Back in 1994, I was crafting product copy for one of the UK's first ecommerce sites. Each description took me 20 minutes minimum. Fast forward three decades, and I've watched countless SMEs burn through cash hiring copywriters, only to end up with bland, cookie-cutter descriptions that convert about as well as a broken checkout button.

The game has changed completely. AI-powered product descriptions aren't just faster – they're often better than what most businesses have been paying premium rates for.

The brutal maths of traditional copywriting

Let's talk numbers that every UK ecommerce director recognises. You've got 500 products. A decent copywriter charges £25-40 per description. That's £12,500-20,000 just for the initial batch. Then you launch 50 new products quarterly. Another £1,250-2,000 every three months.

I've seen Shopify stores in Manchester spend £30k annually on product copy alone. The descriptions were grammatically perfect and utterly forgettable. Meanwhile, their competitors were already using AI to create descriptions that actually sold products.

The traditional approach creates a bottleneck that kills momentum. You delay product launches waiting for copy. You skimp on descriptions for seasonal items because the budget's blown. You end up with inconsistent tone across your catalogue because you've used three different writers over two years.

Why AI descriptions actually work better

After testing AI copywriting tools across dozens of UK businesses, I can tell you something that might surprise you: AI doesn't just write faster, it writes more strategically.

AI analyses your entire product catalogue for consistency. It maintains your brand voice across thousands of SKUs. It optimises for search terms that humans often miss. Most importantly, it doesn't have creative ego getting in the way of conversion-focused copy.

I recently worked with a North Wales outdoor gear retailer who replaced their £15k annual copywriting spend with an AI system. Their average time-on-page increased 34% and conversion rates jumped 18%. The AI was writing descriptions that actually helped customers make buying decisions instead of just sounding clever.

The strategic advantage you're missing

Here's what most SMEs don't grasp about AI-powered descriptions: you're not just saving money on copywriting. You're gaining the ability to test and optimise at scale.

Traditional copywriter creates description. You live with it for months because changing it means another invoice. AI lets you A/B test variations weekly. Seasonal promotions? Generate themed descriptions in minutes. New product line? Consistent brand voice across the entire range without briefing sessions and revision rounds.

The real competitive advantage comes from speed to market. Whilst your competitors are waiting for their copywriter to clear their queue, you're launching products with optimised descriptions the same day they arrive in your warehouse.

Getting started without the usual disasters

Every AI implementation I've seen fail starts the same way: business owner thinks they can just prompt ChatGPT and magic happens. That's like thinking you can run Google Ads effectively just because you know how to type in keywords.

Successful AI copywriting needs proper setup. Your product data must be clean. Your brand guidelines need codifying. Your prompt engineering requires testing across different product categories. Most crucially, you need quality control processes because AI occasionally produces descriptions that sound like they were written by someone who's never actually seen the product.

I always recommend starting with your least critical products. Test the system. Refine the prompts. Build confidence before you let AI loose on your bestsellers.

The businesses winning with AI descriptions treat it as a strategic capability, not a cost-saving trick. They invest time upfront to create systems that deliver consistent results at scale.

Are you still paying premium rates for product copy whilst your competitors automate their way to faster launches and higher margins?

With 30 years of experience in digital, ecommerce and marketing, now combined with expertise in AI and automation, I help agencies, ecommerce brands and small businesses embed intelligent automation into their operations. Connect with me here or visit wingenious.ai to explore how automation can transform your business.