Do pictures sell?

Considering photo gallery instead of boring line description.

[sun818]

Hi, other than my "Featured Products" row, all my other products just have a title, quantity available, price, and an add to cart link. Do you think a photo gallery would create more clicks to the description portion? the idea is:

<tr>
<td>thumb1<br>price</td>
<td>thumb2<br>price</td>
<td>thumb3<br>price</td>
</tr>

Titles would be in the thumbnail alt and the price link. Any comments?

[korkus2000]

In my own personal experience I want to see the product. If I have to click around looking for the product picture I will soon leave. I know most large shops that are very successful use a thumbnail.

[rogerd]

I agree with korkus, pics are necessary to sell. The only exception I can imagine is a long series of identical or similar looking products - in this case, a single pic with a listing of variants would probably be better. A bit trickier from a dynamic page generation standpoint, of course...

[john316]

Even when searching for exact model number, I like to see a picture, just to "make sure". It increases the comfort level.

[wingslevel]

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

I did a study last year comparing sales of items with pictures vs those without - don't remember the exact result, but it was hugely slanted toward the pictured items.

Get a digital camera and start clicking.....

[innerstudio]

Pictures are king almost regardless of what you are selling. The only instance where we have seen ok success without pictures is when the company is selling known merchandise at rock bottom prices...like a closeout situation. For example, if you are looking for a Delta Faucet - Model #12345, there aren't any variations to worry about. But, if you are looking for a faucet, then the picture is a must...no description you give can help a customer differentiate from one to another. "um, there are two handles for hot and cold...a thing where the water comes out and, oh, it's shiny."

It is definitely a pain to gather pics, but the effort you put in will come back to you many times over. Without pics you are asking the customer to use their imagination...to gamble. You are also communicating that you didn't want to take the time to enhance their shopping experience. Sites look lazy without photos.

With pics, the guesswork is out, they know what they are getting and their comfort level is higher. As most in e-commerce will agree, if the customer isn't comfortable, your competitors are a click away.

[Harley_m]

not only have pics, have as clear and as many as your design allows - you wouldnt want to pick a plate design in a shop with a blind-fold on...

a nice clear pic of the product, as well as maybe a 'description' pic - maybe a close up of the fabric used on a coat, something like that - allows the buyer to get a 'feel' for a product...