Do you own a shop and you want to start a webshop?
Are you an entrepreneur who has created a great product and you want to sell it online?
When launching an online shop, there a few things to set up, such as the webpage, pictures, texts, ordering and paying method, etc.
As your customers cannot see and touch the product, the pictures will be your game changer and your biggest asset. This is the reason why it is so important you find the right professional who can take care of this for you, saving you time and effort, and thus achieving the best results. Think about yourself shopping online, do you trust websites with poor quality pictures? Thousands of products are returned every day, because they didn’t meet the customer’s expectations. How many times did you end up sending back items because they were not what they looked like online? This is a big loss of time and money for the business and the customers, plus it will affect future purchases and cause negative publicity. This is not a mistake you want to make and can be easily avoided.
Professional product pictures are not a click-and-go type of work. When you count on a professional, your pictures will be taken from the best angle and will be properly color edited, so the client’s expectations will match the product they´ve purchased.
Steps to follow:
1. Keeping your brand in mind, try to think which type of pictures will match the best with your business image, who are your clients, and what will appeal to them? There are two main types of product photography product-only images (usually on white background) and in-context or lifestyle photography (showing your products being used). But both types can be taken in various ways: on a model, ghost effect (for clothes), on location, on a set-up, flat lay, on a white or colored background… Often the ideal way is the combination of both types of photography in order to create a brand identity.
Pro Tip: The benefit of choosing one background color means more consistency of your overall image. White offers the most continuity and makes different colour and style products look fantastic. In addition, is the best way to show your items with the least amount of distractions. Even selling platforms like Amazon, Bol.com or Google shopping campaigns require photos with white or light colored backgrounds.
To get a better idea, have a look online, see how other companies do it, and be inspired as to what type of photography you would like to use to showcase and sell your product(s). When you see images and styles that you like, save them, make a screenshoot, so you can create a visual mood board, with good examples of what it is you are looking for.
(Hover over the images to display extra information)
2. Make a list with all the items you want to sell online: keep in mind that showing off your bestsellers, unique items, must-haves, and new arrivals are highlighted in this.
3. Find a good professional in your area and provide a detailed explanation of your idea, the number of products you have, the number of pictures you need, and show the images you have collected as inspiration. The more detailed you are, the better the photographer can make a more accurate offer and your vision a reality.
4. Before the photoshoot make sure you check all your selected items and choose the best ones (avoid items with defects). The items you have chosen should be cleaned and prepared so they look their best, eg: iron clothing, remove dust and fingertips with a microfiber towel.
I hope this prep list will help your webshop start off on the right foot to a successful business!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need help with anything 🙂