As an online retailer, one of your biggest challenges may be product returns. It's frustrating to lose out on sales because customers are disappointed by the products they receive. In fact, recent research has shown that a significant portion of returns, 22%, occur because the product looks different in person. This can be caused by poorly edited product images that don't accurately represent the product's appearance or quality.
To address this issue, this article offers helpful tips and tricks for improving your product image editing. You'll learn the importance of high-quality product images and how they can help reduce returns by accurately reflecting your products. You'll also learn how to create on-brand images and some common mistakes to avoid in order to ensure consistency across your online store.
What is ecommerce product image editing?
Ecommerce product image editing refers to the process of making changes to the images of products that are being sold online. These changes may include improving the overall quality of the images, adjusting the brightness and contrast, cropping or resizing the images, and removing any unwanted elements from the background.
For example, let's say you are selling a t-shirt on an online store. To make your product look more attractive to potential buyers, you might want to make some changes to the image of the t-shirt. You could adjust the brightness and contrast to make the colors more vibrant, crop the image to focus on the t-shirt itself, and remove any distracting elements from the background.
Another example could be a seller of jewelry. In this case, they may want to edit the product images to ensure the jewelry pieces look as close to the real product as possible. They may adjust the lighting to capture the reflective surfaces of the jewelry or crop the images to focus on the details of the piece.
List of ecommerce product image editing services that your online store might need
There are various image editing services you can use to improve the quality of your product images. Below are just a few examples:
Background removal services
This involves removing the background from product images to create a clean, white background that makes the product stand out.
Color correction services
Color correction involves adjusting the colors of an image to ensure that they are accurate and consistent across all product images. Image cropping and resizing: This involves cropping and resizing product images to ensure that they are the correct size for your website or ecommerce platform.
Image retouching services
Image retouching involves removing blemishes and imperfections from product images to create a more polished and professional look.
Image enhancement services
Image enhancement involves improving the quality of product images by adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation levels to make them more vibrant and eye-catching.
Clipping path services
This is a process where a professional editor uses a photo editing software to create a path around the product or object in the image. This path can be used to remove the background, change the color of the background, or add a different background to the image.
Image masking services
This involves separating an image's background from the product using a mask tool, creating a clean background or replacing it with another image or background.
Image manipulation services
This is a process where a professional editor manipulates an image to create a specific visual effect or to correct any issues. Examples include adding or removing objects from an image, changing colors, adding text or borders, and more.
Why is product image editing important for ecommerce?
When selling products online, getting the attention of a prospect in less than 3 seconds is crucial. Here are the top reasons why a product image editing service is a must for your online store:
- Attractiveness: Editing product images to improve their visual appeal and quality can help attract potential customers and increase the likelihood of a purchase.
- Consistency: Ensuring that product images have uniform backgrounds, lighting, and color correction can give your website a professional and consistent look, which can enhance your brand identity.
- Clarity: Editing product images to make them clear, detailed, and properly oriented can help customers better understand the product and reduce the risk of returns or complaints.
- Branding: Customizing product images with watermarks, logos, or taglines can help promote your brand and protect against theft of your images.
- Compatibility: Designing product images to optimize them for different devices, such as desktops, mobiles, or tablets, can ensure that they display properly and look good across all platforms.
- SEO: Creating product images with relevant file names, alt tags, and captions can improve search engine optimization (SEO) and drive more traffic to your website.
- A/B testing: Testing different product images with different editing styles can help determine which types of images perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly.
What are the best practices for ecommerce product image editing?
If you’re new to ecommerce product image editing, here are the best practices that industry experts swear by to improve the quality of product images and enhance the customer experience on the website:
- Consistency: Make sure your product images have a uniform look and feel, including the same background, lighting, and angle.
- High Quality: Use clear, sharp, and focused images of high resolution that look good on all devices, including mobile.
- White Background: Use a white background for your product images to avoid distractions and keep the focus on the product.
- Accurate Colors: Ensure that the colors in your product images are accurate and true to life by using color correction tools and calibrating your monitor.
- Multiple Angles: Include different images of each product from various angles to give customers a better understanding of the product.
- Zoom Functionality: Allow customers to zoom in on product images to see the details of the product.
- Consistent Sizing: Keep all your product images the same size to make your website look organized and professional.
- Brand Consistency: Maintain consistent branding across all product images, including font, colors, and style.
- Focus on the Product: Avoid using distracting backgrounds or props in your product images to keep the focus on the product.
- Retouching: Use product photo retouching techniques to remove any distractions or blemishes from the product image.
- Image Compression: Optimize your product images by compressing them without sacrificing quality to help your website load faster and improve user experience.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when editing product images for ecommerce?
The image you present to the world can make or break your online business. A poor product image can have dire consequences, causing you to lose customers and prospects. As a beginner, it's crucial to be mindful of the following common mistakes that can harm your product image:
Over-editing
While some editing is necessary to improve the images, over-editing can make the product look fake and unappealing. Common examples of over-editing include overly bright or saturated colors, oversharpening, and excessive noise reduction.
Inaccurate colors
It is essential to ensure that the colors in the image match the product's actual colors. Failing to do so can result in customer dissatisfaction and returns. Color accuracy can be improved by using color calibration tools and shooting the product images in a controlled environment.
Poor lighting
Good lighting is essential to make the product look appealing and showcase its details. Poor lighting can result in dull images that fail to highlight the product's unique features. Proper lighting can be achieved by using natural light or studio lighting setups.
Inconsistent backgrounds
Using inconsistent backgrounds can make the product images look unprofessional and detract from the product itself. Using consistent backgrounds can help create a clean and organized look, which can improve the overall brand image.
Low resolution
Using low-resolution images can make the product look pixelated and unprofessional. It is essential to use high-resolution images that allow the customers to see the product's details clearly.
Misleading angles
Using misleading angles that make the product look better than it is can lead to customer dissatisfaction when they receive the actual product. It is essential to use accurate and realistic angles to ensure that the customers have a clear understanding of the product's appearance.
Neglecting context
Failing to include context images that depict the product in use or in scale can make it difficult for customers to understand what they are purchasing. Context images can help customers visualize the product's size, scale, and application, leading to more informed purchasing decisions.
Forgetting to optimize images for the web
Large, high-resolution images can slow down the website, leading to a poor user experience. It is essential to optimize the images for the web to ensure that the website loads quickly and smoothly.
Ignoring consistency across images
Maintaining consistency across all the product images in terms of lighting, angles, and editing can help create a unified brand image. This consistency can improve the customer's perception of the brand and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases.
Failing to proofread
Neglecting to proofread and ensure the accuracy of text or any graphical elements in the images can create a negative impression of the brand. It is essential to double-check the images to ensure that they are error-free and accurately represent the product.
Should I outsource ecommerce product image editing or hire in-house staff?
The decision to outsource ecommerce product image editing or hire in-house staff depends on various factors. Here are some things you should consider before making a decision:
Cost
Outsourcing ecommerce product image editing can be a more cost-effective solution than hiring in-house staff. When you outsource, you only pay for the specific services you require, which can be more affordable than the costs associated with hiring and training a new employee, such as salaries, benefits, and equipment costs.
Quality
The quality of your ecommerce product images is crucial to your business's success. Outsourcing to a reliable partner with a good reputation in the industry can ensure that you receive high-quality image editing services that meet your expectations. However, when you hire in-house staff, you have greater control over the quality of the images, and they can better understand your brand's unique needs and style.
Turnaround time
Outsourcing ecommerce product image editing can offer faster turnaround times, allowing you to get your images edited quickly and efficiently. Many outsourcing companies have experienced teams and advanced technology that can complete tasks in a shorter time frame. However, hiring in-house staff can provide more control over scheduling and turnaround times, allowing for more flexibility in terms of urgent or rush projects.
Expertise
Outsourcing ecommerce product image editing to a professional service can provide access to specialized skills and experience that you may not find in an in-house team. A professional outsourcing partner may have a team of experts who are well-versed in the latest product image editing techniques and technologies, which can enhance the quality and creativity of your images. However, if you have a specific style or look you're going for, an in-house team may better understand your unique needs and be more consistent in delivering results.
Flexibility
Outsourcing ecommerce product image editing can provide greater flexibility in terms of volume and project sizes. When you outsource, you can easily scale up or down your image editing needs, based on your business requirements. However, hiring in-house staff can mean having to manage fluctuating workloads or hiring additional staff during busy periods, which can increase costs and create administrative overhead.
The decision to outsource ecommerce product image editing or hire in-house staff depends on your business's specific needs, budget, and goals. If you prioritize cost savings, fast turnaround times, and access to specialized skills, outsourcing may be the better option. However, if you want greater control over quality, consistent branding, and prefer to work with an in-house team, hiring staff may be the better choice.
Optimize Your Ecommerce Imagery by Outsourcing Customer Care to the Philippines
Elevate your product imagery by leveraging outsourced customer care from ManilaPros to inform your image editing needs. Our customer care expertise provides essential insights into customer preferences and trends, vital for ensuring your product photos are perfectly tailored to your audience.
At ManilaPros, we offer a full-service, five-star customer care for retailers who want to better understand what customers want to see in product imagery. This knowledge is crucial for guiding the photo editing process, ensuring your images are not only of high quality but also appeal directly to your customer base, enhancing engagement and sales.
We'll provide you with vetted, trained, and certified customer support agents who can effectively communicate with your customers using your brand's voice and values.
Book a call with us today to learn more.
