• By michelle
• In Copywriting

How to Write for a Luxury Ecommerce Site

When you think of luxury product copywriting, you may begin to hear a sultry voiceover in your head, followed by images of twisting satin, a celebrity in bright red lipstick, and then a full-screen close-up of a bottle of Chanel perfume.

And your instincts would be spot-on. These images are ingrained into our subconscious for a reason—they resonate high-value and create desire.

So how do you capture the same je nai sais quoi with just your words for a luxury ecommerce site?

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while writing content for online luxury items:

Be exclusive. Luxury products wouldn’t exist if everyone could buy them. The fact that they are one-of-a-kind or limited edition makes them valuable because the supply is restricted. Basic economics, right?

Some luxury product manufacturers take this notion to the extreme by rationing their products, like watchmaker Jean-Claude Biver, who is known for restricting supply even during boom times. Biver says, “You only desire what you cannot get. People want exclusivity, so you must always keep the customer hungry and frustrated.” While this stance may not be the approach for everyone, it’s a valuable lesson in what a few keywords like “custom,” “limited edition,” and “one-of-a-kind” communicate to your audience.

Highlight the product’s value. Luxury consumers don’t just shell out for anything—they do their homework to make sure they are buying the best of the best. Although luxury car buyers, for example, will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a car without flinching, you can be sure they’ll carefully evaluate performance, safety, and horsepower to make sure they’re getting exactly what they want.

Be prepared to give buyers the facts they want along with a knockout emotional appeal. Just remember, the product has to deliver on the promise it makes. Luxury buyers may be willing to spend $100,000 on a watch, but if the watch keeps perfectly accurate time and lives up to its ultimate promise, there’s still a rational argument your buyers can use to justify indulging their desire.

Flaunt the product’s fame. If the luxury products have been endorsed by celebrities, featured in fashion magazines, or have appeared on TV, spotlight it in your copy. These prominent features lend that aura of status, intrigue, and desirability to your luxury product.

Complete the luxury experience. As I noted in the introduction, we are hard-wired to spot the telltale signs of luxury—high-end decadence, value, and beauty. To project a brand message of luxury, every part of your marketing and sales strategy must promote a luxury experience. Be sure online product descriptions invoke the buyer’s desire with the intangible benefits of the item. Create a story or journey with your description so that buyers can envision the product in their lives.

Which luxury product sites pull on your heartstrings and tempt your pocketbook? Share in the comments below!