Ever find yourself wondering how many product photos your listing really needs to be fully optimized and send that product flying off the virtual shelf? It’s a common question, and the answer is generally “the more the merrier!”

However, this isn’t a rare victory for quantity over quality. A recent Weebly survey found that 75% of consumers rated product photography as “very influential” to their buying process, with 22% confirming that they would return items that didn’t match the photos they saw on the listing.

So, what’s the secret to hitting the right balance? The answer is surprisingly simple – and confirmed by one of ecommerce’s biggest marketplaces, eBay.

More Product Photos Lead to More Sales, Says eBay

With over 147 million users, eBay represents the world’s largest marketplace – and a great place to research ecommerce consumer behavior. In this eBay Research Labs paper, researchers found that having more images gave sellers significant benefits:

– Product images build attention, trust, and sales
– Conversion rates double with each picture added
– Higher quality images are associated with professional sellers

Quality and quantity are equally important when it comes to product photography, helping your brand to showcase your products in your best light. For successful ecommerce owners, this isn’t an and/or equation – it’s a case of leveraging both.

High Quality Product Photos Convert More

When it comes to product photography, a tiny misalignment can wreak havoc on your sales – and they won’t blink as they skip on your product. The human eye is insanely good at picking out small details, especially when something isn’t quite right. As much as we’re told not to judge books by their covers, we all do, especially when browsing online for products.

According to a paper from Cornell University, called Understanding Image Quality and Trust in Peer-to-Peer Marketplaces, researchers found that missing details and poor photography can break your product, causing people to skip to the next listing.

The key takeaway is a simple one. High quality photos exude professionalism, which boosts trust and conversions. Not only should you have plenty of photos, but they also need to be of professional quality to convert.

Consumers Love Interactive Product Photos

Online stores have one huge disadvantage compared to their brick and mortar counterparts – people just can’t pick up and look at products! Putting more product photos in your listings isn’t the only way to give people this visual information: you can also make use of interactive photos.

Allowing people to zoom, rotate, and enlarge product photos lets consumers check out your products as they would at their local store – and with high quality photography, every little detail will stand out in crisp HD.

This technology is cutting-edge, and not everyone has the means to access it. If you can, then take a leaf out of the retail giant’s books and follow suit – take a leaf out of their multi-billion-dollar, industry-leading R&D!

Optimize Your Product Descriptions the Easy Way

The bottom line is yes: more images – and interactivity – leads to greater consumer trust, which in turn leads to more sales and profits for your store. However, this quantity shouldn’t come at the expense of quality if you want to maximize the benefits that having more product photography brings.

At Yellow Duck Works, we specialize in ecommerce product photography, following best practices for stunning images that showcase products in their best light. Contact us today to kickstart a free consultation on how we can help you optimize your product photography!

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