Product photography in product attractiveness perception and e-commerce customer purchase decisions

Abstract

Purpose: This paper discusses the importance of product photography in influencing both consumer behaviour and the process of competitiveness among retailers in the e-commerce sector. The aim of the paper is to present the significance of product photography as regards its influence on purchase decisions, further illustrated by the author's own empirical results. Design/methodology/approach: The authors verified the assumption that employing different techniques to produce a product photograph (e.g. lighting, setting) influences purchase decisions in terms of the change in attitude towards an offer under the influence of the photograph taken, the degree of this change and the likelihood of an increase in the conversion rate. The principal research concept is to use three factors that determine, in effect, the significance of product photography presented in different settings. Various combinations of these factors enhance the informational and persuasive function of photography, which rationalises consumer choice in e-commerce. The study was carried out using an online survey method. The authors used purposive sampling. Findings: The main conclusion drawn from the study is that, in the opinion of the respondents, the way in which a product is photographed is of importance when making purchase decisions. The consumer pays attention to the way the product is presented in e-commerce offers and reacts differently depending on the lighting techniques used. The results also indicate that the price of the product plays an important role as a decisive factor in the purchase of the evaluated products by consumers. The findings further indicate that the price of the product is also of great importance to consumers as a factor determining the purchase of the evaluated products. Disclosing additional information about the price of a given product presented during the survey resulted in a change in the respondents’ perception of an offer, regardless of the combination of factors. According to the research assumption made, lighting played a key role in the perception of photographs by potential customers. In the opinion of the respondents, the illumination method had a noticeable effect on accentuating the product details seen in the photographs. Originality/value: This paper discusses the issue of product photography used in different ways in various e-stores' offers. The impact of selected photographic techniques influencing both consumer behaviour and the process of competitiveness among retailers in the e-commerce sector is shown. It was indirectly confirmed that the price and background used when photographing a product significantly influence the perception of the attractiveness of the purchase under consideration, even in a situation when the presentation of the product is optimal, as it provides full, visualised information about it under the circumstances most conducive for a purchase made remotely. Keywords: product photography, e-commerce purchase decisions, cyber market. Category of the paper: Research paper.