Ecommerce Best Practices for Multiple Sizes?

[revivesf]

Hi,
I have an ecommerce client that has something unique. They have 1 product, but initially created 3 pages for each size (5ml, 50ml, 200ml).

The pages are set up as: (product-size1), (product-size2), and (product-size3).

What would be the correct strategy to fix this?

My plan is to:
- Create the new page with the url being just (product).
- 301 Redirect of the individual product pages to the new created page
- Mention the sizes on the newly created page
- Include photos of all three sizes.

Each product size is currently ranking in a 4 and 5 position and I am currious if this is a bad strategy

 

[validseo]

It is an interesting problem. I am in ecommerce and we face this all the time. I personally think it depends how your customers search for the product and the experience they want when they get there.

When it comes to clothing different sizes, colors, etc. should be select options on a single page. But when it comes to pets med then different doses or amounts of doses can have separate pages. Likewise a person searching for the 200 gel caps of Advil is a very different person than someone looking for the pocket sized 20 dose portion.

So the short cut I use is that if the packaging is in any way different... different colors, different size bottles, obvious different wording then an argument can be made that you need to be as honest as possible about which variant you are selling. If the packaging is the same (in the case of apparel a clear plastic bag) then there are product options without misrepresenting the thing you are selling. Likewise, if your options amount to 1 or more of the same thing then don't create multiple pages... the packaging is the same and quantity is just a product option.

In the case of perishables I think expiration date is a perfectly valid reason to change the page. It falls in line with being completely honest about the thing you are selling. In fact I shy away from buying perishables online because not enough retailers do this. At the store I look for the ones that don't expire next week. I want some choice in the matter online as well.

Keep in mind these guidelines are what we have come to use to satisfy the needs of our shoppers. They aren't Google's rules. At the end of the day you serve the people who buy your products. Prioritize their experience first.

Just my opinions. I see nothing wrong with your plan if you are certain it is how your customers want to engage your product. If you do merge 3 pages into one be sure the canonical URL is present so Google can make sense of the change.

 

[revivesf]

It is an interesting problem. I am in ecommerce and we face this all the time. I personally think it depends how your customers search for the product and the experience they want when they get there.

When it comes to clothing different sizes, colors, etc. should be select options on a single page. But when it comes to pets med then different doses or amounts of doses can have separate pages. Likewise a person searching for the 200 gel caps of Advil is a very different person than someone looking for the pocket sized 20 dose portion.

So the short cut I use is that if the packaging is in any way different... different colors, different size bottles, obvious different wording then an argument can be made that you need to be as honest as possible about which variant you are selling. If the packaging is the same (in the case of apparel a clear plastic bag) then there are product options without misrepresenting the thing you are selling. Likewise, if your options amount to 1 or more of the same thing then don't create multiple pages... the packaging is the same and quantity is just a product option.

In the case of perishables I think expiration date is a perfectly valid reason to change the page. It falls in line with being completely honest about the thing you are selling. In fact I shy away from buying perishables online because not enough retailers do this. At the store I look for the ones that don't expire next week. I want some choice in the matter online as well.

Keep in mind these guidelines are what we have come to use to satisfy the needs of our shoppers. They aren't Google's rules. At the end of the day you serve the people who buy your products. Prioritize their experience first.

Just my opinions. I see nothing wrong with your plan if you are certain it is how your customers want to engage your product. If you do merge 3 pages into one be sure the canonical URL is present so Google can make sense of the change.

Should I set the rel="canonical" prior to setting the 301 redirect? Also, I appreciate the in depth response, it has been rare that has occurred! The products do have 3 different sizes and I know it would be way simpler for the customers to be able to select a size based off the drop down. My only dilemma seems to be if they are searching for the product with the size, is it going to cause the customer to skip my page if I do not have the size they are exactly looking for in the meta title?

 

[validseo]

Should I set the rel="canonical" prior to setting the 301 redirect? Also, I appreciate the in depth response, it has been rare that has occurred! The products do have 3 different sizes and I know it would be way simpler for the customers to be able to select a size based off the drop down. My only dilemma seems to be if they are searching for the product with the size, is it going to cause the customer to skip my page if I do not have the size they are exactly looking for in the meta title?

If shoppers search for the product differently then you may want to leave it as three different pages. If the bottles and packaging are different as well it further advocates leaving them separate. Short of customers complaining about the 3 pages you could also apply the "If it ain't broke don't fix it rule." This would beg the question. What is the specific problem you are trying to solve with these changes and is it actually a problem for your customers?

There is no bad time to set the canonical. Sooner is better than later because they eliminate a certain class of negative SEO altogether.

Another good trick is to see how amazon sells the same or similar products. Odds are when the packaging is different they will break it out into different pages. People are also used to seeing exactly what they search for in the product names. So if people search for it in fluid ounces then yes you probably want fluid ounces in the title.

 

[revivesf]

If shoppers search for the product differently then you may want to leave it as three different pages. If the bottles and packaging are different as well it further advocates leaving them separate. Short of customers complaining about the 3 pages you could also apply the "If it ain't broke don't fix it rule." This would beg the question. What is the specific problem you are trying to solve with these changes and is it actually a problem for your customers?

There is no bad time to set the canonical. Sooner is better than later because they eliminate a certain class of negative SEO altogether.

Another good trick is to see how amazon sells the same or similar products. Odds are when the packaging is different they will break it out into different pages. People are also used to seeing exactly what they search for in the product names. So if people search for it in fluid ounces then yes you probably want fluid ounces in the title.

I will be experimenting on two different products that arent ranking as high. I feel as though I can test the waters with the ideas you mentioned. My main issue with product research on amazon, is that these products are not allowed to be sold on amazon and can be sold directly from a licensed professional only. I do have a very specific market currently with 3 other people trying to do the same thing. I have more SEO skills than my competitors and I am going to be focusing on unique descriptions. I do lack some ranking to my competitors in a few popular products. I have been link building but it becomes more difficult when my domain is only about 2 years old compared to my competitors which are 5 to 10 years old. Patience is key.

I want to people to see the standard size when they are ordering but I make way more money when they purchase the larger sizes. So I am going to guinea pig it out and see the results. I agree, don't fix whats not broken. But if I can display to my customers, 100 products compared to 300 products, it would feel better for them to select products with a small selection.