What is E-Commerce Photography and How Much Does it Cost?
If you have never heard of e-commerce, you may have been living under a rock for the past five years! Online shopping has become increasingly popular, and consumers are therefore increasingly turning to the internet to make their purchases. As a result, the need for high-quality e-commerce photography has also increased, making it a crucial aspect of any successful online business.
So, what is e-commerce photography and how much does it typically cost? Let’s give you the rundown.
What Is E-Commerce Photography?
E-commerce photography is the art of creating visual content that stands out for online product listings. It involves photographing products from various angles and presenting them in a way that appeals to potential customers. The primary goal of e-commerce photography is to provide consumers with an accurate representation of the product(s) being photographed, so that the consumer can make an informed purchasing decision. If a business does not have accurate, clean, and clear product images online, then consumers are likely to feel deceived when actually receiving the product in their hands for the first time. This is bad for business and simply does both the brand and consumer no good.
How Much Does E-Commerce Photography Cost?
While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, it is really important to understand that high-quality e-commerce photos come with a higher price tag. Unfortunately, because there are few regulations in the photography industry, you will find that the general public de-values photography as a whole (obviously, this is a general statement and does not apply to everyone). Thus, many e-commerce photographers who are in the beginning stages of business are not confident enough to charge prices that are sustainable enough to make a living, and this can negatively affect the expectations of what costs should be from brands that need e-commerce photography. Therefore, the first thing to understand is that even though e-commerce photography can widely vary in cost, we highly encourage you to seek out a product photographer who prices in a way where you feel that you will be receiving high quality images.
With all of that being said, the cost of e-commerce photography depends on various factors:
Number of Products: The more products you need to photographed, generally the higher the cost.
Style and Complexity: The desired style of photography, such as simple white background shots, lifestyle images, or styled images, will influence the cost.
Photographer's Experience: Experienced photographers with a strong portfolio likely charge more for their expertise versus a photographer who is just beginning.
Commercial Licensing: An experience product photographer will take into consideration the type of licensing requested for the images. Cost of licensing depends on where the images will be used, how long they will be used for, and what platforms they will be used on.