topic Re: eBay has an image problem (literally) in Selling

eBay has an image problem (literally)

everard6920 — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 08:54:31 GMT

Incoming rant (I realise eBay won't read this, but I'm annoyed).

Can someone give me one (just one) good reason why eBay puts a grey tint over photos on storefronts now? eBay says they prefer clean, white backgrounds wherever possible, so I comply - and then I upload my images with their clean, white backgrounds and eBay tints them grey and compresses them to such a degree that they look like the back window of my car before I put the demister on when it rains.

Listing images are important, and mine look like trash through no fault of my own. I've hit the thumbs down on the "rate this store" and left an angry comment at least a dozen times (mostly just to make myself feel better). WHAT is the reason to intentionally make listing photos look dull and grey? Seriously.

Betsy doesn't do this, and over at Betsy's, everything looks better. I put my eBay and Betsy side-by-side, and the difference is marked. Images are clear. Images have white backgrounds. It's such a tease, because that is how I WANT my eBay store to look (and how I feel it SHOULD look).

Maybe this doesn't matter so much to other sellers, but my items are eye candy - how they look is very important and I can't think of a single valid reason why they tint them grey.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:02:45 GMT

My listings aren't dull & grey (AFAIK)...can't check yours as you are using a 'posting avatar"...you have hit 'thumbs down' on your own store???? OMG....why would you do that? Maybe that's the problem???

Something's not right....

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

everard6920 — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:14:10 GMT

@twyngwyn wrote:
My listings aren't dull & grey (AFAIK)...can't check yours as you are using a 'posting avatar"...you have hit 'thumbs down' on your own store???? OMG....why would you do that? Maybe that's the problem???

Something's not right....

No, it gives you an option to specify who you are and what you're rating (so in my case, "the seller rating the store page design" or something). I'm not that much of a self-saboteur 🤣

Idk, do you have white backgrounds on your images? 'Cos mine are pure white (I remove the backgrounds) and it does it to mine (sorry, can't link ... not confident enough to oust my store on this forum as there are some crazies, yourself excluded of course).

It's a good point though, maybe I'll tint them grey myself and see if it still happens

ETA: just checked and it does do it to yours (the grey frame around your images). It's just not as noticeable because you have actual backgrounds (which is something I am now considering doing)

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:24:08 GMT

yes, I've never deleted backgrounds as I want buyers to see the edges of my books.....but also, I do not trust eBay to publish properly.....good luck!

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:41:22 GMT

I just signed out & visited my own store....everything looks the same to me....I don't understand what you are seeing....I am on a laptop, using Edge??

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

everard6920 — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:56:45 GMT

https://i.imgur.com/02zgXq1.jpg

I don't know how to link to images on here (and mods, please remove the image link if it's not allowed) but the one on the left is the storefront one, and the one on the right is the normal listing page.

As I said, it's not so noticeable on yours, but you can see the grey on the left one and the white on the right one. And so, as I have white backgrounds, it's super noticeable on my images (makes them look dull because it's actually an overlay)

Evidently I'm just going to have to edit all my images because it really bugs 😒

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

gutterpunkz05 — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:03:51 GMT

Can not say I have ever taken notice, Just viewed Twyns items, if I view via, view listings they show as white border, but then if I view via twyns store, the border is shaded until I actually select an individual item and then it reverts to white.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:05:34 GMT

the one on the left looks slightly more 'crisper' to me??

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

janeababe — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:19:37 GMT

I don’t actually notice the white edge or the grey edge…. What I notice most is the dull tan background you have the book sitting on (maybe a benchtop or something)

sorry….. but honest.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:12:52 GMT

Now I see what you're all talking about....like janeababe, I never noticed until now.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:16:19 GMT

I admire your honesty, but am happy with table showing in background....it lets buyers see the edges of the books. I used to use a black background, but then it was hard to see 'dark' covered books.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:41:26 GMT

just had a thought....my photos are 375 pixels x 500 pixels....when you click on the photo (within store) you get a black background which changes my photos to 1200 x 1600.....what size are yours?

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

everard6920 — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 06:44:41 GMT

@twyngwyn wrote:
just had a thought....my photos are 375 pixels x 500 pixels....when you click on the photo (within store) you get a black background which changes my photos to 1200 x 1600.....what size are yours?

Typically 1500 x 1500 px. I need people to be able to zoom in on the details (which is my other complaint - the compression makes them look foggy in the previews). Also, I figured a higher resolution was better because resolutions go up with time, not down (and I don't want to have to resize my 800 listing images anytime soon).

Not sure what you mean about the black background - mine have the grey overlay on the storefront and when I click into the listing, it's white (as I intended it to be). However, it's still foggy until I mouse over to zoom, and then it clears up (tested on desktop and mobile).

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit OCD with my images (if that wasn't already evident 🤣) and the inconsistency really bugs. I just cannot understand why they'd tell us to use white backgrounds wherever possible, and then dull them down with grey overlays. It's not the end of the world, but make it make sense, eBay!

Really appreciate your replies and help though, Twynnie (and I have referred a crafty friend to your store, as I'd actually never clicked on it before but she loves craft magazines 👍). Also - I think your pics look fine, personally.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

twyngwyn — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 01:30:43 GMT

Thankyou.....this is the black background.....click on an item in storefront (grey background)>>>white background...click again>>>(black background)

click on this picture:

Dress Up Your Dolls~Lise Nymark~Knit & Crochet Outfits~For Dolls Up To 18 Inches | eBay

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

patricilayzel0 — Thu, 30 May 2024 04:53:38 GMT

Mine used to be perfect they look dull now ,Terrible since they have their new photo edit whatever it is on. I used to just be able to upload photos with nice clear pictures now they look grey and dark. I do use a black background at times. But my nice white backgrounds are grey and dull.

Re: eBay has an image problem (literally)

paper-jack — Thu, 30 May 2024 23:51:50 GMT

Best to use the editing tools that ebay provides. A real PITA but if ebay won't / can't upload photos exactly as shown on the original, I've gritted my teeth and used their edit functions to reach the best possible. It is annoying when that is not as good as my original but at least an improvement (I'm referring to another ebay account re pictures, items I have made)