6 Advantages of High-End Photo Retouching Service (and Grow Your Online Sales!)

Altering product images for virtual shops may seem inconsequential, but it provides countless benefits that can be easily observed both visually and in your sales reports. A superior quality product photograph could result in a notable increase in conversion rates and a significant return on investment boost.

A study conducted in 2007 showed that shoppers are three times more likely to convert to websites featuring high-quality images they can zoom in on, as opposed to lower-quality ones. In addition, another study discovered that superior-quality images assist in building trust among online customers.

Also, according to a study of eBay listings, conversion rates significantly increase with the number of images per product. In fact, going from zero images to one image doubled conversion rates, and adding another image doubled them again.

But what if you’ve already taken great product photography? Do you still need to retouch them? Absolutely! Not only does retouching make photos look even better, but it also helps to correct any imperfections that may turn potential customers away.

In this guide, we’ll explore five reasons you should consider a high-end photo retouching service for your eCommerce website. We’ll also list how a product photo retouching service like Pixel by Hand can help you achieve better online sales.

But first, let’s put a clear definition between photo retouching and editing.

In this Guide:

• What is Retouching, and How Is It Different from Editing?
  • What are the Advantages of Retouching Photos?
• How to Retouch eCommerce Photography

What is Retouching, and How Is It Different from Editing?

While these two image manipulation techniques seem the same, they vary in scope, scale, and overall look.

Image editing is changing the size, color, orientation, or other elements of an image. This usually does not require advanced skills or software and can be done quickly. On the other hand, retouching is a much more detailed and time-consuming process that focuses on improving the appearance of an image. This usually means dealing with imperfections, such as blemishes, wrinkles, stray hairs, etc.

The basics of photo retouching cover a lot of ground, from small features like removing blemishes to completely altering the image by adding or removing objects. However, for more complicated retouching jobs that focus on changing the model’s appearance or environment, the process can take several hours. This is not the same as photo editing, wherein the process could take a couple of minutes depending on the requirements and desired effects.

What are the Advantages of Retouching Photos?

• Keep your customers engaged so they don’t leave immediately.
  Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. The average bounce rate is between 26% and 40%. If you want to keep potential customers on your site longer, it’s important to give them something visually appealing to look at.
• Boost your CTR
  CTR or Click-through-rate is the percentage of people who click on a link or ad you’ve placed on another website. A higher CTR means that more people are interested in your product, which leads to more sales. With great product photos displayed on social media or other marketing platforms, you can expect potential customers to be more interested in what you’re selling. Thus, resulting in a higher CTR.
• Creating consistency can improve credibility.
  When you’re consistent with the product photos you use on your website, social media, or other marketing materials, potential customers are more likely to believe that your product is credible. On the other hand, if the images are all over the place, they can reflect poorly on your business and turn people away.
• Reduce Return Rates
  One of the main reasons behind increasing return rates is inaccurate color representation. If the colors in your product photos are inaccurate, customers may be disappointed when they receive their purchase. This is why it’s important to make sure that the colors in your product photos are as close to reality as possible.
• Drive your Conversion Rate
  As we’ve mentioned, great images can result in a higher CTR. But once potential customers are on your website, you must ensure they buy what you’re selling. This is where the conversion rate comes in.Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who take the desired action on your website. This could be signing up for a newsletter, filling out a form, or purchasing a product. And one of the best ways to increase your conversion rate is by using high-quality product photos. In fact, according to studies, 67% of consumers say that the quality of a product image is “very important” in their decision-making process.
• Boost social media engagement
  Nowadays, social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. And a big part of social media marketing is using great visuals. In fact, tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than tweets without images. And posts with images on Facebook have 2.3 times more engagement than posts without images.

How to Retouch eCommerce Photography

Now that we’ve covered the reasons why you need to invest in product photo retouching, let’s take a look at how the techniques used by experts like us at Pixel By Hand.

Background Removal

The first step in photo retouching is removing the background. This is usually done by using the pen tool to create a path around the subject. Once the path is complete, the background can be deleted, and a new one can be added.

This is essential, especially for eCommerce photography, because you want the focus to be on the product, not the background. Fashion and jewelry photos, in particular, benefit from this type of retouching because it makes the subject stand out.

Also, certain platforms like Amazon and Shopify strictly require product images to have a white background. So, if you’re planning on selling your products on these platforms, it’s important to make sure the background of your product photos is white.

Sharpen the object and its edges

Image sharpening is the technique wherein the object in the photo is made to look clearer, and its edges are made more defined. This is usually done by using the unsharp mask filter in Photoshop.

This step is important because it makes the product look more appealing and increases the chances of conversion. Products like cosmetics and skincare, in particular, benefit from this type of retouching because it makes the details more visible.

Model retouching

For products like clothing apparel which are generally modeled, it’s important to retouch the models as well. This usually involves removing blemishes, smoothing out skin, and whitening teeth, which makes the model look more presentable and reflects well on the product. Moreover, it helps create a certain level of uniformity across all the photos in your product catalog.

Model retouching can also involve changing the model’s pose or adding digital props. This is often done to create a certain feel or aesthetic for the product. For example, if you’re selling beachwear, the models in your photos might be posing in a tropical setting with palm trees and sand in the background.

Color correction and color grading

Color correction and color grading is the process of adjusting the colors in a photo to make them look more accurate or to create a certain effect. This is essential, especially for retailers who offer a physical product, because the colors in the photo should be as close to reality as possible.

Color grading, on the other hand, is more about creating a certain mood or feel in the photo. This is often used in fashion and jewelry photography because it helps create a certain atmosphere that can make the product more appealing.

Resize and save in different formats

Once the photo is retouched, the next step is to resize it and save it in different formats. Social media and eCommerce platforms vary in terms of the size and format of the images they accept, so it’s important to have a copy of the photo in each format.

This is especially important for eCommerce businesses because product photos are displayed in different sizes on different pages. For example, the photo might be displayed in a thumbnail size on the product page and in a larger size on the product detail page.

You also want to have different versions of the same photo so you can use them for different purposes. For instance, you might want to use a close-up photo of the product on the product page and a full-length photo of the model wearing the product on the homepage.

Pixel by Hand Product Photo Retouching Services

Whether you need a single product image retouched or a hundred, Pixel by Hand photo editing company is the name to trust. We have highly skilled and experienced editors who have worked with numerous eCommerce brands. We know exactly how to make your product photos look their best.

At our photo retouching studio, we provide many services to improve your pictures, such as removing the background of an image, sharpening blurry photos, improving colors that look washed out, and much more. We’ve mastered our craft and will make sure your photos look flawless.

If you’re not happy with the results, we’ll work with you until you are. That’s our guarantee. Get in touch with us today to get started on your FREE trial! Chat with us below.