Ecommerce Must-Haves: Bag & Luggage Stores

When it comes to traveling, luggage can make or break a trip. Finding out what you thought was a carry-on is actually too big and now you have to pay to have it checked is a huge bummer. Having a bag that rips part way through your trip is a big headache. In order to avoid these issues, many of us will spend on a quality piece of luggage or bag. Ideally, we can try on and feel the bag in-person, but increasingly customers are relying on ecommerce stores to give them enough information that they can buy online. 

No longer are travelers forced to peruse the selection of standard duffles and wheeled luggage at the department store. Ecommerce has opened up the possibilities of luggage for all types of travelers. 

As a store owner, you want to ensure that anyone visiting your site has enough information to be confident in their purchase. Reducing returns is also essential to keeping costs down. 

But how exactly do you cater to customers looking to know every detail about a particular bag without the ability to hold it first? 

This article will cover the “must haves” for a bag or luggage ecommerce store from instilling trust in your buyers to providing the right amount of information about a product without being overwhelming. 

Even if your store doesn’t sell bags, suitcases or luggage, this article will provide you with unique ideas that can apply to your store. 

How Much Will Fit?

The number one criteria any bag buyer is going to want to know is: will my stuff fit? That’s the whole point of a bag! Without being able to see and open the bag in person, an ecommerce store is going to need to help visitors visualize the inside of the bag and what it’s capable of storing. 

The number of liters the bag carries (especially for backpacks) is important, but that won’t inform everyone about what exactly can be stored. The best way to convey this is to show videos and images of the bag with items inside. A packing video, where an actor (or someone on your team) packs the bag piece by piece, can help users understand if the size will suit their needs. 

The amount of items that fit is important, but so are the types of items. Many people are accustomed to traveling with laptops. Callout the maximum laptop size your bag can accommodate. Sometimes the laptop fit is what can make or break a purchase. 

Tom Bihn’s site has made the videos of the inside of the bags very prominent. It’s easy to scroll down the page and see multiple images and videos of the bag. It’s clear which are videos and the text on the videos explains what you will see.

Minaal has a nice image for each bag of exactly what is being packed. This can help users quickly see if the items they plan to carry would fit. 

Sizes & Models

Apart from how items fit inside the bag, users want to understand how the bag fits them. Showcase models wearing the bag and make it clear the model’s size and the bag size they are wearing. For a unisex bag, it’s best to show men and women wearing the bag. 

Tortuga showcases their bag sizes on models. They clearly mention the model’s size and the size bag they are wearing. In the image above, you have a clear comparison shot of how the 30L and 40L look on the same person. Not only do they have this image, they feature more with models of varying sizes to ensure users are likely to find someone close to their height and weight.

Purchasers may be self conscious about having a bag that is too large or they want to ensure the bag sits a certain way on their back. Having these images can help reassure them about how the bag may look on their own body.

Tom Bihn does a great job of calling out the height range for certain bags to help make things more clear. 

Carry-on Requirements

Most bags and luggage will be utilized for travel. It’s important to prominently display if the luggage meets the carry-on size requirements for major airlines. Visitors don’t want to have to guess if they are going to get stuck with a bag fee at the last minute because their bag is too big for the overhead compartment. 

Tortuga calls out backpacks that are carry-on size in a prominent area near the add to cart button. And they include the “carry on” language in the size selection area.

Detailed description

Bags and luggage have evolved since the days of the one-compartment suitcase. Many backpack companies feature unique storage solutions, hidden pockets, and more. It’s important to convey these features not only in images and videos, but also through text. 

The content of the description is important, as is the presentation. Mentioning every detail in a huge wall of text will likely lead to visitors skipping over it. Showing these features in an easy-to-read format will ensure they understand why this bag is different from the competition. 

Tom Bihn’s product pages do a great job of calling out these unique features from pockets to straps. There is even a section pointing to the unique features of the bag including a full clamshell zipper opening. Without pointing these features out, visitors might not full grasp them just from images and videos.

Reviews & Awards

Reviews are a no-brainer for any ecommerce store, but especially for luggage and bags. People are relying on these bags to get their stuff from point A to point B without any hiccups. Each product should feature reviews and ways for customers to leave reviews, including adding images and videos.

Not only should product pages feature reviews, they should also feature any call-outs from review sites. Tortuga makes it very clear that their Travel Backpack was the Pack Hacker Pick. Visitors are likely going to review sites to narrow down their search, and seeing this type of badge can help them more easily decide on a bag, especially if they trust that review site.

Shipping Estimates

Visitors looking to buy a bag online might be needing it in a hurry. Perhaps they had to book a last-minute flight for work or family reasons. This means they are looking to get their bag quickly. Make it easy for them to see when exactly they can expect to get their item.

Minaal does a great job of calling out shipping. They have a countdown that urges visitors to buy within a certain time in order to get it shipped out that day. 

While we can’t possibly cover every feature of a luggage and bag ecommerce shop, we did want to highlight the key features these types of stores should have. Customers are looking to online stores for their bag needs, because of the wider variety. But they still need to be well-informed before they can feel confident purchasing. Ensuring your store contains these key points will help customers be more likely to consider your products in their purchase journey.