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Post by deltas*delights on Dec 7, 2020 3:39:41 GMT
What do you all think about stock photos, especially for used items? I have used them some but have starting using them as an additional pic, not my main one. But it seems like EVERYONE uses them. Do they make you more inclined to buy or less? I feel like they have an edge up on me (and how they find all those pics I'll never know) but it feels odd to me to put up a new pic for a used item.
As a shopper, I would rather see the actual item first.
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Post by Pantlandia on Dec 7, 2020 5:13:42 GMT
I think using actual photos is the only way to be competitive with the big timers. I am more likely to pay a little more for something that shows the actual item than a stock photo. Also, I don't think it's eBay legal to use a stock photo for a used item, although given that most of the big sellers in my categories don't use a photo at all, I doubt eBay would do anything about it.EDITED: Of course, I didn't read that this was in the Poshmark forum, so uh yeah
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Post by chapeaunoir on Dec 7, 2020 7:20:25 GMT
A fair few Poshers are lazy IMHO. I understand using stock photos from time to time, but never as an exclusive photo for a used item - generally I'll do a split collage of the two. IMHO, as long as you have photos of your own item, that's the important part.
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Post by sunsetpainter on Dec 7, 2020 16:01:32 GMT
I hate stock photos as the main pic and don't usually click on that listing. For clothing, they're always shown on a size 2 model even when you're looking for larger or plus sizes. If you want to use them to show the style, that's fine. Just don't make it the main photo.
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Post by denise15601 on Dec 7, 2020 23:07:35 GMT
I keep reading on the Posh forums that Posh frowns on them. So many sellers use them, but I am not going to take a chance. Besides, by the time I would find the correct stock photo, I could have just as easily have taken my own pics.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Dec 8, 2020 0:00:45 GMT
Not many stock photos for my odd, weird stuff anyway lol. I HAVE used stock photos when I just can't get the colour right.
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Post by zoesam on Dec 8, 2020 1:22:01 GMT
I think the younger demographic of PM also ensures more stock photos. When I am looking for stock photos, almost all my search is filled up with PM photos before even the actual mfr. I use them on occasion, almost always a split composite photo, but most often I do not. That said, I do think they sell better with stock photos, esp amongst certain brands.
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Post by deltas*delights on Dec 8, 2020 2:33:58 GMT
I think the younger demographic of PM also ensures more stock photos. When I am looking for stock photos, almost all my search is filled up with PM photos before even the actual mfr. I use them on occasion, almost always a split composite photo, but most often I do not. That said, I do think they sell better with stock photos, esp amongst certain brands. See this is what I think, but so far on this thread it's the opposite. The split photo is a great idea though!
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Post by deltas*delights on Dec 8, 2020 2:51:30 GMT
Sorry I didn't mean to post so short, a class was ringing in.
I agree with all of your points, that's why I am so conflicted. My photos as much as I try, can't live up to the stock ones, and I feel like they have an edge on me. But when shopping I prefer real pics.
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Post by denise15601 on Dec 8, 2020 3:01:55 GMT
I think that your pics are great!
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Post by zoesam on Dec 8, 2020 18:38:38 GMT
I think the younger demographic of PM also ensures more stock photos. When I am looking for stock photos, almost all my search is filled up with PM photos before even the actual mfr. I use them on occasion, almost always a split composite photo, but most often I do not. That said, I do think they sell better with stock photos, esp amongst certain brands. See this is what I think, but so far on this thread it's the opposite. The split photo is a great idea though! Well remember, this is a VERY small sampling. I'm not sure it would save much time though. You'd still have to hunt down the pics, futz with their sizing, cropping, etc & I would still have photos of the actual items. But, I've def seen on PM where lots of people just have the stock photos only.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Dec 8, 2020 20:07:56 GMT
For new stuff it probably doesn't matter. I've had people ask me for photos of 'the actual item' - when my photos ARE of the actual item - I just knock out the background. I ran across a listing when I was shopping there where the seller was asked the same question - she said the same thing.
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Post by somany on Dec 9, 2020 1:51:40 GMT
I was using stock photos almost exclusively on my new stuff until I got my photo cube thing. I still look but don’t hunt for a stock photo anymore. With pre-owned items, if I find a stock photo, I don’t use it as the gallery photo.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Dec 9, 2020 6:40:38 GMT
somany - how do you like the cube? I'd love to have something I could just zip up and just have as a box sitting quietly in the living room corner. Right now I have big photo lights and soft boxes on tall stands, mannequins sitting around and white board here and there - it's messy.
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Post by somany on Dec 9, 2020 7:51:11 GMT
Booth might be a better word than cube. It’s something like 6’ x 4’ x 3’. They had one not as deep and I think it might have been better for my purpose. I usually have to mess with my pictures a bit —either increasing the exposure or removing the background because it turns out gray, but I still really like it. But if I had to put it together each time, I might not like it as well.
It is portable but wouldn’t be easy because the “skin” is difficult to work with (I don’t remember specifics but I do remember my daughter was here helping me and we struggled with getting it on the poles). Again, the shallower one might make it easier. And there might be a way to leave the poles in the skin but just unhook the corners and fold it or roll it somehow.
I did move mine, while it was put together, from my eBay room to my living room not too long ago and it stayed together.
ETA, I just saw one on Amazon that looked like it had the lights at the rear. Mine has them at the front edges. Not sure how it would work with them at the back 🤔
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Post by kat on Dec 9, 2020 9:10:03 GMT
Mine comes out gray-ish with my new phone, but my old phone takes white background pictures. Black Friday had a special on the Photo Room app for $29/year. I have never used a better quality and fast background knockout tool. I was using the free version, downloading the lower resolution and cropping off the logo. I just take pictures in the app in my photo booth and it’s less of a chore. I have nothing to list is the only problem right now.
Chap, I really like putting everything inside of it, but mine doesn’t zip closed. I can put my dress form, manni and little table in there. I also love not knocking over lights and bending the umbrellas. I bought mine for about $160 and now they are about $300. I wouldn’t pay $300. You could build a pvc frame and buy led strips and make your own - in case you were wondering what to do with all your free time now that you’re retired.
As far as using stock photos, I used to clutch my pearls when I saw them, but now I use them sometimes. I won’t use them for Chico’s or Sundance Catalog on any platform and now I hear Soft Surroundings is cracking down on PM if the item is currently offered. Most brands from Target, Macy’s and Nordstrom do not get flagged because when they sell overstock to jobbers, they release photos to them to provide in the manifests and a perk of buying a pallet is they allow you to use the pictures to sell the contents. It’s not foolproof because they can still demand a VERO takedown and you’d need to provide proof you purchased with photo permissions to get it cleared.
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Post by denise15601 on Dec 9, 2020 14:03:43 GMT
Speaking of Vero's, Facebook Marketplace is crazy. I had a Nautica t-shirt flagged yesterday. So many brands are prohibited. But it's all bots.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Dec 10, 2020 0:00:03 GMT
You could build a pvc frame and buy led strips and make your own - in case you were wondering what to do with all your free time now that you’re retired.
The 'free time' doesn't exactly exist (unless you were joking lol). I'm still working and have a big writing project going which eats up the time to the point where I'd have to decide whether getting the PVC, skins, etc., would be worth the time. I can imagine, though, the booth being finicky to set up - I recall setting up my soft boxes with a similar construction and the material kept getting away from me!
As I visualise it, having the lights on the back would eliminate back shadow, but may tend to silhouette the item. Having them in the front would light the item better but create back-shadows, which are tough to deal with. Hmmm... $300 isn't a huge deal to clean up that living room long-term, but I'd have to test it before I'd put down that kind of money.
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