(Lack of) product images included with purchases.

[Ethereal Thistle]

I find it extremely handy to have product images included with purchases. I know a lot of creators do include them (or some include them sometimes, but not all the time), but it seems like a lot do not chose to do this.

Is there any reason in particular why creators would not include product images with their products? I pretty much NEED them or I'll forget what something even is, even with my organized inventory. I find it much easier to open a texture that has the product already instead of having to attach the item, wait for it to rez, possibly remove items I already have attached because the new item conflicts, etc.

Thankfully I have premium plus and enough time on my hands to check out creator's flickr accounts and download/upload the product images, so it's 'free' for me. However, 99.9% of the time (unless the creator is MP only), those images are already uploaded to the grid for ads and product displays. Not to mention when a creator doesn't use Flickr, or doesn't have an easily searchable description, or they use other places that are harder to search (facebook, instagram, or other things that require you to log in or create an account). I'll have to create my own image, which just isn't the same for me (subjectively).

I find the product images sometimes give me ideas for outfits, or how to use a product differently than I might have without them, or really any number of reasons besides those. I understand some people will just delete all the random stuff (unpacker scripts, product images, mesh for bodies they don't use, LMs, etc), but that's a lot easier than someone else having to recreate those things themselves.

Anyone else like having product images and wish it was more of a 'standard' thing? As I said, the image is usually already uploaded so including it with a purchase costs nothing as far as I understand.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Ethereal Thistle
spelling errors -_-

[Rowan Amore]

With the new feature of Inventory Item Preview, maybe more merchants will begin adding them.  One can hope!

[Stephanie Misfit]

On 9/26/2023 at 2:55 AM, Ethereal Thistle said:

I find it extremely handy to have product images included with purchases. I know a lot of creators do include them (or some include them sometimes, but not all the time), but it seems like a lot do not chose to do this.

Is there any reason in particular why creators would not include product images with their products? I pretty much NEED them or I'll forget what something even is, even with my organized inventory. I find it much easier to open a texture that has the product already instead of having to attach the item, wait for it to rez, possibly remove items I already have attached because the new item conflicts, etc.

Thankfully I have premium plus and enough time on my hands to check out creator's flickr accounts and download/upload the product images, so it's 'free' for me. However, 99.9% of the time (unless the creator is MP only), those images are already uploaded to the grid for ads and product displays. Not to mention when a creator doesn't use Flickr, or doesn't have an easily searchable description, or they use other places that are harder to search (facebook, instagram, or other things that require you to log in or create an account). I'll have to create my own image, which just isn't the same for me (subjectively).

I find the product images sometimes give me ideas for outfits, or how to use a product differently than I might have without them, or really any number of reasons besides those. I understand some people will just delete all the random stuff (unpacker scripts, product images, mesh for bodies they don't use, LMs, etc), but that's a lot easier than someone else having to recreate those things themselves.

Anyone else like having product images and wish it was more of a 'standard' thing? As I said, the image is usually already uploaded so including it with a purchase costs nothing as far as I understand.

Yes, I wish it was a standard thing, I really appreciate it when merchants include pictures. I don't appreciate it when the folder contains 3 landmarks and 2 notecards, a useless script, and no image.

[nieru]

For me at least, it's because creating the promo image is the very last step of my process. Usually I'm creating for an event and working against a deadline, so I want to make sure all of the important parts are working first; which means the items are already packed, vendors setup and tested. Then I can use whatever time I have left to make the promo image as nice, or as quickly as I need to. And honestly, even if I have time left, the last thing I want to do is repackage everything/update the vendors/test once again. You make a good point, however! I also like to see the preview image. Would putting the promo image into the demo be a decent compromise? I don't package those (because I find it terribly annoying as a customer), so it wouldn't be any trouble.

[Ethereal Thistle]

On 9/27/2023 at 3:55 PM, nieru said:

For me at least, it's because creating the promo image is the very last step of my process. Usually I'm creating for an event and working against a deadline, so I want to make sure all of the important parts are working first; which means the items are already packed, vendors setup and tested. Then I can use whatever time I have left to make the promo image as nice, or as quickly as I need to. And honestly, even if I have time left, the last thing I want to do is repackage everything/update the vendors/test once again. You make a good point, however! I also like to see the preview image. Would putting the promo image into the demo be a decent compromise? I don't package those (because I find it terribly annoying as a customer), so it wouldn't be any trouble.

Thank you so much for your reply.

I can understand from the way you have laid out your process how this could be an issue. I assume it is probably similar for other creators, and as a non-creator I wouldn't have thought about it from this perspective. Thank you for the insight!

To address your question, I think it would be a decent compromise, but trying to figure out what creators do this and those that do not, might be a compromise that never gets used unless you know about it. If it was something of standard practice for all/the majority of creators, I could totally see this being a very simple solution though, and one that might be less annoying for creators to deal with.

Off topic, and yes it is terribly annoying having to unpack demos! LOL

[Sid Nagy]

I most likely will start to include a picture in the new products that I might release in the future, but I will certainly not go through the extra work of adding them to existing products.
If people are really keen to use the picture preview in the viewers, there is always the possibility to shoot a snapshot yourself.
I do that with outfits in my inventory for a long time already.

[Extrude Ragu]

I have an issue with OP's statement.

OP frames what she wants as a standard expected part of a marketplace purchase that creators opt out of. I don't think that it is a fair statement. There is nothing to indicate to a new and budding creator that including a product image with the bundled product is expected of them. The only way a creator might come to learn of this practice is word of mouth or if the creator happens to think of it themselves.

[Love Zhaoying]

On 9/25/2023 at 12:55 PM, Ethereal Thistle said:

Is there any reason in particular why creators would not include product images with their products?

Because, it is not necessary. It is extra work. It will clutter up inventory of people who don't want or need it. A viewer that can use inventory images was only released a week ago. It is not expected of any merchants. It is not standard practice. 

[Polenth Yue]

I'm still pretty fuzzy on how the new image thing works and how the previews get linked to the product. Mostly because I don't have a viewer that can do it, so it's not really an option yet.

[Ethereal Thistle]

On 10/3/2023 at 8:18 AM, Extrude Ragu said:

I have an issue with OP's statement.

OP frames what she wants as a standard expected part of a marketplace purchase that creators opt out of. I don't think that it is a fair statement. There is nothing to indicate to a new and budding creator that including a product image with the bundled product is expected of them. The only way a creator might come to learn of this practice is word of mouth or if the creator happens to think of it themselves.

Hello, and thank you for your reply, however:

I didn't frame it as anything regarding the marketplace at all, or even use the word marketplace, except to actually disclude creators who are marketplace only, as there is no reason why would have uploaded an image to the grid. I posted my personal reason for why I like having product images included with purchases, and asked as a followup why creators don't do this. Also,  I didn't say anything about something should be expected of anyone. I don't think it's a fair statement to 'frame' my entire post on something I didn't even say or imply.

On 10/3/2023 at 9:31 AM, Love Zhaoying said:

Because, it is not necessary. It is extra work. It will clutter up inventory of people who don't want or need it. A viewer that can use inventory images was only released a week ago. It is not expected of any merchants. It is not standard practice. 

I covered all of this in my original post. Thank you for your reply though!

[Devilgrey]

On 10/3/2023 at 4:46 PM, Polenth Yue said:

I'm still pretty fuzzy on how the new image thing works and how the previews get linked to the product. Mostly because I don't have a viewer that can do it, so it's not really an option yet.

yeah im thinking this feature isnt in firestorm yet. really hoping it gets implemented soon because this would be useful. currently my method was taking photos of stuff myself but it costs lidens so i dont do it often. making my inventory folder system be really thorough is the best way atm.

[InnerCity Elf]

As a customer, I also appreciate, when a product picture is included in the folder. If it's not, I'll still buy if I really "need"/want the item, but it's a nice bit of customer service that will certainly endear the brand/creator more to me, and hence might be a factor if I buy again, or maybe also buy items that I don't really "need" but just want.

I've had a brick and. mortar RL shop myself for many years, and I think little touches that you'd not really absolut have to do as a real life retailer in your shop, like a smile and small chat with a customer, putting effort and creativity into seasonal decoration, a nice sounding bell instead the awful one that everyone has, and so on, add value to all parties, build rapport. And if you sell on MP, you can do such not strictly needed but nice little things, too. A product image, thoughtful naming of your things for search purposes, prettily textured box if you use a box,... and, most probably, especially the frequent(er) 😅 shoppers will notice...

[Wulfie Reanimator]

I also like it when the picture is included. It's a lot faster to go through my inventory when I don't have to attach everything, especially when a sim is laggy and it takes over 20 seconds for one thing to attach, and several more to detach it. 😋

[Rowan Amore]

It's especially helpful with makeup.  I want a numbered picture that corresponds to the weird color names you've chosen.  I don't know what sunset or sundown looks like to you but 1,2,3 next to that description that matches the included picture is preferred.

[Ethereal Thistle]

On 10/13/2023 at 5:48 PM, Rowan Amore said:

It's especially helpful with makeup.  I want a numbered picture that corresponds to the weird color names you've chosen.  I don't know what sunset or sundown looks like to you but 1,2,3 next to that description that matches the included picture is preferred.

I honestly didn't even think about this aspect of product images haha. I totally agree and have needed this many times!