December 12, 2022

3 minute read

 

There's been an explosion in interest around Generative AI with the release of ChatGPT.

 

Headlines are stating it will replace Google Search, while others are quick to point out ChatGPT's inaccuracies.

 

In my experiments, the outputs are generally right, but not perfect.

 

That inspired a challenge for today.

 

How well do you know what factors matter for designing a product detail page (PDP) on Amazon?

 

I chose PDP’s because…

  1. All of you know what a PDP is.
  2. There's robust information available on PDP fundamentals.
  3. PDPs are dynamic – features come and go, and algorithms change.

 

Are you ready to take the challenge?

 

First, read the response from chatGPT and then answer the following questions:

  1. Did chatGPT get it right?
  2. What would you add to this list?
  3. What is off about the answer?

 

See my answers at the bottom of the essay.

 

Prompt to ChatGPT:

What key factors should a brand consider when designing product detail pages on Amazon?

 

Answer:

When designing product detail pages on Amazon, there are several key factors that a brand should consider. These include the following:

 

The product's title and description: The title and description are crucial for helping customers understand what the product is and why they might want to buy it. The title should be concise and accurately describe the product, while the description should provide more detailed information and highlight any unique features or benefits.

 

Product images: High-quality product images are essential for giving customers a clear idea of what the product looks like. Amazon recommends using at least five images, including images of the product from different angles and close-up shots of any key features.

 

Customer ratings and reviews: Customer ratings and reviews are an important factor in helping other shoppers make purchase decisions. Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering incentives or highlighting the importance of reviews on your product detail page.

 

Pricing and availability: Make sure to include the product's price and availability on the product detail page. If the product is on sale or has limited availability, be sure to highlight this information to help customers make informed purchasing decisions.

 

Product details and specifications: Provide detailed information about the product's features and specifications, including any relevant dimensions, materials, or technical details. This can help customers understand exactly what they're buying and make sure it meets their needs.

 

Write down your answers to….

  1. Did chatGPT get it right?
  2. What would you add to this list?
  3. What is off about the answer?

-

-

-

-

(don't peek)

-

-

-

-

Here are my answers:

  1. Did chatGPT get it right?
    • I'd grade the response a (B-) as it generally got it right.
    • What’s concerning though is that if one read the reply and didn't have any knowledge of PDPs, it would think it was entirely accurate. There's no obvious signs it’s wrong or incomplete.
  2. What would you add to this list?
    • There's nothing in the reply that links PDPs to the search algorithm (for instance, keywords).
    • Video is not mentioned at all, likely as it is a more recent development (the dataset ChatGPT trained on is mostly 2021 and before).
  3. What is off about the answer?
    • A brand can't really encourage a user to leave a review via their PDP.
    • Price isn't exactly under the control of a brand (certainly for 1P). But, in a roundabout way, the reply does illustrate the conversion decline that occurs when Amazon doesn't show a price on a product for competitive reasons.

 

The results suggest chatGPT isn't quite a reliable research tool.

 

Its inaccuracies also mean it can't be used as a reliable educational tool when it comes to digital commerce.

 

But one application digital leaders (or anyone, really) could use it for today is in the interview process - ask candidates to think critically about the inaccuracies or incompleteness of a ChatGPT response to test their knowledge on a subject.

 

What do you think?

 

What applications do you see for chatGPT or generative AI when it comes to your digital business?

 

Maybe PDP image creation 😉

Slow cooker on countertop surrounded by meats and vegetables, realistic photo style on DALL-E