3 ways confectionery manufacturers can make their products shine online

Syndy is a platform that allows manufacturers to design e-commerce web page listings for large e-tail sites such as Walmart and Tesco.

The Dutch-based firm has developed an Application Program Interface (API) that helps developers to design e-commerce product page for the retailers’ sites.

It has also released the e-book ‘5 Fatal Product Content Mistakes that are Killing your Ecommerce Growth’.

Here, the company’s e-commerce writer Helen Thompson highlights the book’s key takeaways for confectionery manufacturers.

E-commerce writer Helen Thompson​

From Oreo’s holiday packaging that you can draw on​ ​to Mast Brother’s fashion-forward chocolate bars​​, confectionery manufacturers are constantly thinking of new ways to package and advertise their products in store. Online, however, consumers no longer have the eye-catching packaging or the information contained on it to make their decisions. Indeed, all consumers have to base their decisions on online is the information presented to them by the manufacturer.

But many brands still fail to realize the importance of comprehensive and engaging product content, and consequently online sales of food and beverage products account for just 1% of total industry sales. So what can confectionery manufacturers do to address this urgent need for high quality product information online?

1. Think outside of the box with your product photos​

Research shows that relying on plain product photos online can lose you up to 16.5% of sales. Photograph your products out of the packet or in context - perhaps as part of a balanced meal or snack to ease concerns over your product’s place in a healthy lifestyle - to inspire the consumer’s imagination. Ensure that your photos are in line with your brand’s aesthetics for instant brand recognition across the internet, as well as omnichannel success.

KitKat regularly feature pictures of their product alongside other foods across social media and other online channels, showing their chocolate as a key part of a balanced lifestyle.

2. Charm the buyer’s imagination with your product description​

It’s clear now that telling a story with your product packaging​​ is essential in persuading consumers to buy, with nearly 80% of potential online buyers basing their decision on the narrative created in the product description. Focus on the experience of your product by writing a description that captures the feeling your product seeks to inspire.

Galaxy’s online product descriptions accurately capture the feeling of sensuality and luxury that is expressed across all of their branding, uniting their omnichannel presence.

3. Inform shoppers by listing all nutritional information on your product pages​

Consumers are demanding more and more to know what is going into their products. The recent “Misleading Products of 2015​”​ list only goes to highlight increasing consumer frustration at opaque and misleading product information. Work with the informed consumer trend for better sales by including full nutritional information across all of your product pages. This will also ensure compliance with recent EU regulations (1169/2013). 

Hershey’s provide transparent nutritional content across all ecommerce pages, featuring the same quality information as on their labels.

[The facts and figures quoted in this post are taken from Syndy’​s ebook, ​“​5 Fatal Product Content Mistakes that are Killing your Ecommerce Growth​.​​”]​