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How To Choose Optimum Dimensions And File Type For Your Images Before You Upload Them To Your Online Store
Sept 27, 2021 | 8 min read
Choosing the Right Format
Let’s take a look at the most common file formats used in product photography and what each one has to offer. They’re arranged in this list by how frequently they’re used in product photography.
JPG
JPG is the most widely used digital picture file format. It has a large user base and a short file size with a wide color spectrum. You can achieve a good balance between file size and image quality thanks to its compression. JPG is recommended by Shopify because it can offer images that are both compact and high quality, which is ideal for product photographs.
PNG
The PNG format was designed to enhance the GIF format by eliminating the 256-color restriction. It’s extensively used, lossless (it shrinks files without sacrificing quality), and transparent (say for transparent backgrounds). The drawbacks are that PNG file sizes can be high due to lossless compression, and the format is not as widely compatible as JPG.
GIF
GIF compresses and reduces pictures to 256 colors, resulting in tiny file size. Despite the fact that PNG has mostly supplanted it, it is still used for animation since it is the only format that supports it and is generally recognized by browsers.
TIFF
TIFF is a lossless compression format used by a wide range of editing and online programs. It has a high-resolution display and allows you to store many photos and pages in a single file. The file size, on the other hand, is usually rather enormous.
BMP
The BMP format is widely used in the Windows environment. It has data compression, alpha channels (which are used in Photoshop to hold extra information that may be utilized to alter sections of the picture, such as adding translucent backgrounds), and nearly universal compatibility. It produces excellent pictures when uncompressed, although file sizes might be rather big.
Overall, JPG is the most practical format for combining reduced file sizes with good quality. While PNG provides better lossless compression, it comes at the cost of greater file size. If you’re selling 360-degree pictures and need little downloads, GIF is a good option. By comparison, BMP and TIFF can provide excellent quality, but life sizes are typically large and impractical.
Sizing Images for Mobile
Although Shopify resizes your pictures to fit smaller displays automatically, some images may require additional modification. Keep in mind that not only are desktop and mobile screens different sizes but they are also oriented differently. While Shopify attempts to handle this with moderate cropping, it’s preferable if your pictures are square and your product is centered vertically and horizontally.
Also, when scaled for mobile, photos with excessively high dimensions, such as Shopify’s limit of 4000 x 4000 pixels, might seem blurry. Reducing the size and form of your picture to a more reasonable size and shape that considers mobile may make your store seem better on all devices. Keep in mind that big files slow down the loading of your website. And because every second counts in e-commerce, especially on mobile, optimizing your pictures should be a top concern.
While lossless compression might give you the best picture quality, it frequently results in huge files that take ages to upload (particularly in quantity) and can cause your page loading speeds to slow down, prompting people to abandon your business. This is especially true on mobile, where internet connections might be slower and buyers can become frustrated waiting for a picture to display.
While Shopify’s adaptable designs and algorithms do a fantastic job of scaling and presenting your pictures across devices, giving them a hand with sensible file sizes may make the shopping experience even better.
Conclusion
Just keep in mind that the website’s first impression is crucial. Your clients will not take any further action if they find nothing fascinating at first sight.
We recently showed you five alternative ways to add pictures to your Shopify store in this article.
However, a vibrant menu isn’t always a certain method to increase sales. What matters is what you’re selling. That is why you must always consider carefully what and how you will sell in your online business.
Hopefully, this post has been beneficial to you and your company’s growth. Wishing you luck!
