Why Casting the Right Model can Make or Break a Brand’s Image

Casting models has an enormous impact on the general acceptance of the brand, by effectively cementing its position to the consumers. A brand image is built by consistent investment into the various interactions that the potential customers have with the company and its products.

Due to variances in industry markets, the right model for your brand is that who will adequately represent your position to the potential customers. Choosing a right model will lead to increased understanding and co-operation with the customers.

Act as a Bridge between Customers and the Brand

The primary role of the model is to act as a link between the customers and the brand. Consumers rarely believe the traders’ words, and they, therefore, require human contact with the products before accepting it. The right model will accurately represent the brand through their actions and the casting methods used.

A perfectly cast model will portray the preferred clientele while increasing the interaction with the potential consumers. A wrongly-cast model will look out of place, consequently breaking the brand image and turning off potential customers.

Will Promote Brand Identity

Casting the right models will entail building the brand image by maintaining consistency. For example, in the fashion industry, brand identity is by constantly portraying the models in the company’s products.

This interaction between the models and the general public will lead to a generally accepted brand identity. Consistency in the area of application of the models will lead to the strengthening of the brand image.

The casting of wrong models will lead to inconsistencies in the brand identity, and this will break the brand image.

Will Increase Brand Recognition

Casting models entail pushing for a relationship to the general public by focusing on the human aspects. Consistency is the main factor in this aspect.

However, more often than not, there is the casting of a single model to represent the general brand image. This model first believes in the brand and is highly recognisable. By casting them, there will be an increase in the perception of the general public to the brand, therefore breaking brand image.

A wrong model is that who does not believe in the brand and using them will lead to inconsistencies in how they portray the company’s products to the potential customers and the general public.

Represent Brand Personality

Brands are built on various attributes, and these are central to the general perception of the people to the brand. Examples include a serious and conservative approach or a less serious humorous approach.

The right model will effectively portray the brand’s personality by taking up their role to balance between the various aspects that are involved. Balancing between the allocations that hold people together is the reason behind the model’s casting, and this should be personalised to the brand’s attributes.

A wrong model will wrongly represent the brand’s personality by incorporating wrong attributes in the final presentation. This will limit the perception of the people to your brand, consequently leading to the continuous breaking of the brand image.

Conclusion

Model casting should not be rushed or sniffed at, they’re the people who are at the front of your ecommerce store selling your product. If you need help finding the right model for your ecommerce photography we can help with casting.

How to upload your Product Images to WooCommerce and Shopify

The product pages have the most significant impact on sales when compared to user experience and website design. Product images present your products in the best way possible motivating potential customers to press the purchase button. Eye-catching product pages are streamlined, informative, and beautiful. Uploading clear images to WooCommerce and Shopify is an effective strategy in attracting more customers to your product.

How to upload images to WooComerce

The option to add images is available on the right-hand side when you’re adding a product in the store from WooCommerce > Products.

  1. This is the featured image for your product and can be set in different sizes across your online store. To add an image, Select product image in the Product image
  2. Upload an image or select a new one in the WordPress’s Media Library.
  3. If you would like to edit or change the image, click on Remove and Edit

Product Galleries

The Product gallery section allows you to display all images that are attached to a product. Product galleries are added the same way as a Product Image, but you have to use Product Gallery meta box.

Remove Images from the Gallery

To remove images from the gallery, hover over the images and then click “x.”

Customer view

After adding product images and galleries, potential customers can view them in your online store.

How to upload images to Shopify

Shopify theme has four types of images. You will work with these images, so it is vital to comprehend the differences between them.

Article Images – An image that represents a blog article that is uploaded through the article edit page in Shopify admin.

Collection images – An image that represents a collection that is uploaded through Shopify admin.

Product images – Images which are specific to an ecommerce store and uploaded through Shopify admin for each product.

Theme images – Stored within a theme’s assets folder and are usually specific to that theme.

Shopify allows you to add up to 250 images for a single product. It also automatically creates images of different sizes in different areas of your store theme. Here is how you can add images to Shopify.

Steps

  1. Go to the Products page, choose a product and click on it to see all the details.
  2. From the Images section, click on one of the Add image link or drag and drop images from the computer.

Adding Alt to Images

Alt describe images, and it is a vital way of describing your product. Alt text is displayed when an image cannot load. Moreover, it can be used by assistive technology to describe an image to a visually impaired customer. Furthermore, alt text boosts your site’s SEO. Make sure that the alt text is descriptive and short.

Steps

  1. Go to Products in your Shopify admin section
  2. Click on the product you want to edit
  3. Click ALT on the product image.
  4. Edit or add the text in the Image alt text

Click Done.

How to Make Creative Banners for your E-commerce Store’s Homepage using Photoshop

Having banners on your e-commerce website attracts potential clients to view the products on sale. Any increase in visitor traffic on the site is a sign of increasing profits since they are more probable to make more purchases. The banners offer an opportunity to tell consumers of items on sale, new products, and the featured products by the store.

Photoshop is a valuable tool that allows for the sharing of the designer’s creativity. The banner entails aligning the texture, clarity, logo and the background, with all these attainable through the use of Photoshop.  Various steps need to be followed for the creation of timeless banners that will attract traffic.

Importing the Image

The first step is creating a Photoshop file, and setting the necessary resolution. After opening the program, click on “File” followed by “New”. You should appropriately save the file. You should then choose the size as 960 x 400 pixels, which will allow the image to maintain its size on either large or small screens. After this, press “Ok”, and this will cause the Photoshop artboard to load.

You should then click “File” then “Place” to locate the image. This should then be followed by dragging the image to the artboard.

Adjusting the Image

The next step entails aligning the image to fulfill the Rule of Thirds composition, which will let you focus on the focal points of the presentation. Remove the white default background by inserting the Rectangular Marquee Tool, with specific concern on not altering the shadows or image’s colour.

Use virtual grid lines to ensure that the image is perfectly aligned, with ample space for the fitting of the text. The image should be at the middle of the area since this will allow you to have room for neat application of the required texts.

Inserting Text

Perfect inclusion of the text to the banner is what will attract the customers to the website. Text offers a chance to identify the benefits of the engagements specifically and will identify details such as the brand name, specifications, and the beneficial features to the consumer. It will also include price changes if any.

Creativity is very vital across the project since it will allow for the balancing of the various aspects involved. You have to choose the font that fits the banner or optionally chose the general font on the site for uniformity.

The font size for the brand name should be larger than the description, which uses a thinner font. The size should be proportional to the image, and this should allow for quick scanning. Any promotional offer should be creatively added to the image, and should be attractive enough to attract the consumer’s curiosity.

Exporting the Banner

This is the final step in the creation of the banner, and it entails checking on the quality that will be portrayed. It allows for the attention to detail, which will later shape the perception of the people to the banner and the presentation. Creativity is rechecked at this point, and if you feel that it is not up to par, you can redo the process and come up with a presentation that will attract your clients.

How To Find Your Online Identity By Understanding Your Customer

Online identity is the primary investment that will attract customers and lead them to understand the company and the products more. For success in sales, you have to understand customer preferences, shopping habits, and the best way to attract them.

Various online sellers have nailed this, and they, therefore, make more sales over the years. Since the sale of goods is online, there is limited interaction with the customers, and all the understanding has to be made beforehand to ensure product success. How the seller portrays themselves to the customers will dictate the resultant sales.

ASOS

ASOS is an online fashion retail store based in the United Kingdom, with sales across the globe, targeting mainly young adults. It is a collection of various aspects such as sales of well known streetwear brands, and the development of in-house brands.

ASOS has developed its brand to feature the young adults. It is designed to make it cool to wear ASOS brands, and this attracts the young people. The various features on the site drive inclusiveness and allow the customers to know how to portray themselves.

The company is at the forefront in fashion development, and the site features young models trying out newer wear. Around the globe, it is the young adults who are most inclined to try out newer fashion designs, and on both, the men and women wear, ASOS nails this. The company is built on a model of giving the consumers the freedom to express themselves, which is the premise of young adults.

Young adults are often on their phones and on the internet, and they interact with various fashionable items. Style match by ASOS is a feature that allows the consumers to upload an image of a design that they love, and the system will offer a solution. This feature allows young adults to stay up-to-date and has allowed the brand to continue building itself as young and cool.

NET-A-PORTER

Net-a-Porter is an online retailer that is all about the ladies. The shop stocks women wear and features varying designs and the resultant uses that they are applied in. One of the defining features of the brand is the inclusiveness that it offers the clients while allowing them to enjoy different wear.

Net-a-porter features various elements of clothing for diverse customer needs. The brand offers multiple products that have dictated its online identity, and this has gone on to allow them to understand how to attract customers.

The elements of a high-end chic include attention to detail and recreation of timeless fashion. The company has created its online identity by focusing on the people involved in the creation of the clothes. It features high-end designers that the clientele will agree with, and which will allow it to have increased sales.

MADE

MADE is an online retailer dealing with classy and timeless furniture. The brand is built on a model of understanding customer ingenuity, and offers many choices to the customers, all with the goal of easing their lives. Simplicity is at the core of the company’s products.

The retailer understood the needs of the consumers, and this allowed them to create products that would fit into their lifestyles. Consumers want high-end minimalistic furniture, that will seamlessly fit into their lifestyles.

Quality is central to customer needs, and the retailer has built its brand by focusing on this. It targets the customers who want to live simple lives and who want an interaction with their furniture that will lead to easier lives on their part.

The brand is central to the application of the various aspects of growth, and this will allow it to make sure that they attract a unique clientele. This online identity is central to its growth over the years, and how this has gone on to shape the perception of the involved people.

Coach House

Coach House is a wholesale trader dealing with high-end, high-quality furniture solutions. The brand is built on providing trade-only furniture. The primary clientele is retailers who want to offer their customers the perfect solution for their needs. Their website has a no fuss, clean and efficient approach in showing retailers what they have in stock, leaving the retailers the freedom to sell their products in their own way.

In a bid to ensure that it maintains the supply chain, the brand conducts various tests to ensure the authenticity of the customer. The brand respects the business that they have with the retailers, and do not want to infringe on the retailers’ position in the supply chain. Simplicity in dealing with retailers is what defines the brand.

Coach House has 30 themed room sets available for viewership by the retailer and customer. The brand understands that the retailers have to present the best to their customers, and this will entail sparking their creativity by showcasing the furniture in these ranges. The customers can also view all the products on sale at their discretion, with no pricing, leading on to increased trust.

Happy Socks

Happy Socks is an online retailer, dealing with socks and underwear sales. The brand is built on fun and engagingness. The target customers are easy-going people, of either gender, who want to transform their everyday accessories into fun and engaging items.

The brand changes the perception of people to socks since it allowed people to interact more with their fashion choices. Colour is central to people’s needs, and the company understood how its customers wanted to add colour to their lives in the most unexpected of places. The customers are young and hippy and want to know how to lead their lives.

The online brand’s identity is balanced on understanding how they lead their lives and how they want to interact with each other. Socks are an integral part of the culture, but the company has built it’s brand by understanding that the customers need more colour and fun in their lives, from the most unexpected of places.

How to Add (AR) to your Shopify and WooCommerce Store

Product Images are crucial for your online store. Customers love stellar images, and the difference between high quality and mediocre images can easily break or make a buyer’s decision to purchase your products. Great images are vital in capturing a shopper’s attention and how you create inspirational, informational, and engaging experience contributes to the number of sales your business can make.

Augmented Reality (AR) enhances product visualisation. AR makes it possible for you to see virtual products in the actual environment, and the integration of Augmented Reality in Ecommerce is swiftly changing how customers shop by letting them view what they want to purchase before buying any product.

It is possible to add Augmented Reality to your online store to offer value to your consumers. When potential customers click on the Augment Button on your site from their phone, they are able to view products in a 3D setting. Furthermore, if customers are on their computers, clicking the Augment Button launches a 3D model page. This can be made possible by adding Augmented Reality to Shopify and WooCommerce Store.

How to Add AR to Shopify

Augmented Reality offers you with the ability to provide your customers with an improved sense of specifications, size, and scale of your products. Shopify AR let customers view interactive and realistic versions in AR. The 3D warehouse application allows Augmented Reality experience by letting you upload 3D models and link them to the products you sell.

Steps

Install 3D Warehouse app

  1. Go to the sign-up
  2. Enter your Shopify store domain
  3. Click Install
  4. Check the details and then Install app.
  5. Get 3D models
  6. Click the Hire a Shopify expert button on the account menu.
  7. Expand the New functionality section
  8. Go to Create 3D models of your products augmented reality.
  9. Answer all the questions. If you want to add product dimensions and photos at this stage, follow the guidelines.
  10. Click Send job

Add the 3D model to 3D Warehouse app

  1. Click Apps in the Shopify admin
  2. Go to 3D Warehouse and Click Add 3D Model.
  3. Put down the title of your 3D model in the Title
  4. Go to the Linked Product section, choose your product that the 3D model is related to and click Select product.
  5. Go to Upload File and Choose the .usdz file offered by your Shopify Expert.
  6. Click Save

Repeat this process for the .glb or .gltf file that the expert provided. Ensure the file is linked to your product so that you can have the file types associated with your product. These files are used by different features and platforms. To ensure that your store is compatible with 3D features and future AR, upload both types of file.

Edit the Theme

The next step is editing your theme codes to enable Augmented Reality Quick Look. This enables customers to view your products. Here are the steps.
1. Go to Online Store, in the Shopify admin.
2. Go to Actions, which is found next to the current theme and then click Online Store
3. Click (/) theme liquid in the Layout folder and go to the <head> tag.
4. Paste this code at the next line.

<script
src="https://cdn.shopifycloud.com/ar-quicklook-js/assets/v1/shopify3d.js"
crossorigin="anonymous"
></script>

5. Click Save
6. Go to (/) product-template.liquid at the Sections part.
7. On the top of your file, paste this code

<script>
(function(s3d) {
if (!s3d) {
console.warn('"window.Shopify3d" does not exist. Please ensure you\'ve added the <script> to your theme');
return;
}
{% for variant in product.variants %}
s3d.mapMetafieldAssets('{{ variant.id }}', '{{ variant.metafields.shopify3d['assets'] }}');
{% endfor %}
})(window.Shopify3d);
</script>

8. Click Save

Add the Augmented Reality badge

Click Online Store in the Shopify admin

  1. Go to Actions then to Edit code
  2. Go to (/) product-template.liquid at the Sections folder.
  3. Look for the temperate sections that are related to your product photo. Keywords like featured_image and ProductPhoto might be of great help.
  4. Look for the first tag<img… > in the product photo section.
  5. Paste his code on the line above the tag
<div class="ar-quicklook-overlay" data-shopify-3d-variant-id="{{ product.selected_or_first_available_variant.id }}" style="display: none;"></div>
  1. Click Save
  2. Go to the Assets folder and open that file with the theme’s CSS. The file is most likely to have a tile like {/}theme.scss.liquid.
  3. Paste this code at the bottom of your file
.ar-quicklook-overlay {  
position: absolute;  
width: 100%;  
height: 100%;  
top: 0; 
 z-index: 2;  
}
  1. Click Save.

Edit the Theme

The next step is editing your theme codes to enable Augmented Reality Quick Look. This enables customers to view your products. Here are the steps.
1. Go to Online Store, in the Shopify admin.
2. Go to Actions, which is found next to the current theme and then click Online Store
3. Click (/) theme liquid in the Layout folder and go to the <head> tag.
4. Paste this code at the next line.

<script
src="https://cdn.shopifycloud.com/ar-quicklook-js/assets/v1/shopify3d.js"
crossorigin="anonymous"
></script>

5. Click Save
6. Go to (/) product-template.liquid at the Sections part.
7. On the top of your file, paste this code

<script>
(function(s3d) {
if (!s3d) {
console.warn('"window.Shopify3d" does not exist. Please ensure you\'ve added the <script> to your theme');
return;
}
{% for variant in product.variants %}
s3d.mapMetafieldAssets('{{ variant.id }}', '{{ variant.metafields.shopify3d['assets'] }}');
{% endfor %}
})(window.Shopify3d);
</script>

8. Click Save

Add the Augmented Reality badge

  1. Click Online Store in the Shopify admin
  2. Go to Actions then to Edit code
  3. Go to (/) product-template.liquid at the Sections folder.
  4. Look for the temperate sections that are related to your product photo. Keywords like featured_image and ProductPhoto might be of great help.
  5. Look for the first tag<img… > in the product photo section.
  6. Paste his code on the line above the tag

<div class=”ar-quicklook-overlay” data-shopify-3d-variant-id=”{{ product.selected_or_first_available_variant.id }}” style=”display: none;”></div>

  1. Click Save
  2. Go to the Assets folder and open that file with the theme’s CSS. The file is most likely to have a tile like {/}theme.scss.liquid.
  3. Paste this code at the bottom of your file

.ar-quicklook-overlay {  position: absolute;  width: 100%;  height: 100%;  top: 0;  z-index: 2;  }

  1. Click Save.

Add AR to WooCommerce

WooCommerce makes getting started very easy with a simple installation and setup wizard to get your online store running.

Installation

WooCommerce plugin is installed just like the other plugins. Go to the Plugins options and search for this plugin. Install and activate it.

Setup

After installing WooCommerce, the Setup Wizard takes you through configuring basic steps to run it in the WordPress. Your e-commerce options are infinite, and the Setup Wizard helps you choose the most important ones.

AR for WooCommerce Users

The WooCommerce Augmented Reality Quick Look allows people to show their products in AR. To use the plugin, you will need a Safari browser that runs on iOS 12 device.

Buy the WooCommerce Augmented Reality Quick Look plugin. This plugin allows the users to use 3D photos and models to your WooCommerce shopping cart to offer an interactive augmented reality experience for all of your customers which help increase your sales.

This plugin offers a simple file upload which is located where the products are edited and takes care of the entire configuration.

Mobile Ecommerce

Customers with tablets, phablets, and photos are a growing demographic, and AR in WooCommerce ensures that your customers have a fantastic experience no matter which handset they are shopping from.

Add the Augmented Reality badge

  1. Click Online Store in the Shopify admin
  2. Go to Actions then to Edit code
  3. Go to (/) product-template.liquid at the Sections folder.
  4. Look for the temperate sections that are related to your product photo. Keywords like featured_image and ProductPhoto might be of great help.
  5. Look for the first tag<img… > in the product photo section.
  6. Paste his code on the line above the tag

<div class=”ar-quicklook-overlay” data-shopify-3d-variant-id=”{{ product.selected_or_first_available_variant.id }}” style=”display: none;”></div>

  1. Click Save
  2. Go to the Assets folder and open that file with the theme’s CSS. The file is most likely to have a tile like {/}theme.scss.liquid.
  3. Paste this code at the bottom of your file

.ar-quicklook-overlay {  position: absolute;  width: 100%;  height: 100%;  top: 0;  z-index: 2;  }

  1. Click Save.

How Good Product Photography Increases Revenue

Product photography entails the featuring and perfect representation of a specific commodity to the consumers. Impeccable images optimise the view of the product, and this ultimately leads to higher sales conversions.

Product photography involves capturing and subsequent editing of the images. Striking a balance between these two aspects will lead to quality photographs that will ultimately have an impact on the customer. The consumers’ preference for better images will lead to increased revenue for the seller.

Better Click Rate

Perfectly taken images increase the traffic on a site. Attracting many visitors to a website is the most critical aspect in e-commerce since it will increase the probability of the making of sales.

In online shopping, the premise of making purchases is the understanding of how the products will impact their lives. Good product photography will incorporate aspects of use, and this will translate to increased traffic as the consumers focus on the products on offer.

The more images on a site, the higher the perception of the people to the products on sale. Top quality images increase the curiosity in the consumers, and after they interact with the products on sale, they will most probably buy the goods on sale.

Building Customer Trust

E-Commerce entails presenting an actual product to a customer through virtual channels. In most cases, the potential customers do not have a connection to the product or even to the sellers. Unlike in location-based transactions, the customers have limited interaction with the parties and goods involved. They effectively do not understand the practicability of the products on sale.

Good product photography, however, builds a bridge between the various elements of the transactions involved. The images will represent the products in use and will allow the users to either zoom in and view the products better, thereby eliminating the touch and feel barrier as in traditional selling.

Good product photography represents the sellers as traders who care for the use of their products by the final consumers. The increase in customer trust in the sellers will lead to increased sales and consequently increased revenue.

Enhance Brand Identity

Good product photography comprises of building strong customer perceptions of the products on sale. The consistency between the images on the e-commerce site serves to develop the brand identity of the sellers.

Professionally capturing, editing and presenting the photos will lead to the increased representation of the brand, and is an indication of the seller’s belief in their brand. By simply viewing the images, customers can conclude all this and will make decisions based on the representation therein.  A strong brand identity will lead to increased revenue.

Provide Wholesome Product Information

One of the common barriers in e-commerce is the touch and feel barrier that limits customer confidence on the product on sale. Potential customers will not believe the perceived uses by the seller but will want to actually receive a testimonial. The product in use photos can achieve this.

Reducing the questions that the customer is asking themselves as they consider your product will increase the chances that they buy it. Providing comprehensive information on the product will increase sales.  Carefully choosing the images to include to represent practicability will solve most customer questions.

Reduces Return Rates

Colour mismatching is a common reason for return for online products. The slight changes in colour schemes may affect sales in colour based industry such as clothes. Since it is the image that drove them to purchase the product, consumers who get wrongly captured colours will demand returns from the sellers while leaving negative reviews on the site.

Good product photography dictates that there is an accurate representation of the products and their colours. Perfect colour representation will reduce the customer’s return rates, increase customer rating, and boost the seller’s revenue.

Act as a Social Trigger for Purchases

The seller has to choose the best image for use on the website. The parameters involved include high photographic quality and accurate representation of the product in use. The photos can make or break the sales of the product, and should, therefore, be carefully chosen.

Professionally taken photos will capture the interest of the viewers, more so when they are represented to solve a problem for the customer effectively. The images will pull the viewers to the product, and they will then make purchases.

Increase Customer Return Rate

Any business is built on attracting and developing the existing customer base. For any e-commerce website, effectively pulling back the consumers who made purchases on the site is the primary reason for their existence.  Returning customers serve as brand ambassadors by highly rating the products and inviting those around them to the e-commerce sites.

Good product photography will accurately represent the products on sale. When the customers feel that there was an accurate representation of the products, they will have increased confidence in the site. They will, therefore, visit the website more often, and this will lead them to make more purchases in the future. The increase in returning customers will increase site revenue.

Increases Photo Usability

The premise of product photography is allowing more potential customers to interact with the images. Professionally taken photographs rank high in search engines, and this will lead to increased interaction with the consumers.

Bloggers often feature quality photographs, and this will increase the online presence of the brand. When the photos are widely shared on social media, they reach more potential customers. When there is an increase in the online presence of the photos and the brand, there will be increased sales and consequently revenue for the sellers.

Conclusion

Professionally captured and edited product images offer an opportunity to represent your products to the potential customers perfectly. This article has described the key benefits of good product photography while showing its relation to increased sales.

As the first point of interaction with your customers, you should effectively invest in perfect product photography to appeal to them and subsequently increase the revenue.

How to Create a GIF from your Product Images in 5 Steps

GIFs are awesome and can be used in many ways. For instance, they are used at Buffer in customer services tweets, Slack channel, and emails. GIFs are included in team news and marketing emails. Besides, GIFs can be used anywhere a message is being sent. GIFS generates great results, especially in Twitter engagement. Check out the following steps that can allow you to easily create GIFs from your product images.

Create a file folder

Create a new folder and select images you would like to include in your GIF and transfer them to the folder. For instance, if you want to create a GIF for your dress, you can choose six images and combine them to develop a 360-degree rotation. This kind of GIF is the best because a prospective customer can view your products in all dimensions.

Make use of Photoshop

Go to File then to Scripts and then Load Files into Stack. After completing the steps stated, a pop-up window appears. It allows you to select the folder that you created in the first step. Click Browse and choose the images you added in the new folder and tap OK. Photoshop creates a new file with your images layered vertically from the first one.

Ensure that you arrange the layers in numerical order according to the names you assigned them after you retouch them. If the images are not arranged in order, drag and rearrange them so that your products can rotate in a clockwise motion. Moreover, ensure images are aligned so that the GIF animations switch from frame to frame.

Use the Animation Palette to create frames

Go to Window then to Animation and open Animation Palette. The Animation Windows appears on the screen at the bottom. Click the menu at the top right and choose Make Frames From Layers. It is advisable that you click the lower icon on the right to be sure you are in the frame view rather than the timeline view.

Set the duration of the frames

Go to Select All Frames in the top menu. At the bottom of one frame click the drop-down arrow to preset time duration and speed for the frame. You can change each frame separately meaning that if you want one frame to appear longer, set it for a longer period.

On the first frame in the animation frame palette at the bottom left, you can set the number of times you’d like your GIF play or ‘loop’ when it’s being viewed. It is recommended that you choose continual animation so that viewers can admire your item for as long as they want.

Save your GIF

After setting your frames with the duration and order you want them to have, save the animation. To save a GIF file, go to File and then Save for Web & Devices screen. Ensure all the settings in this screen are set to your liking and then tap Save to choose the GIF that you created in the first step. Now your GIF is ready for sharing.

Everything you Need to Know About WooCommerce and Shopify’s Product Image Requirements

WooCommerce and Shopify are two of the most popular Ecommerce platforms on the market. These platforms have multiple benefits and can be the perfect solution for those looking forward to building an online Ecommerce store. Shopify and WooCommerce require specific image requirements so that they can showcase your products in the best way possible. Images are essential as they affect the way a product appears to potential customers and makes it stress-free to organise your products.

Shopify

The images can be of any size up to 20 megapixels, or 4472 x 4472px. Moreover, these images should have a file that is less than 20 MB. High-resolution images appear professional and elegant to potential customers. If you have square images, go for 2048 x 2048 px. The first image is usually featured and is shown on the collection pages, your home page, the checkout page, and the cart page. Reducing your images from 300 dpi to 70 dpi will keep you images in high resolution and will speed up website load times dramatically, thus reducing the file to around 600 KB.

Adding images

Shopify allows for a maximum of 250 images for a single product. After uploading an image, Shopify creates different sizes of products in different areas of your store theme. Large versions are used in the detail page where people want to see a product in detail. Compact images are used in collection templates, where a large image isn’t necessary.

Image formats

Shopify can support the following formats

If someone uploads an image that isn’t supported by Shopify, it converts it to either PNG or JPEG. Most of them are converted to JPEG.

Colour Profiles

You will notice that the colours on your online store might look different from the original ones that you upload to Shopify. This occurs when images have a colour profile that is a set of data stored in .ICM or .ICC extension. Colour profiles are embedded into an image so that they can help standardise the way colours appear on different handsets.

WooCommerce

In WooCommerce, images are measured and the set in pixels. WooCommerce incorporates three different types of images for different purposes and locations.

Product thumbnails – Smallest images that are used in Widgets, Carts and Gallery thumbnails. It is found under the Single Product Image Category.

Single Product Image – This is the largest image and refers to the featured or main image on your product details section.

Catalog Images – Medium-sized images that appear at product loops including Cross-sells, Up-sells, Related products, Product Category pages, and Shop page.

WooCommerce recommends images that have a minimum size of 800 x 800px, width and height respectively. The size is perfect for the thumbnail image, catalogue image, and featured image.

Conclusion

Getting your head around product image requirements is one of many complicated things you learn and get used to when opening an online store. Just make sure you focus on getting your product up and ready for selling and you will have an ecommerce site running in no time.

10 Easy Ways to Make your Ecommerce Business More Environmentally Friendly

Ecommerce is very important to consumers especially those who prefer shopping online.  Nowadays, most consumers are likely to purchase products online than going to the actual stores. However, along with these benefits are the downsides ecommerce businesses have on the environment. Establishing an eco-friendly reputation as an ecommerce business is vital with the adverse climate changes and consumers becoming environmentally conscious.

It is therefore essential to reduce the waste your ecommerce business produces, improve the recycling process to minimise wastage, and reuse materials whenever possible. Such efforts can even decrease your business’s expenditures as fewer resources go to waste.

Minimalist packaging

There have been instances where small products are packed in large boxes. Probably the seller did this because he or she run out of proper boxes and resorted to using the large ones. However, this is a total waste of space and material. If the customer is not eco-savvy, then the materials will go to waste.

If you cannot pack your products in functional packages, then it is greener and simpler to do it in a minimalistic way. This makes them stand out from the competition, and your ecommerce business appeals to the eco-conscious customers.

Multifunctional and zero waste packaging

Nowadays, manufacturers are looking for effective methods to decrease the number of packaging thrown away by consumers. Sellers have adopted a new way by introducing a package that can be reused after it’s content usage.

One great example of multifunctional packaging is Puma bag, which is designed by Yves Behar. It only needs a few production resources, but it can be re-used. This bag saves about 60% of energy and water compared to the old manufacturing line.

Implement Green Initiatives

Being an environmentally friendly ecommerce business seems to be challenging for most sellers but implementing green initiatives slowly can go a long way. If your ecommerce business has a physical store, you can start by implementing environmental programs that seek to reduce energy consumption, minimise pollution, and cut down waste. By implementing greet initiatives, your ecommerce business contributes towards a healthy environment.

Digital Office

Technology advancement is helping reduce the amount of paper used, and consequently, helping business in their mission to become eco-friendly. For instance, if your ecommerce business is using cloud computing services like Dropbox, you can decrease the amount of paper used by storing forms and documents digitally. Furthermore, information can be backed up and saved remotely which then can be accessed by staff wherever there are. By reducing physical paperwork, business costs are reduced, and productivity improves.

Choosing your suppliers

Ecommerce businesses do not work in isolation. Businesses that create products have to involve other companies for finished goods materials, including stationery, shipping, and packaging. For any ecommerce business that is committed to becoming eco-friendly, proper research on the suppliers is needed. For example, go through their records and know how they operate. Look if they have incorporated important eco-friendly measures such as swapping problematic materials with sustainable alternatives or reducing their carbon footprint.

Some suppliers are committed to getting rid of plastic from their product line. Instead, they use mailer bags and cardboard boxes. Moreover, most consumers prefer eco-friendly, practical options and offering them with what they need makes your business stand out in the market.

Delivery Methods & Greener Shipping

The same way that greener packaging is very essential to an ecommerce business that is committed to being eco-friendly, transporting a product to the consumer in an environmentally friendly way is also crucial.  When it comes to delivery methods, there are several options you can give your prospective customers. First, it is crucial that you educate them how delivery and shipping affects the environment and the benefits of choosing greener delivery methods themselves.

Amazon has delivery pick-up lockers for customers who can travel to collect their product when they’re already in the location, eliminating the need to use delivery vans to make trips around the region.

Make your Premises More Efficient

Sensor-activated lighting, smart temperature controls, and better insulations are some vital ways of making a greener HQ. If you have efficient ways of using your existing space, you can avoid re-fits and relocations and keep your premises compact.

One of the efficient methods of making your premises environmentally friendly is making the whole packaging process stackable and easy-to-assemble.

Recycling policies

Ecommerce businesses can integrate simple steps they can take to reduce their wastage levels. One of the simplest ways is introducing recycling bins in offices for paper waste, glass, toners, cartridges, drinks cans, and plastic. An important tip is removing individual bins from employees’ desks and using a single waste and recycling points. Staff members will be forced to stop the habit of throwing things away without taking into consideration how they can dispose of their waste.

Sustainable Packaging

Green packaging refers to using manufacturing processes and sustainable materials which have a minimum impact on the environment. If you want your ecommerce business to be more environmentally friendly, here are some types of sustainable packaging to make it possible.

Air Pillows – air-filled bags that function as cushions that protect objects which are in boxes. These pillows can be manually re-inflated for reuse.

Mycelium – This is a compostable packaging material that is produced from the mushroom.

Bubble Wrap – Wraps are manufactured from recycled polyethylene and they are fully degradable

Foam Peanuts – They are made from corn-starch and are biodegradable.

Paper and Cardboard – These are biodegradable and reusable materials that have minimal impact on the environment.

Scale the Impact

If you are becoming greener, scale your business impact on the environment into something larger and ensure that you make your sustainable solutions public. Make sure that everyone knows that you are committed to making a difference and let other businesses and your competitors reap the benefits of your idea. This makes you as a pioneer, and you will attract loyal customers. Ecommerce businesses that are focused on making an environmental and social impact should find ways of scaling up beyond the product.

5 Ways to Back Up your Images In Case the Worst Happens.

People often complain of losing memorable photos. This can be as a result of deleting the images themselves or even losing their devices. Therefore, backing up of photos is important as it provides you with the best solutions of keeping your images safe. Some ways are more expensive and more efficient meaning that you have to strike a balance between cost and effectiveness to have a professional way of storing your images. Below are the five main ways that users can back up their photos for safety.

Back up using cloud

Most people are not good at backing up pictures, and therefore it is good to sync them using cloud, which requires no expertise. Services such as Mac desktop clients can be useful for syncing since they are cheap and provide mass storage of photos such as Google Drive and Dropbox. These platforms offer automatic backup for mobile users.

Use of hard drives

Hard drives can come in handy as an alternative way of backing up your images instead of using the cloud services. Several studies show that in recent years, using hard drives has been one of the most efficient ways of backing up images. Hard drives are used for mass storage of images on a long term basis making them super effective. There is more space availability by using hard drives although the transfer speed can be slow. Hard drives are also small and portable.

Using Internet-connected hard drives

These drives are known as NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives. These drives represent the physical drives that are usually connected over the Internet. One of the pros that come with these drives is that you can access your photos and files over the Internet anywhere in the world. Moreover, NAS can operate wirelessly or wired depending on your computer and the drive, and once it is configured, it can display as another drive on your device.

Storage of photos over many libraries.

With the rapid changes in technology, there has been an increase with applications that are used to backup photos. Mac App Store, for example, allows users to gain access to multiple libraries that offer incredible backup options for your images.

Printing of images

Printing of images can be done as a last resort. It may seem like a waste of resources such as time and money. However, should the worst happen, prints can always be scanned back to the computers. This will ensure that your images are always safe which is a merit of prints in the digital world today.

Verdic

It is through these five significant ways that most people can use to back up their images for future reference. These methods of backing up your photos are simple and easy to understand hence no expertise is needed. Be sure that you make a backup of your photos every few months in case your device gets lost.

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