When you’re selling products online through an eCommerce platform, having images of each product is a must. Images, in addition to detailed descriptions of each item, will provide your prospective buyers with the information they need to make a purchase decision. After all, when was the last time you purchased something online that didn’t have a product photo and description?
Unfortunately, many businesses fail to include the quality product photos that today’s consumers expect. Without professional product photography, you could end up with blurry, distorted, and pixelated images of your products. By having a better understanding of what high-resolution photography entails and why it’s important for your brand, you can follow the most effective product photography techniques to yield impressive results.
What is High-Resolution Photography?
The term “high-res” or “high-resolution” gets thrown around quite a bit, but what does it actually mean? Specifically, a high-resolution image refers to one that contains at least 300 pixels per inch of space. Meanwhile, a low-resolution image typically has around 72 pixels per inch.
What’s the real difference? The more pixels an image has per inch, the more crisp and clear the image will appear not only on the screen, but when it’s printed as well. More pixels per inch also allow for clearer images even when zooming in or cropping. This matters especially in product photography because most eCommerce platforms have built-in tools that allow buyers to zoom in on products, often by simply hovering the mouse over the image.
Not sure if the images you’re using are high-resolution? You can check by opening them in an image-editing program (it doesn’t need to be a fancy one) and then viewing the file information or file properties. Under “resolution,” you should be able to check the “dots per inch” (DPI). If it’s 300 or higher, you’re good.
Benefits of High-Resolution Product Photos
If you’re not currently using high-resolution product photos, there are many reasons to consider re-taking pictures of your product and uploading them in high-res.
Build Trust in Your Buyers
Today’s online buyers are more discerning than ever; they know they have multiple options for buying what they need online, and they generally have no problems shopping around until they find exactly what they want. When product listings lack quality images, they may feel a distrust towards the seller.
Imagine how you would feel if you tried to zoom in on an image of a product you were thinking about buying—only to see a pixelated, jumbled mess. You might begin to wonder if the seller is trying to hide something or misrepresent something with that poor-quality photo, and your consumers will wonder the same of you.
With quality images, your prospective buyers will be able to view your product from multiple angles and zoom in/out to get all the details they need, thus building trust and credibility in your brand and helping your buyers feel more confident in their purchases.
Cut Down on Product Returns/Exchanges
When consumers have a better understanding of exactly what they’re buying, they’re also more likely to be satisfied with their products when they arrive. This results in levels of overall customer satisfaction and a better experience with your brand. You may also find that you have fewer requests for exchanges and returns after implementing high-resolution images on your site, as your buyers will have all the information they need to make an informed purchase.
Allow for Easy Sharing of Products
In many ways, high-resolution images can promote more sharing of your products online. This is especially true if you have an eCommerce platform or plug-in that allows consumers to directly share their purchases to their social media accounts, such as Twitter and Facebook. In this sense, your quality product images could end up doubling as promotional materials.
How to Get High-Resolution Product Photos
If you don’t have a high-resolution camera or aren’t comfortable using one, your best bet will be to hire a professional who specializes in product photography in New Jersey. At Ballantine, we’re proud to offer product photography as one of our many services. Check out what we recently did for Douglas Electrical to improve their online presence through the use of high-resolution product photos. We implemented a number of creative product photography ideas that really took Douglas Electrical’s website and social presence to the next level.
Summary
High-resolution product photos (those with a DPI of 300 or higher) are ideal for your eCommerce site and for any print applications you may be considering. These quality product photos can benefit your brand in a number of ways:
- Build trust and credibility with your consumers.
- Reduce rates of product returns and exchanges.
- Encourage online sharing of product images.
If you’re ready to upgrade your product photography, Ballantine is here to help. We offer a wide range of creative marketing services, including high-resolution photos and photo editing. Contact us today to find out more!
I'm the Director of Digital Services and Partner at Ballantine, a family-owned and operated direct mail & digital marketing company based in New Jersey. and started in 1966 by my great uncle!
