On Etsy, your photos are your shop window, your packaging and your sales pitch all at once. Buyers cannot pick your product up, so they rely completely on what they see, and most decide from a thumbnail in a grid of lookalike listings. Better photos are often the quickest way to more clicks and more sales.
I photograph products for small brands and makers in Liverpool. Here are the Etsy product photo requirements in plain English, plus the shots that do the selling.
The short version
- Upload at least 2000 pixels on the shortest side so buyers can zoom.
- Square images are safest, because thumbnails are cropped.
- Keep your product centred with space around it.
- Use all the photo slots you can, plus a short video.
- Mix a clean main shot, lifestyle images, details and scale.
Etsy photo size requirements
Size
2000px minimum on the shortest side, 3000px ideal
Ratio
Square 1:1 is safest for thumbnails
Photos
Use as many slots as you can
Video
A short silent clip, around 5 to 15 seconds
Etsy crops thumbnails differently on mobile and desktop, so keep the product in the middle of the frame with breathing room on every side. Etsy changes its guidance from time to time, so check the current seller handbook before a big upload.
The first photo is everything
Your first image becomes the thumbnail in search. It needs to be instantly clear at a tiny size: what the product is, what colour it is and why it is lovely. Clean, bright backgrounds tend to work well, but on Etsy a styled, warm first image can stand out from the plain white Amazon look. Test both and see which gets more clicks.
The shots that sell
Hero shot
The whole product, clean and centred. Your thumbnail.
Detail
Texture, stitching, finish, materials. The close up that justifies the price.
Lifestyle
In use or styled in a real setting, so buyers can picture it at home.
Options and packaging
Colours, sizes and the gift wrap. Handmade buyers love seeing packaging.
Add a scale shot too: the product in a hand or next to something familiar. “Smaller than I expected” is one of the most common reasons for returns and poor reviews. My guide to packshot, flat lay or lifestyle photos explains when to use each.
Keep your shop consistent
A shop where every listing uses the same background, light and style looks more trustworthy, and buyers browse more of it. Decide on a look and stick with it. That is much easier when a whole range is shot in one session.
Common Etsy photo mistakes
- Dark, yellow indoor lighting that changes the product’s colour.
- Busy backgrounds that compete with the product.
- Only one or two photos when more slots are available.
- Images too small to zoom.
- Photos that do not match what arrives, which leads to returns.
Before a shoot, read how to prepare your products for a photoshoot and how many product photos you need.
Questions Etsy sellers ask
What size should Etsy listing photos be?
At least 2000 pixels on the shortest side so buyers can zoom, with around 3000 pixels ideal. Square images are safest for thumbnails.
What is the best background for Etsy product photos?
A clean, bright background works for most first images, but a styled, warm setting can stand out on Etsy. Keep backgrounds consistent across your shop.
How many photos should an Etsy listing have?
Use as many photo slots as you can, covering a hero shot, details, lifestyle, scale and packaging, plus a short video.
Can I use video on Etsy listings?
Yes. Etsy supports a short listing video, which plays without sound. A few seconds of the product in use works well.
More product guides: Amazon and Shopify photo requirements, TikTok Shop product photos and product photography costs.
Etsy photos holding you back?
Let’s make your listings impossible to scroll past
Product photography for makers and small brands in Liverpool, shot for Etsy, your website and socials.