How do I check an online store’s product page descriptions for copied text?

Start with the store’s top products, since they carry the most traffic. Copy a distinctive sentence from each description and search for it in quotation marks. If it appears on other sites word for word, note whose it is and who used it first. A plagiarism checker can scan longer passages more quickly. Check images as well, because product photos copied from a supplier or a competitor can cause the same trouble as copied text.

Many suppliers hand out ready-made descriptions, and many stores post them unchanged. That makes the store’s pages look the same as everyone else’s, which can weaken search results and leave the owner with nothing original. Ask the seller which products use supplier text and whether the supplier allows it. Make a list of pages to rewrite first, starting with the products that bring in the most visits and sales.

Ask who wrote the rest. Was it the owner, a freelancer or a writing tool? Request any agreements with writers, and ask whether the seller has ever received a complaint about copied wording or photos. Last, estimate the rewriting effort, since it becomes your job. A store with mostly original text has an advantage a store with copied text must build from scratch.

Key takeaways

• Search distinctive sentences from the best sellers in quotation marks.
• Ask which descriptions came from suppliers and whether that is allowed.
• Ask who wrote the rest and whether any complaints were received.