tests with qualitative feedback from users to gain a comprehensive understanding of page performance.

12. Implement SEO for Product Listing Pages:

Use relevant keywords in product titles, descriptions, and URLs to optimize your PLP for search engines. This increases your visibility in search results, attracting more organic traffic.

  • Keyword Research: Identify high-performing keywords related to your products and incorporate them naturally into the content to improve search engine rankings.
  • Regular Updates: Stay updated with SEO best practices and search engine algorithms to adapt your strategies for optimal results.

13. Add a Sense of Urgency or Scarcity:

ecommerce product listing

Highlight limited-time offers, low stock availability, or exclusive discounts. Urgency creates a fear of missing out, encouraging users to make quicker purchase decisions.

  • Genuine Scarcity: Ensure the scarcity mentioned is genuine to maintain trust among customers and avoid credibility issues.
  • Countdown Timers: Use countdown timers for flash sales or limited-time offers, visually indicating the urgency and remaining time for the offer.

14. Show More Information on Hover:

product listing examples

Display additional product details when users hover their cursor over an item. This provides a quick overview without navigating away from the PLP, enhancing user convenience.

  • Keep it Concise: Provide essential information in the hover preview, focusing on key features and benefits to maintain a clean and uncluttered display.
  • User-Friendly Design: Ensure the hover feature works seamlessly on both desktop and mobile devices, catering to users across various platforms.

15. Add a Wishlist Button:

product listing page best practices

Include a wishlist feature that allows users to save products for future reference. This functionality boosts user engagement and provides a personalized experience.

  • User-Friendly Interface: Design an intuitive wishlist button that is easily accessible and visible, ensuring users can add items effortlessly.
  • Wishlist Reminders: Send occasional notifications or emails to users reminding them of the products in their wishlist, encouraging them to complete their purchase.

16. Optimize the Footer:

In the footer, include essential links such as contact information, shipping and return policies, and FAQs. A well-organized footer adds credibility and makes it easier for customers to find important information.

  • Clear Categories: Group similar information together under distinct headings, making it simple for customers to locate specific details like shipping or FAQs.
  • Contact Options: Provide multiple ways for customers to reach out, including email addresses, phone numbers, and links to social media profiles, ensuring seamless communication.

By incorporating these best practices, you can create a user-friendly and visually appealing PLP. Remember, understanding your audience and analyzing their behavior can help you continually refine your PLP for optimal results. Happy optimizing!

Why Are PLP Pages So Important?

Let’s break down why Product Listing Pages (PLPs) are important for your online store:

  1. Efficient Shopping Experience: PLPs organize products systematically, making it easy for visitors to find what they need. Clear navigation, images, and filters enhance the online shopping process, encouraging visitors to explore and make purchases.
  1. Higher Sales Potential: Well-structured PLPs present products clearly, enabling shoppers to make informed decisions. This transparency boosts customer confidence, leading to increased sales as customers can compare products easily and assess their options.
  1. Improved Online Visibility: Optimized PLPs help search engines understand your offerings better, improving your website’s search ranking. This enhanced visibility means more potential customers can discover your store, driving organic traffic and expanding your online reach without heavy reliance on paid advertisements.

Elevate Your eCommerce Listings for Success

Succeeding in the world of eCommerce requires mastery of various aspects, including effective eCommerce product listings and the optimization of product listing pages.

Crafting captivating product descriptions and perfecting the visual aesthetics of your eCommerce product list are essential steps to engage potential buyers. 

Also, the design of your product listing page plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining customers. A well-structured product listing page design can significantly impact sales and customer satisfaction levels.

So, don’t wait any longer – embark on your journey to eCommerce success today. Elevate your eCommerce listings by paying attention to these crucial details. 

By doing so, you’ll create a shopping experience that not only captivates your audience but also propels your business to new heights.

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