Boost Online Sales

Photography is key in all online listings

Whether you’ve been sourcing for a month, a year or many years, you know it takes market research to know what you should to sell, the condition in which the merchandise needs to be and your optimal purchase price for the lot in order to be profitable. When listing your merchandise for sale, it’s important to continue the market research to ensure quick and profitable sales occur – with buyers coming back for more.

Successful selling requires the basics to be in place, but the additional details are what sets the big-league sellers apart from the rest of the competition. Below, we’ll show you how to boost your online sales – with tips – you could implement right away!

PHOTOGRAPHY: Probably the most important aspect to any listing is the photography, after all the saying is “a photo is worth a thousand words,” so make it count, especially when reselling like-new or used merchandise. Take the time to prep the items to make them look their best for their close-up. From a simple clean or iron to more extensive prep like repairs – these are needed to resell for the maximum profits.

LIGHTING: Make sure you are using enough light in your photos to capture the product. An easy way to diffuse light for perfect photos is using a light tent, but these can be pretty expensive depending on the size. Rather than purchase one, make one out of common household items.

CAPTURE THE DETAILS: When sourcing, if given the opportunity to see the merchandise in person – how would you inspect it? Would you look at the brand tag to ensure its authentic, would you check for blemishes on electronics, would you power it on to ensure it works, would you check for dents?

Since you would, don’t you think your customers would as well?

So, when photographing merchandise, show the tags, fabric, blemishes, rips…anything to give them a clear understanding of what you’re selling. Not only will you set and manage their expectations, but you’ll earn trust from buyers, which will undoubtedly lead to repeat buyers – the bread and butter of building a successful business.

If it’s a piece of clothing, take a photo of the designer label as they get to check authenticity. Take photos of the care instructions and materials used (some may be allergic to silk or wool!)

For dents, blemishes or other cosmetic damage – show it. Highlight the extent of the damage so your buyer is aware of what to expect. For dents and scratches, photograph next to a ruler to show the extent.

Using a light tent, or solid backdrop, highlight your items cleanly. Mannequins, when found for a reasonable price, can help with showing how garments may look on the end-user.

Mannequins aren’t just for clothing, they can also be used to highlight jewelry.