At a glance

A product description can sound convincing while getting the product wrong. For a small store, that means avoidable questions, disappointed buyers and extra review work.

Shopify’s documentation calls its description-writing assistant Sidekick. It can generate copy from product details, but Shopify warns that the result may add benefits or information from similar products. Generation and saving guide.

Explore, section by sectionExcerpts from the opening sections. The complete article and sources are below.

Start with an approved fact sheet

Section 1 of 4

Collect the exact product name, materials, dimensions, included items, care instructions and available variants. Use confirmed supplier specifications or verified product records.

Read this section

Start with an approved fact sheet

Collect the exact product name, materials, dimensions, included items, care instructions and available variants. Use confirmed supplier specifications or verified product records.

Separate facts from unanswered questions. “Waterproof,” “organic,” “fits every laptop” and delivery promises need evidence. Leave missing details out until the product owner confirms them. For client work, agree on who approves claims and who can update the live listing.

Generate one focused draft

On a desktop computer, open Products in Shopify admin, select the product, then choose Generate text in the description toolbar. Shopify documents this text-generation route as unsupported on iPhone and Android. This restriction does not mean all Sidekick features are unavailable on mobile.

Generated text goes into the description field. Keep a copy of the approved wording before experimenting, and review the result before saving. Desktop workflow.

Example prompt for a fictional product:

Write an 80-word description for the Everyday Canvas Tote.
Confirmed facts: 100% cotton canvas, 38 × 42 cm, two handles,
one main compartment, natural colour.
Use a straightforward tone and three short feature bullets.
Use only these facts. Do not add load capacity, waterproofing,
certifications, manufacturing origin or delivery claims.

A restrictive prompt helps direct the draft but does not guarantee accuracy. State the goal, source information, constraints and desired format. Shopify’s AI guidance.

Check every promise

Compare each sentence with the fact sheet. Mark each claim as supported, needs confirmation or remove.

For the fictional tote, “100% cotton canvas” comes from the supplied example facts. “Carries heavy groceries comfortably” lacks support because no load capacity or comfort testing was supplied.

Check numbers and units separately. Check whether each feature applies to every variant. A detail belonging to one size or colour should not become a promise about the whole range. Replace vague praise such as “unmatched quality” with evidenced details.

Treat Save as a publishing decision

On an already published product, Shopify says saving the edited description displays it right away. Obtain the store owner’s approval before changing a client’s live listing. Saving behaviour.

After an approved update, inspect the customer-facing page on mobile and desktop. Check line breaks, bullets, dimensions and consistency with product images.

Measure the complete job

Start with one low-risk listing. Record drafting time, correction time and the number of unsupported claims. Compare the total with writing manually.

Keep the workflow only if the reviewed result is clearer or takes less work. A reusable human-written template may be enough for a short description with complete specifications.

Documentation checked on 16 October 2026. No hands-on store test, accuracy guarantee or conversion result is claimed.