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Passed on 21 May, 2025

5. Product promotion and merchandising ​

As you build an online shop, promoting the full inventory of products can be challenging. In this lesson, we’ll examine the best ways to promote products and special offers.

✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Implement strategies to increase online customer engagement and sales.Identify how data can inform promotional activities.

Learning objectives ​

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

Implement strategies to increase online customer engagement and sales.

Identify how data can inform promotional activities.

Get your products noticed ​

There are many ways to ensure customers find and engage with relevant products on your site. Let’s explore some effective strategies to get products noticed and boost customer interest.

Getting started ​

Once an online shop is set up, create a clear hierarchy of categories and subcategories to help customers navigate a site with ease. The easier it is for customers to find products, the more likely they are to make a decision about whether or not to purchase.Tip:Web designers often observe how users navigate a site and make adjustments to improve the flow and optimise the shopping experience.

Tip:Web designers often observe how users navigate a site and make adjustments to improve the flow and optimise the shopping experience.

Tip:Web designers often observe how users navigate a site and make adjustments to improve the flow and optimise the shopping experience.

Promoting products online ​

Think about the last time you visited an independent furniture shop. You probably walked in to see a comfy chair or sofa near the door that you could sink right into, or a table you could sit at.Promoting products in an online shop isn’t too different from a high street shop.

Promoting products in an online shop isn’t too different from a high street shop.

Promoting products in an online shop isn’t too different from a high street shop.

Product merchandising ​

Shops often display very specific, featured products. If it’s the end of summer and students are going off to university, the furniture shop might have desks or bookcases on display and on sale. This is an example of product merchandising. You can do the same thing online.

Online product merchandising ​

To promote products online, consider using part of the homepage to feature keyitems — whetherto clear out older inventory or highlight a best-seller. A clear and inviting display on your homepage can help draw customer interest and boost sales.

items — whether

Data-driven promotions ​

Imagine if you walked into an offline furniture store and the entry display magically transformed based on your interests. As you browsed, all the promotions you encountered were customised to what you had previously looked at.

Making a prediction ​

Online shops can do exactly that. As visitors browse the pages of a site, it may be collecting data about what interests them. Website owners can use this data to predict what visitors are likely to be interested in next.

The last time you were shopping online, you might have been shown ‘recommended products’ after viewing certain items. For instance, if you were on a furniture website, and you were looking at kitchen tables, you might have seen a promotion for chairs. Many shopping cart providers offer these product recommendation engines.

Finding ways to showcase products that customers may not otherwise search for can be an effective way to cross-sell - the act of selling related products. Imagine an office manager is looking for a new desk, but they might not have considered matching bookcases or complimentary chairs. Now is the perfect time to remind them by displaying related products.

Promotion and merchandising in practice ​

Spend some time completing the activity on this page. It will provide a foundation for the lessons that follow.

✅ ActivitySpending time analysing data and making adjustments to promotions and merchandising can boost sales.Complete the exercise for a business you own or work for, or a local business you’re familiar with.Check the items off as you go.Visit 3 competitor websites.Take note of the items featured on their homepage, as these are typically the products they want to highlight or promote.Tap on a product, and notice if they suggest additional products to encourage more purchases.Reflect on how these websites display products and make recommendations. Consider what seems effective and why.

Activity ​

Spending time analysing data and making adjustments to promotions and merchandising can boost sales.Complete the exercise for a business you own or work for, or a local business you’re familiar with.

Complete the exercise for a business you own or work for, or a local business you’re familiar with.

Complete the exercise for a business you own or work for, or a local business you’re familiar with.

Visit 3 competitor websites.

Take note of the items featured on their homepage, as these are typically the products they want to highlight or promote.

Tap on a product, and notice if they suggest additional products to encourage more purchases.

Reflect on how these websites display products and make recommendations. Consider what seems effective and why.

Download PDF

Download PDF

Check your knowledge ​

It's time for you to check and reflect on what you've learned so far.

Question 1 of 1 ​

Office sets are steady sellers for the owner of a furniture store. How can they suggest office furniture items to customers who might not have considered them yet?

Create a ‘Suggested products’ banner.

Use analytics to understand who is visiting the site.

Add a video tour of the shop.

Add a customer reviews section.

Submit

Submit

Yes.The store owner can use product recommendation engines, which have features like ‘Suggested products’ banners, to show related products and introduce customers to new products they might not have considered before.

The store owner can use product recommendation engines, which have features like ‘Suggested products’ banners, to show related products and introduce customers to new products they might not have considered before.

Lesson complete ​

You now know more about promoting and merchandising your products online.Head to the next lesson to discover more about retargeting ads for e-commerce. To learn more about paid ads, including retargeting ads first, check out thePaid Marketing Channelsmodule.

Head to the next lesson to discover more about retargeting ads for e-commerce. To learn more about paid ads, including retargeting ads first, check out thePaid Marketing Channelsmodule.

Head to the next lesson to discover more about retargeting ads for e-commerce. To learn more about paid ads, including retargeting ads first, check out thePaid Marketing Channelsmodule.