E-Commerce is the biggest growth area in the retail sector.  Fully transactional websites, complete with back office functions, enable businesses to trade effectively online.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that internet-based sales are now worth more than £71 billion in the UK and recent figures from research firm, Forrester, suggest that the average online shopper in the UK will be spending £1,670 each year by 2011.

All this suggests a significant opportunity for e-tailers.  However, businesses need to ensure their shop is appealing to online browsers.  And given that customers are unable to touch and feel products, photography needs to be well shot, compelling and relevant, as this will be the primary customer experience.

Historically, brands have used thumbnail shots when marketing their products but this is often a stumbling block and consumers want to be able to zoom in and see the product in detail.  Successful sites like Ebay allow sellers to upload a number of images so that customers can click on the product and see it from different angles. You have to ask yourself why someone selling something second hand has better product photography that a professional ecommerce business?

Retail giants like John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Asos have also reaped the benefits of having compelling photography.  Each brand has a ‘rollover’ feature, whereby customers can view an item in more detail.  Marks & Spencer and Asos have also added multiple views and catwalk shows to enhance the customer experience and to show how the clothing moves on the models’ bodies.

Many products are only available for purchase online so photography has to do an even better job at selling the end product.  Shooting the item as a straightforward product shot isn’t necessarily enough to secure a sale.  Customers also want it placed in a lifestyle setting so the image becomes inspirational.  This is where hero shots have a key role to play.

Sites like Graham & Green rely on complete room settings to enable consumers to buy into the brand image.  The majority of images used on their website are lifestyle shots and are easily recognised as part of their brand image.  The White Company also has a very specific ‘look’ but uses a mix of lifestyle and straightforward product photography.  Easy to navigate, the imagery is clean but luxurious and aspirational, persuading people to buy into the overall image.

Investment in quality photography is an important starting point for any website.  We’ve got the following tips for a successful e-commerce website:

• If you’re not willing to invest in your site, it’s better not to have one in the first place.  You wouldn’t open a high street shop without marketing it properly.
• Your website will act as your shop, with your home page being your shop front.  Invest in appealing photography as this is your window dressing.
• Buy a soft tent photography box to do simple pack shot style photography. This is a good way for people to take high quality product imagery without breaking the bank.
• Create key hero shots of product ranges you’re keen to push and support these with pack shots of individual products.
• Focus on having a few well designed pages or key products rather than lots of poor quality pages and images.

Image is everything for today’s sophisticated and savvy consumer.  Photography needs to reflect a company’s values and create images that communicate desire to the target market.

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