Creating a high-converting Shopify product page for your handmade business is key to the success of your skincare line. In this slam-dunk tutorial, you’ll learn how to set up a stunning product page template and transform it into an effective sales powerhouse!
Packed with screenshots and tips from a fellow handmade entrepreneur (that’s me!), this guide will effortlessly walk you through each section you need to nail your product page—minus the confusion and stress.
No detail is overlooked in this tutorial. Get ready to set your handmade skincare business up for glowing success on Shopify!
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links (at no cost to you). Please read the disclosure for more information.
Quick Note About Shopify Product Pages
- This blog post covers the basics of what ANY Shopify product page should include (and how to set it up).
- Every theme is different, available features may differ, and how you brand your Shopify storefront will all affect the final result.
- I am using the ‘Craft’ Shopify theme in the below tutorial.
- Please use this post as a starting point and then have FUN with the creative process by playing around with adding elements as they pertain to your theme and business!
Start Your Free Trial
If you haven’t already, start your free Shopify trial here.
Follow along with this Shopify Backend Setup Checklist (specifically written by yours truly 👋 for skin care businesses) to get yourself ready to go!
Customize Your Default Product Template
All Shopify product pages, regular pages, blog posts, collections, cart, checkout, EVERYTHING, are driven by templates that you create first.
Shopify does this so that your website has a cohesive feel, and can easily create new pages based on a single template that has been created.
In this first section, we’re organizing the Default Product template, which will be the base for ALL of your product listings (each skin care product sales page).
If you’re new to this, don’t stress. Just follow along click-by-click and trust the process! If you have any issues or questions, reach out to the private DIY Skin Care Business FB Group here.
To get to the Default Product template, log in to your Shopify account, click ‘Online Store’ in your left sidebar, and then the ‘Customize’ button on the right-hand side.
Next, click on the ‘Home Page’ dropdown at the very top of the page. Select ‘Products’ and then ‘Default Product’.
Note: The screenshots provided in this tutorial are from a site I have already built. You will not see the same background brand colors or installed apps. I will point out which sections I have added to my Default Product template.
When you open the Default Product, look at the sidebar on the left.
You will see three main sections: Header, Template, and Footer.
Anything changed in the header and footer areas while in the ‘Default Product’ template will alter your entire Shopify site, not just the product pages.
Leave those be for now so that you can design them intentionally in a different area.
In the Default Product Template for this tutorial, we will ONLY be modifying items in the ‘Template’ area.
We will work through the ‘Template’ section of the Default Product starting from the top with ‘Product Information’.
If it’s not toggled open already, click on the arrow next to ‘Product Information’ so that it expands a menu similar to the one below:
The sections pointed to in red are apps I added myself (you will not see these on your template). If you are interested in adding those to your own Default Product template, the name of the app is to the left (find them in the Shopify app store here).
Product Information
Every line in the sidebar of Shopify templates are able to be deleted, hidden, and moved to a different spot.
When you hover over a section or block, you will see a trashcan (deletes that item), an eye that you can click on to open or close (makes that section visible or hidden, but not deleted), and dots on the left to move the section up or down in the template.
Keep in mind that this is your product template, so some of these items we’ll just talk about and not do anything to…Shopify knows what you need for success!
Some items you will end up coming back to at a later time to edit once you have your product listings up and running and understand how this all works together.
If you are new to Shopify, go through this post once before taking any action to get a feel for what is being explained.
With that housekeeping done, let’s get this party started, starting at the very top with ‘Text’!
1. Text
Additional text that you want above the product title. By default, it shows the vendor of the item (for our cases, it would be us, since we are the makers).
You can delete the ‘Vendor’ detail in the text box on the right and include whatever information you’d like (such as ‘handmade in {your city}’, or 100% natural) or hide/delete this section completely.
2. Title
This is the name of your product.
You will be able to add product titles in a different section of Shopify after we go through this template.
3. Star Ratings
Reviews will not be added to your products automatically. This is a highly recommended section to add (app from the Shopify App Store), as star ratings will be crucial to your Like/Know/Trust factor.
I use the Judge.me Product Reviews app (it’s free!) and have had a great experience with it.
If you are still getting comfortable with Shopify, you can absolutely add this later when all of your basics are set up. Please don’t stress. (Seriously.) One step at a time.
4. Price
You will add individual prices to your product listings in a different section of Shopify after we go through this template.
5. Variant Picker
A variant is a choice you give your customer for any given product.
For example, a certain type of packaging (standard or gift wrapped), a size (1 oz. or 2 oz.), or maybe a scent (lavender or peppermint).
You will add your variant options to your product listings in a different section of Shopify after we go through this template.
However, the Default Product template is where you can choose how the variants appear (in a pill form, as shown in the screenshot below, or as a dropdown selector).
6. Stock Counter
This stock counter (‘9 left in stock’) is from an app I added called Jedi Stock Counter (another free app!).
Some Shopify themes have a stock counter included already, some do not.
This detail increases conversions, as it adds to the urgency for your customers to purchase if your inventory is getting low.
Your inventory will be added to a different section of Shopify after we go through this template.
7. Quantity Selector
The Quantity Selector section is where your customers will choose how many of a product they would like to purchase. Nothing to do or change in this section.
8. Buy Buttons
In the ‘Buy Buttons’ section, there are two buttons that are available to show: ‘Add to Cart’ and ‘Buy Now’ (the ‘Buy Now’ button appearance may change based on the payment options you applied in Settings during your Shopify Backend Setup process).
On the far right side, make sure you have the box ‘Show dynamic checkout buttons’ checked. The option to go straight to payment will increase conversion rates (the fewer clicks a customer needs to check out, the better).
9. Icon with Text
The ‘Icon with Text’ section will not automatically be on your menu and is completely optional. I am showcasing it here to demonstrate that you can add extra sections (which are different than apps) to your Default Product Template.
In the ‘Template’ section of your left sidebar, go to the very bottom and click on ‘Add Section’. Here, you can see all kinds of options to add to your Shopify product pages.
Hover over each to get a preview of what the section is.
Remember that while you want your customer to click around on your site and keep their interest, you also don’t want to distract them too much so that they end up with decision paralysis.
If you decide to add a section, simply click on it and drag it to where you would like with the six dots on the left-hand side.
10. Description
Paragraphs of copy that you will write to describe your product.
You will add individual descriptions to your product listings in a different section of Shopify after we go through this template.
11. Share
This is a tiny little area that will link the product for easy sharing via text or social media.
On the right-hand side of the screen, you can edit what the ‘Share’ text says (keep it on brand)!
Related Products
Related products will automatically populate as you add new products and place them into categories in a different section of Shopify.
On the right-hand side of the screen, you will see options for formatting the appearance of your Related Products (heading, number of products to show, etc).
I suggest not worrying about this if you’re just getting started and still have to add your products, as it’s hard to tell the result without anything to work with.
Come back to this section after you have added items to Shopify.
Apps
After you’re comfortable navigating your Shopify product page and have installed a review app, make sure you add another section to the very bottom where your customers’ comments (and possibly pictures, if you have the option enabled) can be shown.
This example screenshot is from the same Judge.me app that was discussed above in the Star Ratings section (the creators of the app will walk you through your options and how to add sections like this to your Shopify site):
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There you have it! All of the main product page sections!
Add more if you’d like, change the order by clicking on the left dots in the sidebar and dragging them up and down – experiment and play! That’s the best way to get cozy with any new program.
Add New Shopify Product Page
Now that we’ve reviewed all of the elements that should (eventually) be on your Default Product Template, we’re going to start making REAL product pages!
Wahoo!
Click the ‘Exit’ button in the top left-hand corner of the customization area, and then click on ‘Products’ in the left sidebar and then the ‘Add Product’ button on the far right-hand side of the screen.
This will bring up a blank product sales page that looks like this:
We’ll walk through your options one by one, just as we did above, starting with the key player: your product title!
1. Product Title
Your title is the largest copy on your sales page and will also be displayed in a web search.
Shopify Product Pages do not automatically save your work, so remember to click that white ‘Save’ button after every addition.
2. Product Description
Next, you’re going to add your product description, which will include your item benefits and facts.
Please reference this blog post for tips: Mastering Product Descriptions for Your Handmade Skincare Business
Note that the linked article above is for all e-commerce (not just Shopify). In the article, I discuss hyperlinking related products and adding reviews.
YOU get to take a shortcut, as Shopify has the ‘Related Products’ section and review apps available, so half your work is already done for you!
Tip: If you would like to add bullet points like this example, click on the 3 dots in the description header, shown by the red arrow.
3. Product Media
Next, you are going to add your product photos (and video, if you have one) to your product page.
If you have yet to take professional product photos for your skincare line, follow this blog post for tips: 7 Product Photography Tips for Your Handmade Skin Care Website
Shopify does not have a limit on how many photos you can add but keep in mind that the more you use, the slower your website will be (which can impact user experience and SEO).
I like to stay under 10 images when possible – you will find a sweet spot that works for you.
Click on ‘Upload New’ to grab them from your computer.
4. Price
Add the price for your product in the first box that says ‘Price’. If you want to show a markdown, you can include a different number in the ‘Compare-at Price’ box.
Do NOT go about your pricing blindly. Refer to this blog post for tips: Pricing Handmade Skin Care Products for Profit
Tax options depend on where you live – refer to your own area rules for this.
The last two boxes are entirely up to you – you SHOULD know the cost per item and profit that you are making, but you don’t necessarily have to track it here.
I suggest using this inventory spreadsheet instead (this is what I personally use and love).
5. Inventory
In the inventory box, you can add a SKU (a number that identifies this specific item, necessary if you’re selling on more than one platform so that the websites can ‘speak’ to each other about what you have).
For handmade sellers, I recommend always, always, always tracking your quantity and NOT continuing to sell when out of stock.
You don’t want to sell more than you have ingredients for accidentally.
Click on the blue number under the ‘Available’ column to add the quantity for your product.
Setting your Inventory up like this will ensure that your customers can’t purchase more than you have on hand.
This area will also speak to any ‘Stock Counter’ apps or themes to show how many you have left on your live Shopify product page.
6. Shipping
In the shipping area, make sure the box is checked that says ‘This is a physical product’.
Next, weigh your item so that your shipping costs can be calculated correctly. Be sure to use the correct measurement (lb, oz, kg, g).
If you will be selling and shipping internationally, select the appropriate Country/Region of origin for customs.
7. Variants
If you have options for your product, such as size/scent/packaging, click on the ‘+ Add Options’ link.
You can choose from the options Shopify provides or type in your own variant.
In my example, I will be using ‘Packaging’ and type that in the ‘Option name’ box.
In the ‘Option values’ box, I am adding ‘Cotton Muslin Bag’ (push enter) and ‘Paperboard Gift Box’ (push enter), and then click the black ‘Done’ button.
This loads two new areas below, with the variants on their own lines. You can modify the price for each one, as well as the inventory (amount available).
You can also choose individual product photos that match the variant, and this photo will be shown to your customer when they select their choices on the live product page.
8. Search engine listing
The Search Engine Listing area is for those of you who would like to benefit from SEO strategies on your Shopify product page.
When you click on ‘Edit’, the box expands so that you can change the Page Title, meta description, and URL handle.
This is an opportunity to use different keywords for greater searchability.
For example, if I had titled my product name ‘Spiced Chai Lip Balm’ in step 1 of this section, I could put ‘All-Natural Spiced Chai Lip Balm’ in the Page Title area (now it will appear differently in Google or Bing search).
In the URL Handle box, I could write ‘handmade-beeswax-spiced-chai-lip-care’ to potentially appear in a search with those different keywords.
The meta description area is the brief descriptor that shows up in a web search after a product name or article. If you want your audience to see something specific, you can write that here.
It is best e-commerce SEO practice to leave this area unmodified, as search engines can then match parts of your product page to what your future customers type in the Google/Bing/Yahoo! search bar.
9. Status
We’re going to go back up to the top of the page, but this time in the right-hand column.
The Status dropdown is where you can make a Product Page ‘Active’ or ‘Draft’.
If you have your store password protected, I recommend marking your product as ‘Active’ to better see how your website is coming together.
If your store is live already, mark product pages as ‘Draft’ until you are ready for customers to view and purchase.
10. Publishing
The items in the Publishing section will reflect how you set up your account in Settings.
If you would like to change your Sales Channels or Markets, click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of this section.
11. Product Organization
The Product Organization section serves several purposes.
The ‘Category’ section is for tax rates; for our specific industry, you can use ‘Skin Care’ to correctly label most items.
The ‘Product type’ section allows you to enter anything freely. Simply add the type of skin care item this product is.
The ‘Vendor’ section is your business name.
If you are just starting out with setting up your Shopify site, I recommend leaving the ‘Collections’ field empty until you intentionally set that up in a different area (tutorial coming soon!).
If you already have your collections set up, simply choose the appropriate one. And yes, you can choose more than one!
The ‘Tags’ section is helpful for your customers’ search purposes. For example, if they click on a magnifying glass to search your website for ‘beeswax’, a page will populate that has all pages including beeswax in the title, description, or the tags provided in this section.
12. Theme Template
Most handmade skincare websites will only have the ‘Default product’ theme template (which we organized in the first section of this blog post).
Should you decide to expand your product offerings, you may end up creating a few different product templates (in the example below, you can see that I have the Default Product template, as well as a Printable Products template and a Softcover Books template).
For now, you most likely only have the ‘Default Product’ template available.
Preview Your Shopify Product Page
Time to see how all of your work came together!
Go to the very top of your Product Page and click on the grey button that says ‘Preview’.
This will open your product in a new tab so that you can see EXACTLY how it will look to your customers!
Next Steps
Now that you can see what your product looks like ‘Live’, you may decide that you want to reorganize your sections in the Default Product template, change wording in your title, or add more sections.
After you are happy with the overall layout, go back and add all of your products to your Shopify site!
If you have any questions, join us over in the private DIY Skin Care Business FB Group, a fabulous community for handmade skincare entrepreneurs!
Grow Your Skin Care Business!
Browse through the resources below to boost your handmade business visibility and profitability!
