Building the Perfect eCommerce About Us Page (& Inspiring Examples)

There's a good reason why some brands are loved all over the world. Ask loyalists and you’ll most likely hear the perceptions that these brands have taken years to build. Through their work and their consistency in delivering excellent customer experience - and also through the way they communicate about themselves. 

Want your eCommerce website to have a similar impact on shoppers? Ensure you get your eCommerce about us page right. 

It isn’t just another page on your eCommerce website - it’s your opportunity to get your business narrative right. 

In this piece, we take a deep dive into what the about us page can do for shoppers, elements that are absolutely necessary for this page to stand out, examples you can instantly gain inspiration from and actionable takeaways. 

1. What should your About Us page DO for shoppers

If a user wanders into your about us page, it means they are keen to know more about you. With that settled, you’ll have to look at other factors that a user is trying to gauge by going through this page.

Here’s a list of to-dos that will help you communicate more effectively with the shopper. 

Build trust

The first point of any transaction is trust. It is a certain degree of trust that allows the average user to let their guard down, and trust a brand they have never experienced before.

So when a user is on your about us eCommerce page, they are trying to deepen the trust factor. They are trying to validate and cross-check and absorb more information - so that if they do buy from you, they would be very clear about why they have done so. 

To-do to build trust:

• Be transparent about the beginnings of the company, the current locations and the people who founded or are running it. You may also want to clearly bring out the timeline of your brand’s journey. 

Do read up: 30 Ways to Build Trust FAST (On Your eCommerce Store)

Create stickiness

Imagine a shopper landing on your website through a broad search query. They may be aware of what they are looking for, but they may not be sure you can provide that. 

This is when they would want to read more about why you exist and what you actually do to bring your offerings to life. (We would consider this to be a good thing because most users drop off at the slightest hint of uncertainty.)

To-do to create stickiness:

• Build an authentic narrative that explores a problem statement and then goes on to talk about how the brand is helping solve that problem. 

Win over competition

Gone are the days when shoppers would be satisfied seeing some decent products and for the obvious lack of choice, buy them off the shelves anyway. This is the time when brands are locked in fierce competition and each one of them has to offer something valuable to the customer.

Shoppers are worried more than ever about sustainability, ethics, culture and the process through which products are manufactured and marketed. 

To-do to win over competition:

• Declare your USP simply and clearly. Shoppers need to feel they understand why you exist and how you can not just help them, but help them better. 

Create reassurance

If you’ve been in eCommerce for just a while, you’d know this - the idea is to convert shoppers into paying customers and paying customers into loyalists. It is usually a long process, which involves multiple interactions, repeated transactions and consistent experience. 

To-do to create reassurance:

• Be generous about displaying social proof. Go ahead and list the logos of clients you’ve worked with or state quotes. Typically, shoppers feel more certain when they see established and trustworthy names appear on your about us page. 

Hey, you'll love this: 20 behavioral targeting ideas for 2022 (+ some inspiration)

2. Elements that need FOCUS on your About Us page

Now that you can clearly see why a potential customer would be trying to validate the decisions to trust, explore, buy or commit, it’s necessary to bring out the elements that will make it possible. 

The origins of the brand/company

Back in the day, when most commerce was about legacy companies and their well-rounded reputation, shoppers needed less assurance. But now the game has entirely changed. eCommerce is booming and every day more new brands are coming to be. 

In this scenario, it has become even more relevant to talk about the origins of your company - where, why, who, how. Remember we were talking about trust earlier? A glimpse into your company/brand’s history will create a sense of transparency, making it easier for shoppers to lean in. 

Here’s an example of how Burt’s Bees tackles this aspect in their about us section.

What’s interesting about their treatment is that they have allocated a separate page for “our story”, highlighting it separately from their culture and values. 

The values of the brand/company

Behind how a company or brand functions, what strategies it employs and how it behaves with its customers, is a set of core values.

When shoppers land up on your about us page, they are looking to understand what drives your business better. The articulated values help them understand what kind of impact you’re trying to create and how you intend to fulfil your business goals. 

Here’s how Thousand Fell describes its brand values in simple and clear language. 

The brand’s USP 

There is a compelling reason your brand exists. It’s possible that other brands exist for a similar reason, but when you articulate your brand’s USP in clearly differentiated language, customers get a better understanding.

Without a unique selling point or USP, a brand has no backbone of its own. With a USP, a brand becomes instantly more recognizable and worthy of recall.

Having your USP feature in your about us eCommerce page can offer shoppers a compelling reason to explore your products and even buy! 

Here’s a look at how Pact establishes their USP in a single sentence (even using their trademarked phrase to create more impact). 

The culture of the brand/company

Along with what the brand stands for and what it ensures in its products, the about us eCommerce page needs to mention the culture behind a company or brand.

Quite literally, the culture is the spirit with which a brand comes into existence, living by its values and working towards its vision. A stable and inclusive culture, for example, can instantly increase a shopper’s confidence in a brand. 

Here’s how Planet Fitness sets the tone for their culture to be understood by users in their about us section. The use of phrases like “the judgment free zone” (which also happens to be their trademarked catchline) and “support of our friendly, knowledgeable staff anytime you need it” help to drive home the point.

Product quality and craftsmanship

Granted that eCommerce product pages are meant to carry the most crucial product related information.

But let’s not forget that the about us page can increase awareness around how raw materials are sourced, what standards are maintained and how craftsmanship contributes to customer experience.

Many shoppers aren’t happy glancing only through product information on product pages. They need the narrative that throws light on the background process as well. 

Curious about which brand does this really well? We thought The Veja Project brings this narrative out carefully by using clear and relatable language. 

The team behind the brand

eCommerce has so much to do with technology that it’s easy to forget shoppers are still looking for traces of human connection. And this is where, how you write your about us page becomes important.

One aspect that is easily aligned to the human quotient is information about your team. Most shoppers want to see the human beings who make the brand and its products possible.

The kind of people you hire, the difference they make and the capabilities they possess all come together to create a narrative that can help users make vital decisions like buying or subscribing. 

Looking for science-backed ideas to overcome customer objections? Check out 10 scientific hacks to overcome customer objections in eCommerce

Yellow Leaf Hammocks introduces its team seamlessly into its other about us page elements, creating assurance and ease for users. 

Relevant CTAs

As long as it’s an eCommerce website, you need to drive action from users. And this holds true when you’re layering elements to write your about us eCommerce page.

The main function of this page is to inform, create awareness and increase assurance. However, you could still use the about us page to guide users to other parts of your website.

To make this happen, relevant CTAs are useful. What’s also important is how you position them. 

Here’s a look at how Heart Coffee Roasters manages to place CTAs aligned with relevant content blocks (without sounding transactional or salesy). 

Customer support information 

With eCommerce changing the way the world shops, much of customer experience has come to be about efficient customer support. This is also why all effective eCommerce sites introduce easily accessible customer service tools and widgets.

On the about page, however, this aspect of your brand needs to appear like it’s one of the most important facets. Especially for people who have never engaged with your brand or haven’t bought from you, a reiteration about able customer support can be game-changing.

For you, it could mean one additional customer who might just begin to care enough to come back. 

Unsure of how to put this across? Here’s a quick look at how Bear, the mattress company, does this simply and effectively. 

Certifications, licenses & expert advisory

Users are quite naturally drawn to brands that are committed to growing, learning and evolving. This is why when an eCommerce about us page reflects these aspects, a user is more likely to want to engage further.

Certifications, licenses and expert advisory fall under authority, and brands that are constantly working towards growing their own authority are favored. 

Here’s a look at how United by Blue establishes its B-Corp status and throws light on “balancing profit with purpose.”

Partnerships with other organizations/brands

In a fast-evolving eCommerce landscape, apart from great products and frequent innovation, what users want to see is the kind of collaborations and partnerships a brand establishes.

These reveal the general direction the brand is trying to evolve in and also put the spotlight on special efforts to make its products more differentiated and desirable. Put more simply, partnerships and collaborations reveal that a brand exists for reasons beyond the material and transactional. 

This is how Made, the furniture brand, ensures people strolling through their about page get to know what they’ve been up to. 

Testimonials and reviews

Social proof is one of the key drivers of eCommerce success. The reason is simple - in the absence of word-of-mouth like the old times, social proof in the shape of reviews and testimonials work hard to convince potential customers.

And while featuring reviews and testimonials are a good idea on your product pages, nothing is stopping you from doing the same on your about page. Client logos and quotes as well as a link to a separate reviews page are all doable when it comes to the about page. 

Good Eggs features social media posts that talk of experiences with their products. 

‍Press coverage

Along with testimonials and reviews, shoppers keep their eyes open for press coverage. It’s because most users know any brand would use the most glowing language to describe their offerings and the reasons behind their existence. However, earned media is different.

When press coverage is earned, it means the brand has done a good job. And that, in turn, means people can trust the brand a little more than other brands. 

Here’s a look at how Pretty Litter makes sure users know which publications have covered their story. 

Curious about optimizing your eCommerce homepage better? Here are 14 must-have elements for your eCommerce homepage.

3. Inspiring examples, and actionable takeaways

Grove

Takeaways

• Feature a top banner that gives an overall picture of what the page is about
• Introduce the top management to build greater trust

Wayfair

Takeaways

• Introduce the latest news and developments in your company/brand
• Put specific focus on how your brand is growing

Eve

Takeaways

• Create a balance between text and visuals to make information appear more interesting
• Create a flow in the narrative as it covers the most important aspects of your business

Want to read more on how the big names market themselves? Here's 25 Persuasion Marketing Strategies from Great Brands

Allbirds

Takeaways

• Put up a relevant banner with a punchy headline
• Detail out product specialty and craftsmanship in simple yet interesting language

Daily Harvest

Takeaways

• Create memorable textual callouts that everyone will notice at once
• Highlight sections being explored to ease navigation

Zappos

Takeaways

• Make it easy for users to know your brand by featuring a summarized snippet
• Introduce “who”, “what”, “where” etc. to catch instant attention

Lush

Takeaways

• Make the opening statement sticky and rest of the content scrollable
• Offer relief through dynamic elements like videos and contrasted backgrounds if it’s a long page

MeUndies

Takeaways

• Establish why you exist above-the-fold
• Sprinkle all your about page content with your brand essence

Beach Body Company

Takeaways

• State your company’s purpose clearly
• Ensure your brand’s USP is equally well-highlighted

Bally

Takeaways

• Consider the storytelling approach for your entire about page
• Feature the key milestones in your business journey

Wondering what other gaps to close in your About Us page?

Take help from our free audit tool and get an in-depth analysis on what could work better and how.