Images are a key element in any eShop, but especially in online fashion stores. In fashion eCommerce, photos are what attract customers and spark the desire to buy. But what should these images be like? Besides being attractive, today’s challenge for fashion eCommerce is to promote more realistic images that convey sensations closer to the offline world.
I’d like to use this post to share some tips on the latest image trends for fashion eCommerce.
- Exclusive, original images for your eShop.
It’s very important that a fashion eCommerce store’s photos are shot exclusively for the online store. These images should be designed to show specific garments and their features (to inform). In this type of eShop, the focus should be on the garments and their details, not on the setting. I advise against reusing campaign images for the online store, because they pursue different goals, such as advertising, conveying a mood or sparking purchase interest… As an aside, lookbook photos can be used as long as they’re accompanied by detail or zoom images.
- Large, high-quality images
Photos in an online store should be large and, above all, very high quality so potential buyers can appreciate every detail of the products. Small or low-quality images can cost us sales because they create distrust.
- Images on neutral backgrounds and/or indoors.
Another crucial factor for fashion eCommerce is where the photos are taken. From my experience, I can assure you that photos taken indoors and on neutral backgrounds work best. As I mentioned earlier, the garments should be the stars of the images, so a neutral background and setting are key.
- Images with styling that sparks the desire to buy.
Styling is a decisive factor in photos for online fashion stores. While you show shoppers the garment they’re looking for in detail, it’s also advisable to include other images of complete looks (combining different pieces). Besides defining the brand’s style more clearly, styling helps spark purchase interest because it creates more attractive images. A single garment doesn’t have the same seductive power as looks that play with different combinations.
Styling also works very well to reinforce cross-selling strategies and to generate virality on the eShop’s social networks, such as Facebook or Pinterest.
- Images of garments on human models.
The most effective images for fashion eCommerce are those that show garments on people rather than mannequins. I can assure you shoppers prefer to see clothes on models because they get a sense of realism closer to the offline world and can see more clearly how the clothes fit the body. Using models also helps eShops avoid many future returns.
- Images that are as realistic as possible.
The images in a fashion eShop should be as realistic as possible. Today, besides appreciating attractive photos, shoppers value being able to see garments better through more realistic images that convey sensations closer to the offline world. That’s why I recommend avoiding filtered or retouched photos (like Instagram ones) so shoppers don’t get a distorted image of the garments.
- Detail shots and images from different angles.
Every fashion eShop should show photos of garments from different angles and include detail shots. These two aspects are probably the most important for giving shoppers a complete picture of the garment. That’s why I suggest including images from at least three angles: front, side and back. You should also include detail shots so customers can appreciate the fabrics, color, cut… Don’t forget to add a zoom option—a great tool that lets users select the parts of the garment they want to look at more closely.
In conclusion, all of us who work in eCommerce know that photos are a decisive factor in fashion eCommerce. In recent years they’ve become increasingly prominent, possibly due to the rise of social networks like Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. I encourage you to keep working on your eShop’s images to turn them into your brand’s best ambassadors.
