Speed
- No product image over ~300 KB; thumbnails under ~40 KB. Batch-process with Compress image.
- Serve WebP where your platform allows it — see optimizing images for websites.
- Check your top 10 product pages on a phone over mobile data.
Consistency
- Same background, margin and shadow on every main image — the product photo studio does a whole batch in one go.
- Same aspect ratio across a category (usually 1:1).
- No sale badges or text on marketplace main images; put the discount in the title, price and banners instead.
Banners and social
- Prepare 16:9 banners and 4:5 / 9:16 social versions in advance — “Download variants” creates them from each product photo.
- Keep text away from the edges where platforms place buttons.
- Check sizes in the social media size cheat sheet.
Details that sell
- At least 1000 px on the longer side so shoppers can zoom.
- Descriptive file names and alt text for your own shop (see image SEO).
- One in-use or size-reference photo for gift buyers who are unsure.
Frequently asked questions
When should I prepare images?
Ideally three to four weeks before Black Friday, so new images are indexed and tested before the traffic peak.