Even when you’re selling products in a digital space, you still need a strategic layout that accounts for all the item variations you offer. The right tools can help you optimize product listings based on your customers’ needs and browsing patterns. One of the most popular platforms for this task is Salesforce eCommerce.
This platform lets you get creative in your visual merchandising to avoid customer confusion and showcase each item effectively. For instance, best practices recommend displaying a base product on the listing page and then its variations on the product detail page. But there can also be a case for giving each variation of a product its own spotlight. That is, displaying variations as separate products on your listing page, or “double listing” them.
By paying more attention to how your product catalog is laid out, you can improve the overall customer experience and prevent lost sales opportunities. Let’s walk through the features of Salesforce eCommerce so you can make the most of the platform. We’ll also help you determine if double listing is right for your site.
How Salesforce eCommerce Helps With Product Listing Configurations
Launched in 2016, Salesforce eCommerce is a relatively new addition to the suite of business tools. But like other platforms from this industry leader, the eCommerce Cloud offers comprehensive features that enable B2C companies to expertly manage their online storefronts.
From creating dynamic product displays to slicing variations by category, Salesforce eCommerce can help you refine product listing configurations. To give you an idea of how to utilize the platform, let’s explore some of its key features.
Global Slicing
Salesforce Commerce Cloud has a global slicing feature that lets users display product variations as separate listings on category and search results pages. Basically, an item’s different colors or sizes have distinct product entries rather than being consolidated under a single product listing.
A double listing approach offers a few advantages. For instance, it increases the visibility of all the products you have to offer, which lets customers quickly identify and compare their options. Global slicing can also tailor your listing based on regional preferences, improving localization.
But before you implement this configuration, it’s best to curate your product images and ensure that featured products are visually different from each other. Otherwise, displaying variations as separate listings may cause site visitors to perceive similar products as duplicates. This can make the browsing experience confusing.
Category-Specific Slicing
Salesforce B2C eCommerce users can enhance the structure of their site’s browsing environment with the platform’s category-specific slicing feature. For instance, they can slice a base product using criteria such as color, size, or width. This way, they can control how product variations appear on select category pages.
Say your online shop sells clothes, and there’s a new coat you want your customers to notice. You can feature the coat and its variations as one listing on your site’s home and featured product pages. But to give it more exposure, you can also display its variations as separate listings on a page dedicated to outerwear.
By strategically deploying Category-Specific Slicing, businesses can maximize the impact of their merchandising efforts and drive conversions in targeted categories. They can enhance product discovery and foster cross-selling and upselling opportunities. It can also be helpful when you adjust your displays based on seasonal trends or changes in consumer behavior.
To use this feature effectively, assess each category in your catalog. Categories that are curated, sparse, or have varied products are suitable for Category-Specific Slicing. Determine if showcasing variations would improve browsing and engagement. Also, identify categories where showcasing variations would best meet business goals, like boosting sales of high-margin items or seasonal promotions.
Variation Groups
The Variation Groups feature in Salesforce Commerce Cloud lets businesses present subsets of product variations as distinct products on specific category and search results pages. While it’s similar to the slicing feature, this gives users the flexibility to group products based on a combination of attributes. You can create a variation group by color and size as opposed to choosing just one attribute to slice.
With variation groups, you have more control over your product displays. It streamlines the selection of products so customers can make quicker purchasing decisions. In addition, this level of granularity in product merchandising can optimize product visibility.
Considerations When Double Listing Products on Salesforce eCommerce
Only displaying base products on listing pages and putting variations on product detail pages can make for an organized product display. However, there are cases where double listing particular products can be beneficial to your merchandising strategy.
Double listing can give customers access to a broader range of options up front. It improves the overall browsing experience for your customers and makes it easier for them to discover more products, which can boost conversions. Salesforce eCommerce features like global slicing, variation groups, and category-specific slicing can help you implement this approach.
But first, determine whether displaying variations as separate products aligns with your customer expectations and browsing habits. Conduct user research, analyze customer feedback, and gather insights from analytics data to inform your decision-making process.
You’ll also want to consider the following:
- Impact on User Experience (UX): Double listing is great for improving product exposure, but overdoing it could overwhelm your customers. Consider using features such as filters, sorting options, or clear categorization to keep your site stays easy to navigate.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Implications: Listing product variations separately can be mistaken as duplicate content from an SEO standpoint. It can make it more difficult for search engines to index and rank your content. To avoid this, each variation should have unique and optimized metadata.
Deliver a Better Customer Experience With Salesforce eCommerce
Product listings serve as your digital showrooms, so your listing pages must be both visually appealing and easy to browse. Effective product listing management strategies such as double listing can help simplify the search process. In the end, you’ll deliver experiences that encourage customers to browse everything your company has to offer.
If you want to take your eCommerce management efforts to the next level, consider integrating your Salesforce eCommerce suite with Smart Merchandiser. As a visual merchandising solution, Smart Merchandiser can be used to manage product information, improve site layouts, and resolve website issues.
Request a demo today to learn more about how Smart Merchandiser can transform your digital storefront.
