How to fine-tune the operation of product lists on e-commerce platforms?

We can see various product lists on major e-commerce platforms. These lists can help users choose and make decisions, while improving ordering efficiency. So, for e-commerce platforms, how can product lists be operated more finely?

The most commonly used product list in e-commerce is the product list, which uses different data to filter out the top-ranked products, such as sales volume, price, trends, etc., to reduce the cost of users placing orders. All e-commerce companies have rankings, but how to use ranking automation to improve business efficiency requires consideration of the ranking logic and business application scenarios.

1. The value of the list

List of lists, as the name suggests, is a list of different lists. The value of the list lies in guiding users to place orders quickly through eye-catching product data.

The first value is to create demand: when users do not have the products they like, they can find more products of interest through the list and see what others are buying. Humans love gossip, so the products that others buy will naturally arouse their interest, and they may even add them to their shopping carts over time.

The second is to promote conversion: users already have their favorite products, but there are so many brands and they are categorized into different categories that they are overwhelmed and hesitant to place an order. At this time, you can check the list to see which products of this type are selling well. If everyone else is buying it, then my purchase won’t be that bad. The side makes decisions for users.

2. List Scenario Distribution

In terms of application scenarios, the lists can be seen almost everywhere and are integrated into every business scenario.

The first is the "Guess You Like" module on the e-commerce homepage, which matches the appropriate list based on user behavior and tags.

Each user has different tags, and the user is also the collector of tags. Since the homepage "Guess You Like" already has the most users and the most specific tag collection, matching a suitable and detailed tag list is the easiest and has the highest conversion rate application scenario. Judging from the development of e-commerce in the past three years, recommendations play a significant role in improving user conversion.

The second is the marketing modules promoted by the platform, such as Juhuasuan and JD Flash Sales, which also have their own rankings.

The emphasis is on products with good prices and good performance after participating in marketing activities, which are limited in time and quantity. The products that are marketed themselves have price advantages, and combined with promotional activities such as coupons and discounts, users have already formed a certain awareness. Coupled with the guidance of the list, it will help improve the conversion of products.

The third is to focus on channels that increase user activity and retention, such as Taobao’s Good Goods and Daily Good Stores, which focus on content marketing and recommendations. Content cultivation and conversion is a medium- to long-term process that requires constant guidance and outreach to users.

Therefore, it can be integrated into ranking modules, such as word-of-mouth rankings, to improve the conversion of modules such as pictures, texts and videos. Users guided by the grass-planting list module are more loyal and more likely to share.

3. User touchpoints and grippers

Before users decide to buy a product, they will compare prices on different platforms, look at review data, sales data, and after-sales service experience, etc. The essence is that users do not trust the platform yet. Worrying about the goods not being as expected after purchase is a hassle.

The essence of the list is to use the user data of products as a screening factor to attract consumers. From the user perspective, the list is a powerful tool to retain users. Therefore, the more detailed the labels on the list are, the more helpful it is to attract users.

At the platform level, the list showcases the best product data on the supply chain side, demonstrating the platform's product strength and supply chain advantages, and is a favorable way to acquire users. For example, Pinduoduo has a very strong supply chain. After repeated purchases, users will think of buying on the Pinduoduo platform every time they shop, which is also a good way to build user minds.

4. List Pool Setting

Each business line has its own independent ranking pool, which can be considered based on the following dimensions:

The first is the product category. The list pool may include all products in a large category, such as communications and computers; or detailed leaf categories, such as books and biographies. But please note that if the categories are too narrow, there may be too few products to make the list.

The second is price range. Different users have different purchasing power. If the product pool is large enough, different lists can be distinguished by price ranges to accurately target users. Both user A and user B like mobile phones, so the one priced at 9999 may be recommended to user A and the one priced at 500 may be recommended to user B.

The third is the merchant type, which is aimed at self-operated platforms such as JD.com and Suning.com. For example, when users buy on JD.com, they may prefer the platform’s own products, which they trust more; a list of the platform’s own products can be put online in a targeted manner.

Special dimensions should also be considered, such as specific seasonal products such as short-sleeved shirts and sandals, and special spring and summer filters to make the list more in line with consumption scenarios. As well as gender attributes, such as sanitary napkins and other female products, you can switch to the recommendation list based on user attributes and filter in advance.

5. List Types

List types can be divided into three categories based on factors that influence consumer purchases: sales volume, price, and interest.

1. Sales

It is the most widely used list type in e-commerce, which can be divided into sales list, which is based on the sales volume of goods in a certain period of time; repurchase list, which is based on the number of people who repurchase goods and the frequency of repeated purchases, and is mainly for cyclical purchases such as fast-moving consumer goods and maternal and child products.

2. Price

It is a necessary factor that affects consumer transactions. The price reduction list is compiled based on the extent of price reduction of goods within a certain period of time. On the premise that users have purchasing intentions, the price reduction list can significantly improve product conversion, especially for low-unit products and price-sensitive users.

The logic of the discount list is similar. The discount strength/price-performance index of the product is calculated based on the discount, click and purchase index of the product to guide users to place orders. But compared with the price reduction list, the driving force is not obvious.

3. Interest list

Aims to increase the range of products that users prefer, suitable when users have no purchasing behavior and preferences.

For example, the new product list provides feedback on the order in which products are launched in the mainstream market, guides user attention, and is suitable for attracting new product traffic. The product recommendation list can be compiled based on the data of product collection, clicks and purchase by users, reflecting the popularity of the product in the market.

Lists are an indispensable part of e-commerce platform building. Even if they save manpower operations, they tend to be more refined. However, how to integrate the list into different business scenarios and maximize its value still requires careful consideration.

Author: Bread and Butter

Source: Bread and Butter