Thoughts on why having 10 product images is great for buyers and sellers and tips on how to prioritize work.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to see that Etsy has increased the possible number of images from 5 to 10. I think it is long overdue and if done well, is going to be great for buyers and sellers alike. I fully support the change by Etsy, and below are 10 reasons why I think it's a a change for the better.

Six Reasons Why Buyers Should Like This Change

As a buyer, I'm excited because before I buy something I like to:

1. See the product from every angle: front, back, left, right, top, bottom.
   
2. See how big or small the item is.  
   
3. See how carefully it will be packaged. 
   
4. See how the product looks on a person or in context.
   
5. Compare the item with other products and pick the best-looking one. 
   
6. Know the seller isn’t hiding anything. 

With the increase to 10 images, more of the above needs will be met. As a buyer I will have less doubt and more confidence in buying from your Shop on Etsy.

Four Reasons Why Sellers Should Like This Change

As a seller, I really like having the option to post 10 images because:

1. It’s an opportunity to make you look better than your competitors. 
   
2. It will make your shop more trustworthy (see my reasons above).
   
3. Give buyers a favorable first impression (also see my reasons above).
   
4. A picture says a thousand words in just a few seconds.

How to Prioritize Your Work

For most established sellers, adding up to 10 images is going to be a lot of work, so you will be faced with the dilemma of what listings to edit first and should you even bother uploading images for all your listings.

Here are some suggestions on where to begin:

1. Best sellers: make sure your best sellers get extra images first. Protect your main money makers and don’t let your competition catch up or overtake you.  
   
2. Expensive items: as a general rule, the more expensive an item it, the more hesitant the buyer will be to purchase it. Make sure your expensive items get as many pictures as possible so buyers can get a feel for the product and its value.
   
3. Intricate items: anything that has a lot of intricate detail and markings.
   
4. Vintage items: any defects, signs of age, stains, holes, cracks, markings, stamps or other artifacts that may influence the perception or value of the item.

There are also a few reasons why you probably don’t need to use all 10 pictures. Take supplies, for instance which may just require a couple of images to convey what the listing is. I'm not going to encourage people to do nothing, but I will encourage people to take a common sense approach to this. 

What Impact Will This Have on Ranking

It's important to note that having 10 images will not have a direct influence on ranking, but good pictures will have a positive impact on interaction and conversion rates. How quickly this influences sales is to be debated, but I would treat this as an opportunity not to be dismissed. Here's a direct quote from an Etsy Product Manager on the topic of ranking:

I recommend you embrace this change and start uploading those additional pictures today. If you have lots of images to upload, come up with a plan to prioritize, and take a one-bite-at-a-time approach to uploading additional images before the Christmas rush begins.