Considering Best Options For Photos and Videos in Asia for Your Amazon FBA Products

You might have gone through our definitive guide on how to start selling on Amazon FBA, internationally.  For sure, you are already rushing to set up your Amazon Seller Central account because you already got your killer product in mind.  You can’t wait to have your product listed on Amazon and start to cash in.

But will having an amazing product guarantee you sales?  

Unlike in physical stores where customers can touch and feel the products, in an e-commerce platform like Amazon, a greater customer reliance is placed on the images and the videos that you use.  That’s the closest that they can get to touching your products. The more appealing they are, the more drawn to your products, your potential customers will be.

Before you start clicking your cameras away for good product images and videos, it would be best if you first know what Amazon’s requirements are.  We also discussed this in part, in our previous blog, Amazon Listing Optimization.

To list down some of Amazon’s image requirements:

For the main product image

• The image must be the cover art or a professional photograph of the product being sold. Drawings or illustrations of the product are not allowed.
• The image must not contain gratuitous or confusing additional objects.
• The image must be in focus, professionally lit and photographed or scanned, with realistic color, and smooth edges.
• Books, Music, and Video/DVD images should be the front cover art, and fill 100% of the image frame. Jewel cases, promotional stickers, and cellophane are not allowed.
• All other products should fill 85% or more of the image frame.
• The full product must be in frame.
• Backgrounds must be pure white (RGB 255,255,255).
• The image must not contain additional text, graphics, or inset images.

For additional images or lifestyle photos:

• The image must be of, or pertain to, the product being sold.
• The image must be in focus, professionally lit and photographed or scanned, with realistic color, and smooth edges.
• Other products or objects are allowed to help demonstrate the use or scale of product.
• The product and props should fill 85% or more of the image frame.
• Cropped or close-up images are allowed.
• Backgrounds and environments are allowed.
• Text and demonstrative graphics are allowed.

Hereunder are Amazon’s video guidelines:

1. You must own the rights to your product video

2. It should be a high-quality product video:

• the aspect ratio must be 16:9, or the standard YouTube orientation
• with an ideal resolution of at least 1280×720
• recorded with the RGB color profile and a DPI of at least 72
• should show only a single brand logo for your company
• The suggested formats are either 3GP, AVI, AAC, MP4, FLV, MOV, or MPEG-2 format

3. Clip from your product video, an image that you can use as the thumbnail

4. Must not refer to any of the following:

• your company as a seller or distributor
• contact information
• competitor’s products
• your exclusivity status being the only authorized seller and that the product is sold solely by authorized resellers
• pricing of the product
• Temporary promotional product information (ex.: current sale offerings; product awards for a particular month or year, etc.)
• shipping cost or delivery information
• customer feedback, third-party testimonials and reviews
• warranties or guarantees
• logos of affiliate brands or partner organizations
• Links to any other websites

You have the option to upload up to 9 images in Amazon, although, only 7 will be displayed.  But filling all 9 image slots, while it can help boost your sales conversion rate, may also be a cause for non-conversion, especially if not well thought out.

The impact still lies in the quality of your images over the quantity.  A greater impact it will have on your sales if you can have both.

1. Hire a professional Amazon Product Photographer and Videographer/ Photography and Videography Service Provider

Yes, there is such a service.  And, it abounds. With the rise of e-commerce platforms and the penchant for online shopping, the demand for product photography and videography services also moved in parallel.  Because, in this platform, image is key.

This may be seen as a huge investment for an ordinary Amazon seller.  But, if you are one, who’s serious about converting views into sales, then this might be the road you might consider taking.

Advantages

This is granting that the service provider is an established one:

• Contributes to an efficient workflow that allows you, the business owner, to focus on other activities that will also significantly impact your bottom line.
• Familiarity to Amazon image and video requirements
• Owns a professional-quality camera with different lens accessories and probably owns a product photography studio
• May use a model
• Can include editing and optimizing the images or videos in its service package
• May have extensive training and considerable experience in product photography/videography
• Has a remarkable creative portfolio

Disadvantages

• Some may charge skyrocketing package prices
• You need to send them samples of your product which could mean additional cost on your part.

Now, you are convinced that this is a worthwhile investment so you go and outsource this service and get the professional help that you need.  The next question would be, where to find them?

As discussed earlier, the demand for Amazon product photographers is also in a rise.  This service is actually part of the service categories in freelance service marketplaces such as fiverr, Upwork, Jungle Market or in other social media platforms where ads for such services can be posted.

These online service marketplaces also makes it easier for you to filter your search down to the location of these product photography service providers.  You can then choose ones that are the nearest to your area.

There are two ways to send your sample products to the Amazon Product Photographer that you hired:
Send one from your own inventory
If you have on hand a sample of your product, then you can send this to the product photographer that you hired, via courier services. Of course, this would entail shipping or delivery costs.

Send through Amazon FBA
If you don’t have a sample on hand, you may send them through Amazon FBA by creating a fulfillment order and have it sent to the photographer you hired. Again, under this arrangement, you shoulder the shipping costs.

2. Hire a local photographer

Lucky, you would be, if you can find in your locality a professional Amazon Product Photographer.  While you can avail of service packages that an Amazon Product Photographer usually offers, you can save on shipping and other logistics costs.

But, what if there’s none in your area?  For certain, you can still find professional photographers there.  Most may not have an Amazon experience but they can shoot really good photos and videos.  The creative directing task, though will be all on you. But, if this is something that you wouldn’t mind doing, you can go ahead and hire a professional in your area.  In that way, you can give your support to local services and talents.

3.Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

This may be the direction you have to take when you are just starting and doesn’t have the means yet to pay for a professional Amazon product photographer.  Others may use a good camera that they own. Then, there are those who make good using their own smartphone with a reliable camera resolution. Just remember, to use proper lighting to enhance the appearance of your product.  

Or, you can get an affordable product photography kit that includes reflectors, lightboxes, LED lamps, and camera pods.  This will also allow you to take more photos or videos more frequently and just choose those that you will have done professionally.

The downside of going DIY though is that more of your time will be taken by image and video tasks when you should do more activities that will augment your income.  Also, you have to be very acquainted with Amazon’s requirements to ensure that your listing can be accepted. Non-compliance will result in the rejection of your listing.

You can just consider this as a temporary option when you are still building your Amazon empire.  Once it’s really established and profits start rolling in, you would then have the capacity to hire the professionals.  It will just be a matter of time.

Indeed, in the world of e-commerce, your product image and other accompanying images and videos play a crucial role in making your viewers click add-to-cart. Text descriptions are often left out but your images leave a statement that can either make or break your product.

No matter what kind of method you use to acquire good images, what counts is that they clearly tell the story behind your product.

If you know of some other options that we can add to the list, you may let us know in the comments below. We would love to know your thoughts!