Am I making too much work for myself? Is it really mainly about the pictures?

Hi everyone,

since this topic has been on my mind for quite a while now, I have to ask:
Let’s say you’re buying a pattern as a customer—what do you look for?

- Are the pictures appealing?
- Are multiple sizes included?

I’m noticing more and more that there are other designers who, for example, only describe one size in their hat patterns and note that you can adjust other sizes yourself by using more or fewer stitches. I, for example, go to the trouble of describing almost every size from head circumference 36–59 cm in my patterns, including an explanation of the gauge. For clothing items, I list all the measurements at the beginning, whereas others, for example, simply say that you should measure on the model yourself and then cast on roughly however many stitches.
Some of these patterns have super-professional, appealing photos and sell very well. I don’t have the means to take professional photos, nor do I want my kids to be on the internet… others take professional photos with children (their own or others’), and I get the feeling that the pattern itself takes a back seat in those cases…

What do you think?

Kind regards, Yvonne

Hi Yvonne,

it’s always hard to judge this in general. Some things just appeal to people’s tastes, while others don’t... I can’t comment on your patterns, but I looked at the pictures and I’d leave them exactly as they are because they’re really cute.

Personally, when I’m buying a pattern, I pay less attention to how the photos are taken and more to whether the design or the finished product is clearly visible. For example, with a shawl that isn’t necessarily triangular. Then I check to see if I can tell exactly what the shape is, and then I decide whether it’s a good fit for me.
It doesn’t have to be a mannequin or a model in the photos—I just need to be able to see what the finished piece looks like as a whole.

Too much “fuss” in the photos, like stars, hearts, or text, tends to distract me; I’d rather focus on the product itself.

But like I said, everyone’s different. ;-)

Best regards
Michaela

Hey,

well, I think that idea is partly right—it always depends on
whether you hit people's taste or not. I can’t really say much about fashion,
but even there—with things like scarves and shawls, for example—simple descriptions with simple photos, probably taken with a cell phone in front of a mirror, can still sell well. Why? Only the customer really knows.

When it comes to amigurumi, I can say that sometimes the picture can be as perfect as it gets,
but if it doesn’t appeal to the customer—maybe because that particular figure just doesn’t create an incentive to buy—then that’s just how it is.
Every now and then I do ask for opinions from people I know personally, but you shouldn’t ask people who don’t crochet—
they think everything is cute and adorable and would buy it, but when you list the product online, you just end up disappointed :D


   My conclusion: Make the pattern, texts, details, and pictures as good as you can and as detailed as you feel is right for you. Better to be thorough than not thorough enough—that way, you’ll at least avoid bad reviews and cancellations :) 

 

I think offering different sizes is very important. I bought a pattern for gloves, but unfortunately it was only available in one size. The size described is waaaay too big for me, and I’m not yet experienced enough to just adjust the number of stitches on the fly.

  I also think it’s great when the description—not just the pattern itself—includes information about the type (materials, yardage) and amount of yarn used. That way, I could better gauge whether any leftover yarn or yarn I already have on hand would work. Many descriptions don’t mention this at all; instead, it’s covered in the actual pattern. I’m the kind of person who needs to be told, “You have to use this specific yarn”… I hope I’ll develop a feel for it someday.

By the way, I think your photos in the descriptions are perfectly fine. And I totally understand that people are reluctant to post pictures of their own children online. In my opinion, many people are way too careless about that.

Best regards



 

Hello Yvonne,

I also think that your photos/descriptions are all perfectly fine.
It probably depends on the customers' taste and whether the product is something they want at the moment or not.

I also avoid putting personal photos online.
I use suitable dolls/heads for that. 
In my opinion, it doesn't matter whether children/adults present the product or whether it is shown on a doll/display head.
The finished product has to be appealing!
Maybe this is easier for me because crocheted scarves/shawls/shoes and hats are more in demand.
However, in my first year at CP I have already learned a lot and kept improving/updating individual product photos accordingly.

I wish you continued success.
Best regards,
Petra


 

I think your patterns and photos are great.
It depends on whether someone is experienced or a beginner.
You should be able to see the pattern or details in the photos.
Do what feels right to you—anyone with questions can reach out.
That’s my opinion.

@Yvonne
Your patterns are very lovely. What you could try is showing only one item in each photo and removing the text from the image as well. That way, the single item in the photo will appear a bit larger in the small preview images and may get clicked on more often. On the product page, you can upload several images, so there is enough space for color variations and different versions, but in the main thumbnail, which is also shown when people scroll quickly, there should only be one clearly recognizable item in the picture.

It would also be good if you wrote in the product title which handicraft technique it is. That gives customers good guidance. My tip would be to move the word "e-book" to the end of the product title. All items here on CP are e-books; if "e-book" is the first word, you cannot stand out positively from the other items, but you need to if you want to sell. At the beginning of the product title, there should be the handicraft technique or the item to be made (doll, glove, etc.) and the motif used. In your product titles, it does not always say which handicraft technique is used, and now and then the information about which item is being made is missing too. Don’t rely on the image for that; not everyone can tell crocheting from knitting in a picture. Not everyone knows you well enough as a designer to know that you do a lot of crochet. Interested buyers do not necessarily draw conclusions about the type of craft from the seller name. Item to be made: Even if a doll is clearly visible in the picture, the word "doll" should still be mentioned again in the product title.
Buyers do not read the product title word for word while scrolling; they just scan for key words / keywords, and you need to provide those in addition to the photo, otherwise the customer will simply keep scrolling. That is why "scarf," "loop," etc. have to be mentioned again in the product title; that is also important for search engines. Common keywords are always better than keywords that hardly anyone knows. If you have long words, it is good to use hyphens. For example, with Musterstulpen, it would be better to write patterned wrist warmers or wrist warmers with a pattern, so that the familiar word is clearly recognizable. Musterstulpen is not a common word, not even with quotation marks before and after it.

Do take a look at the authors’ forum too; we collect tips there on improving pictures and product pages.
With a little polishing of the presentation, you can probably get even more out of your listings. Maybe you would like to read through the tips in the authors’ forum and see whether there is something you would like to or can implement? I wish you lots of success and plenty of sales.
 

@Yvonne, I think your photos are pretty good
@Josefa, thank you so, so much! Very useful information!