Avatar: Picture vs Product and my experience with this

[Former_Member]

I saw a thread a while back that said it's advisable to use a product as your avatar as it may attract people to your shop. So, after having a picture of myself for quite sometime I changed my avatar to one of my eyeshadows. I'm not sure if it had to do with it, but as soon as I did that I had no sales for almost a week. As soon as I changed the avatar back to a picture of me I had a sale that same day.

I think there's definitely a connection. Perhaps customers do want to see the person behind the shop. I yet have to work on my about page which will help showing the person to the buyers. But I wanted to share the outcome of the change in this forum.

[Former_Member]

Interesting. Were you having regular sales before you changed your avatar to the product photo? Might have to consider changing my avatar to a picture of me as an experiment. Thanks for letting us know!

[exZuberant]

I've tried both and I don't think my avatar has much to do with my sales, which have been extremely low either way. :(

[Former_Member]

I've had a picture of me as my avatar for forever. It's on my About page, so I figured why not give the product avatar a try.

We'll see how it goes.

[ThekawaiiOD]

i changed mine around today.. I used to have a picture of myself, but I am going to try this out for a little while.

[Former_Member]

Dawn- I feel you. I haven't had sales in a month. That's why I'm going to try the different avatar. Maybe you should try the experiment again? Especially if you've improved your shop since the last time you tried it. (Also, I love your polymer clay earrings! I'm going to pin my favorite pair on Pinterest.)

Kay- Very interesting! It would be cool to know what happens. I love that cupcake picture! Good luck! :)

[Former_Member]

Kelsey: June sales are slow compared to May, but I was still having a sale at least every 3 days, until I changed my avatar to a product. Then they stopped. Again, I don't know if it was a coincidence, but as soon as I changed it I had a sale. I just found it, strange.

[Former_Member]

I read that having a picture of yourself helps people put a face to the product and increases sales, but I haven't tried anything else.

[MonstersLairBoutique]

Hm, but what if people do not like the way that you look? I thought about that. If you're not young and cute, or whatever may be the case. I will think about it. I'm just private personally,lol.

Also, I don't care how the person looks personally, I like the product.

[Former_Member]

Eva: I gotcha. It might not be related, but there's a chance that it is. I changed mine to a picture of myself. We'll see how it goes.

Nicolette: I've read that too. Here's to hoping that it works!

Aja: I've been worried about that too (people not liking the way I look), but I bit the bullet and posted it anyway. Makes me nervous. However, I don't think it's so much what a person looks like. I think the benefit is it's more the idea that it's an actual person making your item, not a factory.

[Former_Member]

I think it depends on what you sell. Sometimes having a great product picture really makes me want to look at their shop and helps me know immediately what they sell, but I also like seeing faces as it makes it more personable. I kinda did a combination w/ my shop logo and picture of me.

[lippybrand]

If I see a interesting product logo it makes me want to check out there shop. And now with the about page you can put personal pics/ info there.

I have never had a picture of me for an avatar so cant say if it would make a difference or not. But people dont seem to mind not knowing what I look like.

[ParadiseChicJewelry]

I have used a product and a picture of me, not sure which works better. A lot of my jewelry looks kind of small on the avatar, so I think it is sometime it is hard to tell what it is. But I might switch back eventually.

[Former_Member]

Kelsey: I think your picture is lovely! Let us know if you notice any difference in sales and/or views. It would be good to know how other shops do with personal pic vs product.

[Former_Member]

Thank you for this discussion, I was just wondering the same thing!
In addition to having a product pic or yourself as a avatar I'm curious about logo's as well as an avatar. As far a branding it would seem like a logo would be best. Any thoughts about that???

[thevicagirl]

As you can tell, I like my photo. But a lot of that has to do with internet branding, it is all over the internet. I think that the best photos are always ones with you and your product, something fun. So, I can totally see yours being a hot picture of you, close up, wearing some eye shadow. Like just focusing on your eyes. Similar to the one I posted below. I am thinking more glamourous. Spend a lot of time and energy on it, get a student photographer (they typically will work for free). Then use it as your tradmark photo, include it in all your marketing online. So, like your avatar everywhere, and maybe even your shop banner. I'm getting excited actually... It will make you seem more professional as well.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85506128/red-mineral-eyeshadow-lava-vegan

[ForgedMettleJewelry]

I tried a picture of my jewelry as my avatar for a while, but didn't get any sales so I changed it back to Franklin.

If my buyers want to see a picture of me they are free to look at my about page, but other than that I'm sticking with Franklin for a while.

(besides, he won't let me change him out again...)

[Former_Member]

Hahaha that's cool about Frankestein, it's a great gimmick! My avatar photo was actually taken professionally. I choose it because like someone else said I'm kind of a private person, so I feel it suits both my need for privacy and the need for having a picture of me. The person in the product above it's not me :) It's a friend that does photography and makeup. She's so kind to create these looks using my makeup and taking photos of herself. I don't know what I would do without her help!

[Former_Member]

@Eva- Thanks! I'll let you know if I notice any difference. :)

[Former_Member]

I have always used a product photo. . .

and I always will.

[Former_Member]

If you are trying to brand your product, would an avatar picture brand you or the product?

I'm still stuck on how to brand my product.

[Former_Member]

I think branding takes quite a process... I have a label that goes on all my products but unless you purchase you don't see it, except for on one listing. This label doesn't match my banner, blog, and overall feel, which I think it's pink. My label is silver and blue lol. I know branding is important, it's definitely on my to do list!

[DawnedOnMeDesigns]

Kelsey from jewelrybyKas says:

"I think the benefit is it's more the idea that it's an actual person making your item, not a factory."

Along the same line, I was wondering if having a picture of yourself helps to establish trust with customers.

[Former_Member]

I' had a model wearing my products and now the current one and sales have been the same.

[TremoughGlass]

Mine is one of my products. Well I don't want to put people off their dinner! :)