Amazon Miscellaneous Tips
Images Rarely Get Flagged
In 2015, we saw a flood of customers coming to us because their listings were being flagged by Amazon for photos that did not meet the requirements. Since then, we have rarely seen or heard of a customer being flagged. This leads us to believe that policing goes in waves. We’re not saying you should ignore the policies but know that they are not always enforced.
We say this because technically Glossy White, a background we offer with a glossy white reflection, breaks Amazon’s image rules but many customers request it regardless. We haven’t heard of these images being flagged yet.
Tip: Follow the rules and break them at your own risk.
Image Naming Not Required But Encouraged
In some of its official documentation Amazon recommends a special naming structure:
- Main listing images: Sku#.MAIN.filetype, for example “12345678.Main.jpeg”
- Secondary Images: Sku#.PT01-PT08.filetype, for example “12345678.PT01.jpeg”
- Swatches: Sku#.SWCH.filetype, for example “12345678.SWCH.jpeg”
This is not a requirement, nobody is checking this and your image won’t be flagged in the system if you just name it whatever your company prefers to name it.
Tip: Name your file whatever you want. Following special naming conventions seems like a lot of extra work for no reason.
It Takes 15 Min Or More To Update Your Photos On Seller Central
Uploading images to your listing is often the final step in setting up a listing. This is an exciting moment, however be aware that it takes 15 minutes or more for the images to manifest themselves on the listing. If you're not aware of this delay it's easy to think that something is wrong.
Tip: Upload the photos and grab a cup of coffee and come back. It takes time for the photos to upload.
300 DPI Is An Incorrect Term
In some of Amazon's style guides, they refer to a 300 DPI image as a requirement but this is an incorrect term and should be ignored. The pixel is a unit of measurement for computer screens & devices. A common misunderstanding is that DPI (dots per inch) relates to image size online. DPI only relates to physically printed images and is used to convert a pixel length to physical inches.
So if your computer image is 3000px by 3000px on my computer screen, that is its size. There is no DPI relation to a computer only image. If you wanted to convert that to physical inches and print it on an inkjet printer, then you would divide 3000px/300dpi to get a 10 inch by 10 inch physical print. Also, different printers print at different DPI resolutions, so 300dpi reference isn't even accurate for all printers.
This subject can get very confusing if you start to talk about different screens, resolutions and placeholders. Try to just focus on this; with images on the web, you only need to look at the pixel dimensions, the height and width in pixels.
Tip: Ignore the 300 DPI reference, it doesn't mean anything unless you're printing the photo.
The Main Listing Image Is Super Important
The main listing image is by far the most important image in a listing. Next to price it is the most important element in converting sales and driving traffic to your listing. Bad photos will make your brand look untrustworthy and poor quality. Experts generally agree that a professional product photo vs an DIY iPhone photo for the main listing image will see a 20% increase in sales, but we have heard of much higher returns from our customers.
So if you're going to invest in anything, the main listing image is it. You can skimp on the secondary images and get away with it. There are lots of professional options and it will be worth the investment.
Tip: If nothing else, make your main listing image look amazing!
