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DIY vs. Professional Services: Choosing the Right Path for Image Editing

By David    December 26, 2023
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Choosing the Right Path for Ecommerce Product Image Editing
eCommerce Products

Here is the catch – there is no escape from image editing! This is especially true when you run an ecommerce business where your products cannot speak for themselves and depend on the images to speak on their behalf. Etsy reports that 90% of shoppers believe in the quality of photos being either “extremely important” or “very important” in their buying decisions. Thus, ecommerce photography and image editing are no longer luxuries but basic necessities which make or break the customer’s purchasing decision.

ecommerce images best practices

Ecommerce Images Best Practices - To Bring The Best Out of Your Merchandise

A pleasing merch display depends on the right image selection, image retouching, background removal, colour correction, and adding branding elements among many other steps. Doing this is an art as well as a science and therefore, it could take anywhere between a few minutes to even an hour for editing a single image.  Each product will have more than one image and assuming hundreds of products, it definitely requires a major investment of various resources for a brand to do it. That is where the dilemma between doing it in-house or hiring ecommerce photography services comes into play.

 Either decision has its set of advantages and disadvantages and you need to carefully consider your situation before going ahead. For all you know, a mix model where you outsource certain tasks and keep some in-house may be the best option too. Even there, what should be the mix for the ecommerce product image editing is a decision that you need to make.

Understanding Options for Ecommerce Photography & Image Editing

DIY stands for do-it-yourself and as the term makes it clear, either you have an in-house photographer and photo editor or you ‘do it yourself’! If you choose in-house photo editing, that means you and/or your team will also be in charge of tasks like image retouching, masking, clipping, etc. That is investment in time, energy and human resources. You can replace it with investment in money alone when you choose the outsourcing option. You pay a third party which can be a contractor or a company doing ecommerce catalogue management services, to do all your image editing for you.

The Pros & Cons of In-house Ecommerce Product Image Editing

There are possibly two big reasons why you would choose to do all the photo-editing in house  to have complete control over the look and feel of the photos and to save money.If you have very specialised branding needs and are very clear in the vision of your visuals, you may be better off doing ecommerce photography and image editing in house. The complete control allows for customization based on personal preferences or the specific requirements of a project. As a DIY editor, you can also experiment with various styles and techniques, tailoring the edits to suit their unique creative vision. And with hundreds of free tutorials available online, learning the fundamentals of image editing is not a huge challenge.  This learning process not only enhances your skill set but also fosters a sense of accomplishment as you witness the improvement in your editing proficiency over time.

 Another benefit of not going with ecommerce photography services is the cost savings that you achieve. Many free or affordable image editing software options are available, making it accessible to individuals or businesses with limited budgets. So, if financial efficiency is your priority number 1, DIY is the way to go for you.

 But if you wish for unparalleled precision, expertise and savings in time, then DIY becomes a pain in the neck (and any other body parts!) Quality image editing takes a lot of time, and more importantly, experience and expertise. Even if you have the time to spare, you will have to look for the other two traits in good ecommerce catalogue management services.  Or, you have to hire a full-time in-house expert and that could be costlier than outsourcing, defeating an important advantage of the DIY approach.

 

That is why DIY image editing is often a suitable choice for small-scale projects or occasional editing needs. It eliminates the need to wait for ecommerce photography and image editing services and enables quick turnaround for immediate projects or social media posts.

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The Pros & Cons of Outsourcing Ecommerce Photography & Image Editing

Many companies have reported about a 200-300% increase in conversion rates when they switch to professionally edited and retouched photographs to represent their merchandise. The expert-level edits are sure to make you stand out in a highly competitive scenario. The other huge benefit is the faster turnaround times for large volumes of images. With everything taken care of, you can focus your entire time and energies on what you do best!

Today, professional image editing services offer not only ecommerce images best practices but also deep-dive discussions where you can communicate your vision.  Trained professionals possess a deep understanding of your nuanced needs as well as advanced editing techniques, ensuring that each image receives meticulous attention to detail. This level of precision is particularly crucial for industries where image quality directly influences customer perceptions and purchasing decisions.Also, for projects involving a large volume of images, as in ecommerce catalogue management services or marketing campaigns, professionals can efficiently handle the workload.

 Consistency of images is also a given since ecommerce photography and image editing services adhere to industry standards and ensure a unified visual identity across an entire collection of images. They have unparalleled access to specialised tools and software that may not be readily available or accessible to those without specific training.

 The only minus of outsourcing ecommerce product image editing is the cost. However, it feels expensive only in the beginning and in the short term. The increased ROI and brand equity par back handsomely over the long run.

Mubytech - Offering you highest value for money

For businesses and individuals aiming for top-tier visual content that makes a lasting impact, the advantages of professional editing services like Mubytech are too many to ignore. If you wish to elevate your ecommerce images to the highest standards of quality and professionalism, don’t hesitate to fix an appointment with Mubytech for a free consultation. We will definitely make you an offer that you cannot refuse!

By MubyTech
Global Image Editing Partner

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