The visual element of the online shopping experience undoubtedly makes an immense difference to customers’ ultimate buying decisions. This is especially so given that the customer is unable to physically touch and examine an item prior to purchase.
It is precisely this that may have led you to include product images on your ecommerce site that showcase your items from various angles, as well as in close-up to draw attention to more specific features.
It is, though, possible – and potentially fruitful – to go even further with the ‘non-standard’ images that you supply for your online product pages. Here are a few examples of what we mean.
Context of use
A context-of-use image is one that shows how the product is to be used. Of course, there’s the obvious purpose of the product that may seem self-evident, but also alternative uses you could highlight in your product images to inspire the imaginations of prospective buyers.
You may find out about potential alternative uses of the product through your own experience, or even as a result of your customers simply telling you.
Size and proportion
Even when specific figures are given for a product’s size, it can be very easy for shoppers to become confused. That’s why you might decide to make it even easier for the customer to decide whether to purchase, by making the item’s size and dimensions even clearer through the images you use.
Including other elements in the photo for straightforward comparative purposes is one step that you might take. If the product in question is very small, for example, you might show it alongside a coin or in someone’s hand. A medium-sized product, meanwhile, could be shown with a person or animal, while a particularly large item may be best depicted next to a vehicle or building.
Consider, too, the items that could be shown inside the product – money and credit cards, for example, in the case of a purse or wallet.
User-generated images
When you look to purchase a given product online and land on a product page, there’s a good chance that one of the first things you do is look for the elements of content that actual customers have provided in relation to the product. Those include not only customer reviews, but also any images that customers may have contributed.
So, why not tap into customer images to help your store to drive sales? After all, such images constitute ‘social proof’ – demonstrating that others have bought and used the product – and provide a realistic view of the product, thereby helping to keep returns down.
Asking your customers to submit their own images of the given product – while perhaps offering enticements like reward points or store credit – could therefore prove more than worthwhile to your efforts to present your ecommerce site’s offerings in more dynamic and engaging ways.
Would you like to talk through your requirements for your next ecommerce website design with professionals who have ‘been there and done it’ and possess the most up-to-date specialist knowledge and skills? If so, it couldn’t be more straightforward to get in touch with the Piranha Designs team.
