Your Offer Sucks. Stop Obsessing Over Friction.
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Why "optimization theater" is killing your growth and the one thing you actually need to fix.
Let’s be real for a second. Imagine we’re sitting at a bar, I’ve just bought the second round, and you’re complaining about your conversion rates.
You tell me you’ve tried everything. You’ve moved the "Add to Cart" button above the fold. You’ve made it sticky so it stalks the user like a desperate ex. You’ve A/B tested three shades of green because some guru on LinkedIn said "Forest Green" conveys trust.
And yet? Your revenue per visitor (RPV) is flatlining.
Here is the hard truth that most agencies won’t tell you because they want to charge you for billable hours tweaking pixels: Friction doesn’t matter.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, ever landed on a website, saw a product they kind of liked, but left because the add to cart button was just below the fold.
The problem isn’t friction. The problem isn’t the UI.
The problem is your offer.
The "Optimization Theater" Trap
We call what we do "Digital Product Growth" here, but let's strip the jargon. It’s about making money.
If you are leading an e-commerce brand doing $50M a year, you aren't losing sleep over pixel padding. You are losing sleep over the fact that 60% of your traffic lands directly on a Product Detail Page (PDP), and most of them bounce.
Think about that. They didn't come through the homepage. They clicked an ad or a Google link because something, somewhere, promised them a solution to their problem. They arrived with intent. They want to buy.
If they leave, it’s not because they couldn’t find the checkout. It’s because the math in their head didn't add up.
The Equation is Simple:
Perceived Value > Price Asked
That’s it. That’s the whole game. If the customer thinks your product is worth more than the cash you’re asking for, they buy. If they don't, they leave.
The Commodity Crisis (aka "The Competitor Down the Street")
Here is the "unsaid" part that hurts to hear: Your product probably isn't that special.
I know, I know. You spent years developing it. But to the customer? You’re selling a widget. And the guy down the street is selling the exact same widget.
Maybe you think your "Unique Selling Proposition" (USP) is your free shipping. Unfortunately, everyone has free shipping. Amazon ruined that for us a decade ago.
Maybe you think it’s your 30-day return policy. Again, unfortunately, that’s table stakes, not a perk.
If you and your competitor are selling a similar product at a similar price with similar shipping terms, you are in a race to the bottom. You are a commodity. And commodities compete on price, which is a great way to bankrupt your business.
So, how do you win without slashing your margins?
Constructing "The Offer" (The Secret Sauce)
You need to stop selling a product and start making an offer.
An offer isn't just the item in the box. An offer is the complete package of value that makes the customer feel like they are ripping you off.
To build an irresistible offer, you need to add something that has high perceived value to the customer but low actual cost to you.
Let’s look at some examples of how to turn a boring product into a killer offer:
1. The Tennis Shop
The Product: A $200 Babolat racket.
The Competitor: Sells it for $200.
The Offer: You sell the racket for $200, but you include a "Pro-Ready Prep Package." This includes a premium grip (Cost to you: $2) and free custom stringing if they buy the strings (Cost to you: 15 minutes of labor).
The Result: The customer isn't buying a racket; they are buying readiness. They save time and hassle. You win.
2. The Golf Retailer
The Product: A new set of irons.
The Competitor: Sells them for $999.
The Offer: You sell them for $999, but you throw in a "Virtual Range Session" guide (a PDF or video series you made once) or a voucher for a free 30-minute hitting session at a partner indoor range.
The Result: You aren't selling clubs; you're selling a better golf game.
3. Women’s Fashion
The Product: A summer dress.
The Competitor: Sells a similar dress.
The Offer: You include a "Self-Care Sunday" kit—a branded facial mask and a sleep scrunchie.
The Cost to You: Maybe $1.50 at wholesale.
The Value to Her: "Oh, this isn't just a dress. This is a treat."
credit:xkcd.com
If You Have It, Flaunt It
Here is where most Directors of E-commerce fumble the ball. They create a decent offer, and then they hide it in the bullet points below the fold.
Do not be subtle.
If you are giving something away, scream it from the rooftops.
Put it in the Hero Image: The main photo on your PDP shouldn't just be the product; it should be the product plus the free gift, with a badge that says FREE.
Jam it in the Buy Box: Right next to that price, list the bonuses.
Use the Magic Word: "Free." It triggers a dopamine hit that "Complimentary" or "Included" just can’t touch.
"But I Can’t Afford Free Stuff!" (The 'Broke' Excuse)
Okay, fine. Maybe your margins are razor-thin. or maybe your warehouse manager threatens to quit every time you try to add a new SKU to the pick-and-pack list.
I get it. (Actually, I think you're making excuses, but let's play your game for a minute).
If you absolutely cannot add new value to the box, you have to uncover the value that is already there.
Your perception is your reality, but your customer’s perception is the only one that pays the bills. So, if you can’t add more, you need to "Explode the Offer."
Most brands are lazy. They list a "12-Piece Golf Set" as a single bullet point. That is one line item. One line item feels small. One line item feels expensive.
Stop making people guess what is in the box.
Break it down. List. Every. Single. Item.
Don't say "12 Clubs."
List the Driver. The 3-Wood. The Hybrid. The Putter. The Sand Wedge.
Suddenly, that one bullet point becomes twelve lines of value.
And don't stop at the hardware.
Does it come with a piece of paper telling them how to use it? That’s not "Instructions." That is a "Quick-Start Success Guide."
Does it come with batteries? That’s "Ready-to-Use Power Included."
Take what you already have and expand it until it takes up serious visual real estate on the page. Make the list look long. Make the offer look "heavy."
If you can't give them more, make sure they know exactly how much they are already getting.
The Bottom Line
If you are staring at your dashboard trying to figure out how to increase revenue per visitor and nothing is working, stop looking at your code. Stop looking at your navigation bar.
Start looking at your value proposition.
It is rarely friction that kills a sale; it is apathy. It is the feeling that "I can get this later, or somewhere else."
Your job is to make the value so overwhelming that they feel stupid saying no.
So, here is my challenge to you: Go look at your top-selling PDP. Ask yourself, "If I were a stranger, would I feel like this is a steal?"
If the answer is no, we need to talk.
Ready to grow RPV by prioritizing the right experiments Reach out.
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