How to Ask ChatGPT to Write a Product Description That Sells
Short answer: tell ChatGPT who the buyer is, the moment they'd use the product, the concrete details (materials, sizes, what's included), your brand voice, and the format your store needs. Ban the filler words. "Write a description for my candle" gets you "elevate your space." Real inputs get you copy that answers a shopper's questions before they leave.
Why AI product copy sounds the same everywhere
Without specifics, ChatGPT falls back on catalog clichés like "premium quality," "perfect for any occasion," and "elevate." Shoppers skim straight past them. What sells is detail they can picture, and only you have it.
What a shopper needs to see
- The buyer + their moment: "someone who can't switch off after work," not "everyone."
- Concrete details: materials, size, burn time, what's in the box. Only real facts.
- Proof you actually have: reviews you can quote, certifications, and how it's made.
- Voice: paste a description you love, or name three adjectives.
- Format: headline, short paragraph, scannable bullets, and a character limit if your platform has one.
Before and after
Before:
write a product description for my candle its lavender and soy and its good for sleep
After:
Write a product description for my [lavender + cedar soy candle, 8 oz, ~45-hour burn, cotton wick, hand-poured in Asheville]. Buyer: [people who struggle to wind down at night]. The moment: [lighting it while they put the phone away]. Voice: [calm, sensory, a little dry]. Here's a description I like: [paste]. Format: Headline (under 8 words) / 2-sentence intro / 4 bullets (scent, burn, ingredients, care) / one line for gifting. Constraints: No "elevate," "luxurious," or "perfect for any occasion." No health claims; say "wind-down ritual," not "cures insomnia." Use only the facts above.
Why it works: the buyer's moment gives the copy a scene, real specs answer the questions that stop a purchase, and banning claims keeps you away from promises you can't back up.
Coming soon: the free SoloShot Prompt Translator, which builds prompts like this from a one-line request.
Variations
- Whole catalog: "Same structure for each product in this list; vary the opening lines so no two start the same way."
- SEO: "Work in [keyword] once, naturally, in the first sentence."
- Marketplace (Etsy/Amazon): "Title under [140] characters, front-load the key attributes, 5 bullets."
- A/B test: "Give me 3 headlines: one sensory, one practical, one about the gift."
Check before you publish
- Verify every spec. ChatGPT will fill gaps with plausible-sounding facts if you let it.
- Read it on your phone. If the first two lines don't make the sale, rewrite those first.
- Keep regulated claims (health, safety, eco) to what you can prove.
FAQ
Will AI-written descriptions hurt SEO? Generic, duplicated copy can. Specific, original descriptions written for shoppers are what you want. Can it match my brand voice? Yes, if you paste an example. Adjectives alone get you close; an example gets you there.