Well, hello, and welcome to this week’s edition of the eCommercer.

I went shopping for a framing square last weekend. Niche, I know. But what happened next applies to every eCommerce site I've ever looked at.

I found the exact one I wanted (thanks to a YouTube video with 500,000+ views), then opened seven different UK distributor sites to buy it.

Every. Single. One. Had the same copy.

"Reinforced frame. Laser etched markings provide superior visibility." Word for word. Across seven sites. Not one mentioned the YouTube video that sold me. Not one told me why this square was worth the premium. Not one gave me a single reason to choose them.

So how did I decide? Price. Obviously. Race to the bottom. Again.

The product copy didn't matter because nobody made it matter.

And that’s what this week’s podcast is all about. I hope you enjoy this one…I had some fun doing it :-)

Have a great week, wherever you are in the world.

Until next time,

This Week's Episode of the eCommerce Podcast →

Product Descriptions That Actually Convert

Here's what's interesting. Research from UC Davis found that when content creates a coherent story (rather than listing disconnected facts), it becomes 42% more memorable after 30 days. They call it narrative binding.

Cox & Cox, a UK homeware retailer, restructured their product descriptions using this approach. The result? 36.7% increase in revenue per visitor. Not from a redesign. Not from new products. Just from better words.

Three Principles That Change Everything

I break this down properly in the latest solo episode, but the framework boils down to three things:

Causal Sequencing – Stop listing features. Show the chain: Feature → Benefit → Outcome. "Reinforced aluminium frame" becomes "won't bend mid-cut, so your measurements stay true for years."

Character Continuity – Put people in your descriptions. The maker. A customer. The reader as protagonist.

Thematic Consistency – Weave a golden thread throughout. Craftsmanship. Adventure. Self-care. Whatever fits.

In the episode, I walk through a fountain pen, a USB disco light for our gift site Seven Yays, and an airsoft tactical vest that I turned into a "Mission Briefing" (because the customers secretly want to be Jason Bourne).

The Good News

You don't need to rewrite 400 products by hand like we did at Jersey Beauty Company. AI has changed the game. But AI without direction produces generic slop. The prompts matter.

So I've put together a free Product Description AI Prompt Pack with the exact prompts I use. Narrative binding, gift products, mission briefings, origin stories – all there. Start with your top 20 products and see what happens.

This Month’s Cohorter →

Learning Disc Golf

Cohort it our free monthly mentorship programme, and this month the team got to work on discgolfwarehouse.com.au - a site founded by Cohorter Sean Dobbs. Here’s what Sean had to say:

I stumbled on the Ecommerce Podcast by chance and clicked with Matt’s delivery. After listening for a year or so I sent Matt an email to enquire about the Cohort. We jumped on some calls which felt like business therapy at the time. I aired my dirty Ecom laundry and Matt leant an ear and offered his insights for which I was super grateful. 

I’ve continued with the monthly Cohort calls as it’s a great little community and I love the accountability and insights gained from the group sessions. Telling the group what I’m going to achieve the following month sticks with me and is the extra little push to get it done by the next call. Looking forward to the next one!

If you’re not in one of our Cohort groups and would like to know more about how to get involved - check out https://www.ecommerce-podcast.com/cohort for more info.

Freebie of the Month →

Most ecommerce product descriptions either rank but bore people to tears, or read beautifully but never get found. The STORY-SEO Framework solves both problems at once. This free guide includes the complete method for writing product descriptions that rank on Google AND stick in memory, a step-by-step walkthrough with a real product example, an AI prompt you can use immediately, two real before-and-after case studies from a live ecommerce site, plus a gift product adaptation (the THEM Method) for anyone selling products people buy for others.

Find out more →

Be A Guest →

Got an eCommerce business with stories worth sharing?

Come be my guest on the eCommerce Podcast, where I chat with founders about the wins, the disasters, and everything in between. Your story could be the one that helps another founder grow smarter (or avoid your mistakes). 

Apply to be a guest →