When you run a business, especially a small one, every expense must be justified. Product photos may seem like an unnecessary expense compared to site design, inventory, and marketing, for instance. The truth is that their presence can significantly affect sales — and so can their absence. We make the case for product photography in this article.

Seeing is Believing

The air we breathe, the bacteria on our fingers, and the planets outside our solar system are all invisible to the naked eye. Still, we can trust that they exist because of widely and easily available knowledge. Your inventory will be similarly beyond your would-be customers’ sight. You know that it is exactly as real as air, bacteria, and extrasolar planets. They do not.

Online shoppers do not want to be surprised when they open their packages. Studies from Weebly show that as many as 3 in every 4 consider the presence of product photos a decisive factor in purchasing anything online. They are especially important for items whose appearance are important to their appeal, such as clothing. This alone should be enough justification.

Building Customer Trust

Customer distrust is a major issue affecting every e-shopping business owner. The internet is rife with horror stories of scammers posing as legitimate stores, tempting people with appealing products and stealing sensitive information. You can understand why people might be wary.

Product photos may not always be enough to win everyone over. Online hucksters with slippery ethics have deceived customers in the past with images that proved different from their wares. With that said, they can go a long way towards persuading people that what they see is what they will get. At the very least, they would be more convincing than text alone.

The Proof is in The Profits

These arguments seem sound in their logic, but do they work in practice as well as in theory? According to a study from eBay Research Labs, it does. This report claims that products with one photo see double the conversions of those with none. Just as strikingly, products with two see another doubling. Conversion rates stay about the same for additional images, but they notably do not drop.

In short, adding product photos can significantly boost sales. This conclusion comes with a few catches, though. Customers want to see all the details, so the images should be high-quality. Naturally, they should depict the product itself — nothing stock or generic. If you can pull that off, then any monetary sacrifices spent on this effort may quickly pay for themselves.

Order Professional Product Photos Today

Product photos can increase sales for online businesses, especially when they are taken by professionals. 360 Product Video can snap images with exceptional resolution and exemplary artistry. We literally and figuratively capture all sides of your products, which helps to win customer trust and boost your orders. Learn more about what we can do for you by visiting our contact page or by calling us at 949-842-0658.