title: "How Important Are Product Photography and Image Editing in eCommerce?" date: 2024-09-02 slug: /importance-of-product-photography-and-image-editing word_count: 2200 images: 7

How Important Are Product Photography and Image Editing in eCommerce?

Table of Contents

• Types of eCommerce Product Photos
• Why Is Product Photography So Important?
• What Is eCommerce Image Editing?
• What Are the Advantages of Image Editing and Enhancement?
• Pixel By Hand eCommerce Image Editing Services
• FAQ

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Expert product photography is crucial for any eCommerce business. It boosts website engagement and builds trust in your brand. Customers cannot touch or evaluate your products in person, so photos must do the heavy lifting.

Returns are more common than you might think, with 30% of customers returning items they purchase online. This number is even higher just after the holidays. According to several experts in conversion rate optimisation, 22% of those returns are due to the product not matching the images originally seen online.

Professional photographs help ensure that the colours on your website or new product range are accurate. While there is some variation in how colour is displayed on different monitors and devices, product photography experts generally understand what displays best across most screens.

An experienced product photographer will know how to produce photos that show your products in the best possible light. If you have a physical product that you are selling online, high-quality product photography is essential. Poor-quality images reflect badly on your brand and lead to higher return rates when customers receive products that look different from the images they saw online.

Product photography does not have to be expensive, but it is worth investing in a professional photographer who can showcase your products properly.

Image editing is also an important part of creating great product photos. Even with excellent photographs, editing may still be needed to create a consistent look across your product catalogue.

In this guide, we cover the importance of product photography and image editing and share tips on how to get started.

Start your free trial — send us your product images and see how professional editing transforms your listings.

Types of eCommerce Product Photos

The convenience of eCommerce means users can purchase items without ever seeing them in person. That is why high-quality product photos are essential for any online store — they are often the only way potential customers will get an idea of what you are selling and how it can be used.

There are several types of product photos you might need, depending on the kind of products you sell:

• Product Shots: Close-up shots of the item itself, usually taken from multiple angles to give customers a good idea of what the product looks like. Ideal for clothes, shoes, and cosmetics.

• Model Shots: If you sell clothing or other wearable items, model shots show customers how the item looks when worn. These photos typically show the product in a lifestyle setting, demonstrating how it can be styled.

• Lifestyle Shots: Similar to model shots but do not necessarily feature people. They show the product in a real-world setting, such as a home or office, helping customers visualise how they could use it themselves. Ideal for home decor, furniture, and kitchen appliances.

• Hero Images: Large, powerful images mixed with text, used for social media posts or website headers. By fusing captivating visuals with compelling content, you pique curiosity and prompt visitors to learn more. Hero images should be high-resolution and aesthetically pleasing as they are often the first thing customers see.

• 360-Degree Images: These give the customer a complete view of the product from all angles, creating a more immersive experience. Created using software and a sequence of panoramic photos, they are popular for displaying furniture, household appliances, and shoes.

• GIFs and Videos: An excellent way to show a product in action, providing greater visual clarity. They create a more immersive experience that encourages engagement. Approximately one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words, and 84% of consumers are more likely to convert after watching a product video. Great for electronics, beauty products, and clothing.

The key to understanding what type of eCommerce product image you need is understanding your customer and what they want to see.

Why Is Product Photography So Important?

Images are vital for online advertising since people naturally gravitate towards pictures before reading text. This means your product images must look great and be high quality to capture interest.

Product photography is a long-term investment that can also communicate creative and innovative ideas to customers. When handled professionally, it makes potential clients see your company as credible and trustworthy. This promotes consumer confidence and encourages repeat purchases. Professional photography demonstrates the quality of your goods and conveys confidence in your brand's reputation.

eCommerce product photography also impacts social sharing. Your audience is 40% more likely to share visual content on social media. When people see a product image they like, they share it with their followers — helping promote your brand and reach new potential customers.

Professional product photos help maintain a modern, high-end appeal on your website, build a community around your brand, and share aspirational content. This increases web traffic, conversions, and sales.

A good product photo is one that is tailored to the item being sold and the company's target audience. For example, a skincare brand would use close-up shots of the product being applied to a model's face, whilst an outdoor gear company would use lifestyle shots showing the product in its natural environment.

What Is eCommerce Image Editing?

eCommerce image editing is a specialised photo editing service that focuses on improving the quality of images for online businesses — whether you have your own website or a store on Amazon.

The most common technique is background removal, used to create a clean, white backdrop for product photos. This helps the product stand out and look more professional. Other common eCommerce image editing services include colour correction, image retouching, and adding shadows or reflections.

Colour correction ensures your product photos look accurate and consistent across all platforms, including adjusting colour temperature, white balance, and exposure levels. Image retouching fixes imperfections such as scratches or blemishes. Adding shadows or reflections makes products look more three-dimensional and helps them stand out.

For example, if you sell jewellery, image editing ensures the photos of your products are high quality and consistent, allowing potential customers to see details clearly.

Another common technique is ghost mannequin photo editing, which creates the illusion that a mannequin is wearing a product. This technique is widely used for clothing, as it allows potential customers to see how a garment looks without requiring a live model.

eCommerce image editing is a vital part of online product photography since it directly impacts the quality and professional appearance of your photos. It is important to choose a reputable editing service with experience working with eCommerce businesses.

When choosing a service, consider turnaround time, price, and the quality of the finished product. At Pixel By Hand, we have over 10 years of experience and have worked with 380+ clients. We take pride in our quality work and high standards.

What Are the Advantages of Image Editing and Enhancement?

Image editing is an important part of running a successful online business. It improves the quality of product photos and makes them look more professional.

The key advantages include:

• Improved quality: Image editing makes product photos look sharper, more polished, and more professional.

• Corrected imperfections: Exposure levels, colour balance, scratches, and blemishes can all be fixed through editing.

• Added depth: Shadows and reflections make products look more three-dimensional and help them stand out from the background.

• Platform compliance: Each online platform has different photo requirements. Image editing ensures you meet these requirements and that your photos look their best everywhere.

• Brand consistency: Editing creates a uniform look across your entire product catalogue, reinforcing your brand identity.

• Higher conversions: Professional-looking images build trust and encourage customers to buy with confidence.

Images are a key element of your branding. A written description is useful, but a photo communicates far more. When you invest in properly edited photos, potential customers take your products more seriously.

Send us your images for a free sample edit — no obligation, just see what professional editing can do for your product photos.

Pixel By Hand eCommerce Image Editing Services

At Pixel By Hand, we offer eCommerce image editing services to help businesses improve the quality of their product photos. Our team of experienced editors is familiar with all aspects of photo editing, from colour correction to retouching. We know how to make your product photos look their best and meet the requirements of all major online platforms.

If you are interested in our eCommerce image editing services, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss your needs and provide a free quote.

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FAQ

How much does professional product photo editing cost? Costs vary depending on the complexity and volume of edits required. At Pixel By Hand, we offer competitive per-image pricing and a free trial so you can see the quality before committing.

What is ghost mannequin editing? Ghost mannequin (or invisible mannequin) editing removes the mannequin from clothing photos, creating a hollow effect that shows the garment's shape and fit as if worn by an invisible person. It is one of the most popular techniques for fashion eCommerce.

How long does eCommerce image editing take? Turnaround depends on the number of images and the complexity of the edits. At Pixel By Hand, most orders are completed within 24-48 hours.

Can image editing reduce my product return rate? Yes. Accurate, high-quality images that faithfully represent your products help customers know exactly what they are buying, which significantly reduces returns caused by unmet expectations.

What platforms do you edit images for? We edit images for all major eCommerce platforms including Amazon, eBay, Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, and custom websites. Each platform has specific image requirements, and we ensure your photos meet them all.