Part 53 – AI Companion..... Content or Product – What Does the Customer Buy?
The Product Solves the Need – Content Helps the Customer
Understand Why It’s the Right Choice
What does the customer actually buy from an online store?
The most obvious answer is still the product.
The customer pays for the shoes, the coffee maker, the book, the
smartphone, or the replacement part. It is the product that is shipped to their home, picked up in the store, or put to use.
But before the purchase happens, the customer often has to go through another process.
They need to understand the product.
Determine whether it meets their needs.
Compare alternatives.
Reduce uncertainty.
Weigh price against value.
And finally, feel confident enough to make a decision.
In this process, content can become part of the value the online store itself delivers.
The product description explains.
The images show.
The specifications document.
The buying guide provides guidance.
The comparison clarifies the differences.
Customer reviews can provide insights from other people’s experiences.
Video can demonstrate how the product is used.
And customer service can fill any remaining knowledge gaps.
So the real question is not whether the customer buys content or a product.
The interesting question is how content helps the customer understand, choose, and use the product.
For small and medium-sized online stores, this is particularly interesting.
They can rarely compete with the largest players on everything. But they may have in-depth knowledge of their products, their applications, and their customers.
When this knowledge is made available digitally, content can become an important source of competitive strength.
And as artificial intelligence increasingly helps customers find and evaluate products, AI also needs a solid foundation of knowledge to work from.
Magne & the AI Companion
Magne
Companion...
We ended the previous article with a rather annoying question.
The AI Companion
Those are often the best questions.
Magne
Content or product – what does the customer buy?
I've been thinking about it.
And of course, the customer buys the product.
The AI Companion
Yes.
Magne
Oh.
That was quick.
The AI Companion
He he.
The customer usually doesn't pay NOK 2,500 for the product description.
They pay for the product.
Magne
Then we're done again.
The AI Companion
Not quite.
How did the customer decide which product to buy?
Magne
There you go again.
Before the Product Comes the Decision
The AI Companion
Let's say you're buying a new coffee maker.
Magne
All right.
The AI Companion
You have four models in front of you.What do you do?
Magne
Read about them.
The AI Companion
Why?
Magne
Because I want to know the difference.
The AI Companion
And what if the online store only shows:
Coffee Maker A – NOK 5,990
Coffee Maker B – NOK 6,490
Coffee Maker C – NOK 7,990
Coffee Maker D – NOK 9,490
What do you know then?
Magne
That D is expensive.
The AI Companion
He he.But do you know why?
Magne
No.
The AI Companion
And then the online store has given you products...but not enough
knowledge to choose between them.
Content Explains the Difference
Magne
So the product needs an explanation?
The AI Companion
Often.
Think about how many product features don't mean very much until someone puts them into context.
Magne
For example?
The AI Companion
A laptop might have 32 GB of RAM.
Magne
That sounds good.
The AI Companion
For whom?
Magne
Good question.
The AI Companion
A customer who only wants to read email and use online banking may not need that.
A customer who works with large video files may have very different needs.
Magne
So the specification tells us what the product has.But the content can explain why it matters.
The AI Companion
That's an important distinction.
From Feature to Benefit
Magne
This reminds me of old-school marketing.Don't just tell people
about the feature.
Explain the benefit to the customer.
The AI Companion
The principle is still relevant.
If a rain jacket has a particular technical membrane, that may be
interesting to some customers.
But many will primarily want to know:Will I stay dry if it rains all day?
Magne
And perhaps:
Will I get clammy when I'm walking?
The AI Companion
Yes.
Product data describes the features.Good content translates those features into meaning in the customer's situation.
But Content Can't Save a Bad Product
Magne
We need to be a little careful here.
Because this could easily start to sound as though content is more important than the product.
The AI Companion
And that would be wrong.Good content can't make a bad product good.
Magne
And a fantastic product description doesn't make the wrong size right.
The AI Companion
Exactly.
The purpose of content isn't to hide a product's weaknesses.Good content should also help the customer understand when the product isn't the right fit.
Magne
That's almost the opposite of traditional advertising language.
The AI Companion
It can also build trust.If an online store says:“This model is excellent for this, but if you need that, you'd be better off choosing the model next to it”...
Magne
...then the store is actually helping me.
The AI Companion
Yes.
It's not just trying to get you to buy.
It's trying to help you buy the right product.
The Wrong Purchase Isn't Good E-Commerce Either
Magne
But if the customer buys, the online store has achieved its conversion.
The AI Companion
In the short term.What happens if the product is wrong?
Magne
A return.An unhappy customer.Customer service.Maybe a negative review.
The AI Companion
And perhaps the customer never comes back.
Magne
So the purchase itself isn't necessarily a good measure of whether we did our job properly.
The AI Companion
Exactly.A good customer experience isn't just about getting the customer through checkout.It's also about helping the customer make a good decision.
Content Can Be Part of the Product Experience
Magne
But what happens after the purchase?Surely the content has done its job by then?
The AI Companion
Not necessarily.
How do you set up the product?
How do you use it?
How do you maintain it?
How do you solve common problems?
How do you get the most value from it?
Magne
Instructions.Videos.Guides.Questions and answers.
The AI Companion
Yes.Content can support the customer throughout the entire life of the product.
Magne
Then content actually becomes part of the product experience.
The AI Companion
Exactly.
The Small Specialty Store May Know More Than the Large Marketplace
Magne
Let's return to small and medium-sized online stores.
The AI Companion
Gladly.Imagine a small online store that specializes in binoculars.
Magne
Not the world's largest market.
The AI Companion
No.
But perhaps the employees have worked with optics for twenty years.
They know which binoculars are best suited for birdwatching.
What a hunter needs.
What works well in low-light conditions.
What the difference between 8x42 and 10x42 actually means in practice.
Magne
While a large marketplace might have several thousand products.
The AI Companion
But not necessarily the same level of expert guidance.
Magne
Then the small store can compete on understanding.
The AI Companion
Yes.And this is where expertise can become a source of digital competitive advantage.
Content Is Also Customer Service Before the Purchase
Magne
I've always thought of customer service as something that happens when the customer contacts us.
The AI Companion
But good content can answer the question before the customer even needs to ask.
Magne
So a sizing guide is customer service?
The AI Companion
In practice, it can serve that function.
So can a comparison table.
A buying guide.
A good product description.
An FAQ.
A demonstration video.
Magne
Then we're scaling the knowledge.One employee doesn't have to explain the same thing a hundred times.
The AI Companion
Exactly.
That's particularly valuable for businesses with limited resources.
And Now Content Has a New Reader
Magne
The customer?
The AI Companion
Not just the customer.
Artificial intelligence.
Magne
Aha.
The AI Companion
If a customer asks an AI-powered shopping assistant:“I need a lightweight sleeping bag for summer hiking trips, but I get cold easily. What should I look for?”
the system needs information to work with.
Magne
A product name and price aren't enough.
The AI Companion
No.
It needs features.Use cases.
Differences.
Limitations.
Context.
Magne
So much of the content we create for people can also become part of
the knowledge base for new digital interfaces.
The AI Companion
Yes.
But we should still start with human needs.
In-Depth Discussion
Content and Product Perform Different Functions
It's useful to avoid creating an artificial divide between product and
content.
The product delivers the functional value the customer is looking for.
Content can help the customer discover, understand, evaluate, choose, use, and get value from the product.
They therefore perform different but complementary functions.A good product with inadequate information can be difficult to choose.
Good information about a product that doesn't meet the customer's needs won't create lasting value either.
Good e-commerce emerges when the product, information, and customer experience work together.
From Product Feature to Customer Value
Product information often exists on several levels.
First, we have product data:
weight,
dimensions,
material,
capacity,
battery life,
size,
compatibility.
Then we can explain the feature:
The product weighs 950 grams.
But the customer may need the next level:
What does that mean for me?
If the customer has to carry the product for eight hours a day, its weight may be very important.
If the product will remain permanently on a desk, the same feature may be far less relevant.
Good content therefore creates a connection between:data → feature → meaning → customer need.
Content Can Reduce Perceived Risk
Purchasing involves uncertainty.
The risk may be financial:
Is this worth the money?
Functional:
Will the product do what I need it to do?
Practical:
Will it work with the equipment I already have?
Time-related:
Will it arrive before I need it?
Or social and personal:
Is this the right choice for me?
Information can't eliminate all risk, but it can reduce uncertainty by giving the customer a better basis for making a decision.
Decision Support Is More Than Product Copy
When we talk about content in e-commerce, we shouldn't reduce the concept to the product description alone.
Decision support can consist of many different types of content:
product images,
specifications,
comparisons,
sizing guides,
buying guides,
video,
questions and answers,
customer reviews,
user guides,
and expert advice.
Different products require different levels and types of support.
A simple, standardized product may require very little explanation.
An expensive, technical, or complex product may require considerably more.
The Need for Information Increases with Complexity
The more difficult it is for the customer to evaluate a product, the more important information can become.
Buying a simple cable may require only a few pieces of information:
length,
connector type,
compatibility.
Buying a camera may involve many more considerations:
sensor,
lenses,
intended use,
weight,
video capabilities,
experience level,
ecosystem,
price.
The amount and type of product content should therefore be determined by the customer's decision-making needs, rather than by a universal template applied equally to every product.
Content Before, During, and After the Purchase
The role of content doesn't end at the purchase button.
Before the purchase, content can help the customer discover and evaluate products.
During the decision-making process, it can reduce uncertainty and make alternatives easier to compare.
After the purchase, it can help with:
setup,
use,
maintenance,
troubleshooting,
accessories,
and continued learning.
Content can therefore contribute to value creation throughout the entire customer journey.
Expertise Can Be Scaled Digitally
This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses.
A specialty retailer may possess significant human capital in the form of product knowledge and customer experience.
The challenge is that this knowledge is often tied to individual employees.
When that knowledge is documented as high-quality digital content, a single explanation can be used by many customers at the same time.
It is available outside business hours.
It can be used across multiple channels.
It can be updated.
And over time, it can become part of the knowledge base for digital advisors.
This is a concrete example of how human knowledge can be scaled through technology without technology replacing the value of human knowledge.
AI Makes Structured Knowledge More Valuable
Traditionally, product content has primarily been presented on product pages and read directly by people.
AI-based interfaces open up a different way of using that same knowledge.
Customers can describe their needs in their own words.
A system can attempt to identify relevant criteria.
Product data and knowledge-based content can be used to identify suitable alternatives.
And the differences can be explained through dialogue.
This increases the importance of information being:
accurate,
up to date,
consistent,
sufficiently structured,
and connected to genuine customer needs.
AI therefore does not create the need for good product knowledge.
It makes the consequences of good or poor product knowledge more apparent.
We Shouldn't Produce Content Just Because AI Exists
At the same time, it's important to avoid a new version of the old SEO mindset.
The goal shouldn't be to produce enormous amounts of text simply because a language model might be able to read it.
Content should exist because it serves a purpose.
It should:
answer a question,
explain a difference,
reduce uncertainty,
document a feature,
help with a decision,
or support the customer after the purchase.
If content doesn't help the customer or provide relevant knowledge, more content simply becomes more noise.
What Does the Customer Buy – and How Does Content Help?
Product and Content Create Value in Different Ways
Customer Need | Role of the Product | Role of Content |
Solve a Practical Need | Performs the function the customer needs | Explains which product is the right fit |
Understand the Product | Has specific features | Translates features into understandable meaning |
Compare Alternatives | Offers different functions and levels of quality | Highlights relevant differences |
Reduce Uncertainty | Must actually perform as expected | Documents what the customer can expect |
Choose the Right Product | Must fit the customer's needs and situation | Provides decision support |
Get Value After the Purchase | Is used for its intended purpose | Helps with setup, use, and maintenance |
Get Help | May require knowledge to be used correctly | Makes expert knowledge available before and after the purchase |
From Product Data to Customer Value
Information Becomes Valuable When the Customer Understands What It Means
Level | Example | Customer’s Question |
Product Data | Battery life: 20 hours | What is the specification? |
Product Feature | Long battery life | What are the product’s key features? |
Meaning | Can be used throughout a long workday without charging | Why does this feature matter? |
Use Case | Suitable for travel and work without easy access to power | When is this useful? |
Customer Value | Less need to plan around charging | What value does this provide for me? |
Decision Support | Choose this model if battery life is more important than the lowest possible weight | Is this the right product for me? |
What Does This Mean for Small and Medium-Sized Online Stores?
Expertise Can Be a Competitive Advantage
Starting Point | Opportunity | Practical Action |
Employees frequently receive the same questions | Make the answers available to everyone | Build FAQs and guides |
The products are difficult to compare | Make the differences easy to understand | Create comparison tables |
The supplier provides generic product descriptions | Add the business’s own expertise | Explain use cases, benefits, and limitations |
The customer is unsure which product is the right fit | Provide decision support | Create buying guides and needs-based navigation |
The business has limited customer service capacity | Scale repetitive guidance | Document the most common explanations |
The business wants to use AI | Build a stronger knowledge base first | Structure product data and quality-check expert content |
Professional Terms
Key Concepts When Connecting the Product, Content, and the Customer’s Decision
English Professional Term | Explanation |
Product Content | Text, images, video, specifications, and other content that describes, explains, or documents a product. |
Product Feature | A specific function, characteristic, or technical feature of a product. |
Customer Benefit | The value or benefit a product feature can provide to the customer in a particular situation. |
Product Data | Structured facts about the product, such as dimensions, weight, material, price, model, and compatibility. |
Product Knowledge | An understanding of the product’s features, applications, limitations, differences, and the needs it is suited to address. |
Decision Support | Information or functionality that helps the customer understand alternatives and make a more informed choice. |
Perceived Risk | The customer’s perception of uncertainty or potential negative consequences associated with a purchase. |
Information Search | The process in which the customer searches for information to understand a need, a product, or possible alternatives. |
Purchase Decision | The customer’s decision about whether, what, where, and potentially when to make a purchase. |
Customer Journey | The customer’s overall journey of touchpoints and experiences before, during, and after a purchase or another interaction with the business. |
Digital Decision Support | Digital tools and content that help the user evaluate alternatives and choose a suitable solution. |
Knowledge Scaling | Making expert knowledge available to more people through documentation, digital services, technology, or other reusable solutions. |
We’ve Only Just Begun
Magne
Companion...
I think the answer to our question is pretty clear now.
The AI Companion
What does the customer buy?
Magne
The product.
But content can be absolutely essential in helping the customer understand which product is right for them.
The AI Companion
Yes.
Magne
And the more complex the product is...the greater the need for explanation may become.
The AI Companion
Correct.
Magne
But now I see something else.We've been talking about content in general.Buying guides.Comparisons.Video.FAQs.Product data.
The AI Companion
Yes?
Magne
But on the product page itself, there's one piece of content that almost every online store has.
The AI Companion
The product description.
Magne
Exactly.
And if the product description needs to help people understand the product, contribute to search visibility, and increasingly become part of the knowledge base that AI systems can work with...
The AI Companion
...then perhaps it has a more important job than it used to.
Magne
That's exactly what I was thinking.
The AI Companion
Then we have our next question:Why Has a Good Product Description Become More Important Than Ever?
Magne
That's where we'll continue.
The AI Companion
We will.Because, Companion...
we've only just begun.
Academic Background and Further Reading
This series also draws on my own academic and professional journey through the Web Design program, eeMarketing program, Innovation and Commercialization and professional seminars in San Francisco and Oxford. Here you can explore the academic background, professional communities, and experiences that have followed the evolution from the early days of the web to today’s digital transformation.
Recommended Reading
Artificial intelligence is evolving faster than perhaps any other field of our time. No single book can provide all the answers, but good books can provide a solid foundation for understanding the technology, its opportunities, and its challenges.
In the AI Companion series, we therefore recommend a selection of books that explore artificial intelligence from different perspectives – technology, strategy, leadership, innovation, ethics, digitalization, and practical application. Together, they provide a broader understanding of how artificial intelligence affects people,
businesses, and society.
Click the book icon to view the complete reading list featuring recommended books on artificial intelligence.
Recommended Books from Our Library
Generative Engine Optimization: The Definitive Guide to AI Visibility
Author: Dixon Jones
Brief Overview
This book provides a practical introduction to optimizing websites for generative search engines and artificial intelligence. It explains how ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other AI-powered services find, understand, and use content – and what businesses can do to become more visible in the new search landscape.
Why We Recommend This Book
One of the first books to provide a structured approach to search in the age of artificial intelligence. Perfect for anyone who wants to understand how traditional SEO is evolving into AI Search Optimization and Generative Engine Optimization.
GEO: Generative Engine Optimization – How to Rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity & AI
Author: Chris Carr
Brief Overview
A practical guide that shows how businesses can adapt their content and websites to increase their chances of being recommended by generative search engines. The book focuses on how visibility is changing as more users receive answers directly from artificial intelligence.
Why We Recommend This Book
This book is well suited for marketers, content creators, and businesses that want to understand how to approach visibility strategically in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI-powered search services.
Optimizing for AI Search: Mastering AIO & GEO
Author:Amit Kothiyal
Brief Overview
The book shows how traditional search engine optimization is evolving toward AI Search Optimization (AIO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Through practical advice, the author explains how structure, content, and semantics can make websites more relevant to the search engines and language models of the future.
Why We Recommend This Book
An engaging book for anyone who wants to stay ahead of the curve. It bridges the gap between traditional SEO and the new reality in which artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important source of information and recommendations.
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