Many businesses will use eBay and just like other eCommerce platforms, your product images play a vital role in attracting customers and converting them into sales. As a product photographer, we have worked with many clients who have struggled to sell their products on eBay and realised the images just aren’t doing the job they need.

The type of product your selling will lend itself to some different techniques and designs, whether jewellery photography or fashion photography. However, there are some basic image requirements that you must adhere to in order to post on eBay and we’ve summarised them below.

The requirements

• Each listing must have at least one photo and whilst this seems pretty obvious, remember that its best to have a selection of images to really show off your product.
• Stock photos must only be used for new products and not used items.
• Photos shouldn’t have any borders or text and just simply show the product as clearly as possible.
• There shouldn’t be any watermarks on your product photos so as to improve the quality and draw customers in.
• Each photo must meet the minimum size requirements, with the longest side being a minimum of 500px.

If you work with a product photographer, none of these requirements will be an issue but if you’re attempting them yourself, then make sure you follow these minimum requirements so that you don’t fall foul of eBay or impact your brand reputation.

The recommendations

You don’t simply want to just meet the minimum requirements because then you’re not maximising the potential of your products. If we take jewellery photography, for example, we want to show off the quality, the close-up detail and utilise fantastic lighting. Here are some useful steps to follow to boost your products:

• The main photo must be the best, as it is the one people will use to decide whether to click on your listing and see more information. It will also be the one that appears in Google searches.
• Plain white backgrounds or solid backgrounds will remove any distractions from your product and add a level of professionalism to your shots.
• Lighting makes or breaks your images. Whether you use a product photographer or do it yourself, take the time to set up lighting correctly and invest in the right equipment.
• Take advantage of eBay allowing up to 12 images by taking shots from different angles, focusing on specific detail, packaging or branding.
• Be careful with props or lifestyle shots. Remember, if you take attention away from the image, it distracts the customer from making that purchase. Only use other items if they add value to your proposition.

Summary

The minimum requirements for eBay are very simple to get right and should not cause anyone problems, but don’t simply stop there. Research the recommended requirements set out by eBay and advice from separate product photography experts, as they are the ones who will turn standard images into amazing images capable of converting traffic into sales. After all, that’s why we are doing this in the first place!