Why have ecommerce product images? Well, have you ever bought a physical product without checking up on it first? First prize is being able to go into the store and examine the product and test its build quality, size and aesthetic feel. However, nowadays customers do not always have the time to do “window shopping”, which is why it is becoming increasingly important for stores to have their products online in a mobile responsive and easily accessible format for their customers to “window shop”.

An image provides us with an instant association. If you know the product you are looking for, the moment you see an image of what you are looking for then you know you are in the right place. You aren’t going to only read the product description to make sure you have the right product.

Although it is important to have a good description of your product, today that just doesn’t cut it. You’ve heard of the term “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Why is this? We are visual by nature. Our brains transmit graphical information much faster than words.

Okay so now that we have established why it is important to use images on your ecommerce store, let’s talk about the importance of using correct ecommerce product images on your store.

As mentioned above, an image is a visual cue, a bookmark if you will. If the image in your store differs from the product you are selling then you are essentially misleading your customer. If you are trying to advertise your product online using Google Shopping adverts with incorrect information, it could lead to your adverts being disapproved or, if no action is taken to correct the information, the suspension of your account. (About item and account disapprovals for product data violations)

In addition, you are misrepresenting your product and this can be seen as a form of deceptive advertising, also known as false advertising. This refers to a manufacturer’s use of confusing, misleading or blatantly untrue statements when promoting a product. Advertising law will protect consumers from deceptive advertising through the enforcement of specific legislation.

Getting you on-page content correct is great, but images can boost your page’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Each image should include file names and alt-text that improve your page’s organic search ranking by giving search engines more information to pull from.

Finally, having the correct ecommerce product images on your store ultimately offers your customer a better user experience, which makes them more likely to make a purchase.

If you are interested in further ways to improve your customers experience on your site, read our Ecommerce Design post series where we talk about basic principles for effective ecommerce website design and checklist for effective ecommerce product page design.