How Photography Builds Consumer Confidence in eCommerce Shopping

Is there anything better than online shopping? Pour a glass of wine, sink into your couch cushions, and scroll on your phone. It’s as easy as that. But there always be that lurking question in the back of your mind, will I get what I think I’m paying for? Will I like this new product? How will this material feel? Will it fit? Will this picture go with the rest of my decor? Are the colors the same as the picture? For some, the trepidation with online shipping is that they can’t pick up a product and hold it in their hands to look at the quality, the color, the feel of the fabric, and smell of a candle. There is a lot of gambling with some of our online purchases. High-quality photography is the key to ensuring your customers know what they are getting.

How can eCommerce businesses help to ease the minds of consumers?

Through high-quality photography. 

Without the ability to use our five senses online, we rely heavily on visual cues like photography to decide whether or not we want to purchase a product. According to Meero, 90% of online buyers say photo quality is the most critical factor when making an online purchase decision.

Not only does good product photography help consumers make purchase decisions, but it also highlights your brand and tells a story about the products, and builds consumer trust by providing proof of quality.

Building Consumer Trust through High-Quality Photography

If you’ve ever ordered clothing online, you’ve experienced the anxiety and excitement as you open and pull your new outfit out of the shipping box. Will you pull out a pair of doll leggings you thought were supposed to fit a grown adult? Will the fabric be cheap and completely see-through? Or are you one of the lucky ones who gets precisely what you ordered?

Will you pull out a pair of doll leggings you thought were supposed to fit a grown adult?

As an eCommerce business owner, you want to provide customers with as much valuable information as possible as they scroll your product pages. Consumers process images faster than text, so product photography helps consumers get all relevant information about a product before they buy it. So, what should be included?

1. Close Up Photos That Show Off Product Details 

Using close-up product photography helps consumers see the quality and texture expected from products. Images allow consumers to see the fabric’s quality and stitching, building trust you’re not hiding anything regarding product quality.

2. Basic Photos on a white background

Basic photos against a white background let the product stand on its own, and are easier to use across multiple mediums (websites, social media, email, etc.) These photos are incredibly versatile and focus purely on the product.

3. Basic Photos with dimensions

Whether you physically write in the dimensions of the product or place it next to something else for reference, showing the dimensions of a product helps users understand the size of the product they are considering purchasing.

What’s the quickest way to avoid accidentally buying a dollhouse chair when you thought you were getting a great deal on a new rocking chair?

Find a listing that includes the dimensions or shows the product in relation to something else.

4. Lifestyle Photos

Showing products in images showcasing their intended use helps consumers imagine owning them. If you sell water bottles for runners, show it in a picture with someone resting after a run. Do you sell skateboards? Show it in a high-quality action shot from the skate park.

If you’re interested in upgrading your product photography reach out to our partner, Get Louder Productions.