Headaches Listing

[BarkingRockJewelry]

I've found listing new items to be nearly impossible lately.  

The problems seem to primarily focus around photos. 

First, any edits to the thumbnails simply will not ever "stick," no matter how many times and how many photos I try.  I'm generally reduced to making a tiny first photo, which looks good in thumbnails but looks crappy in full view.  This now occurs with EVERY item I list, regardless of photo size or quality.

Next, either Etsy thinks some photos are too dark or too something, and tells me they will not show up in search.  Most recently was a book with a primarily dark cover, that Etsy insists must be underexposed.   I tried taking several photos, but with the same result.

So, ok; on with the photo edit tool provided by Etsy.  I lighten the picture until details are nearly invisible.  Then I watch the spinning go on for 5 minutes or so, before I'm dumped out of the listing entirely.  (And all my work with title, attributes, and description are gone.)  After several tries last night, I gave up for the night.

Tried again today with same results.  Tried again tonight with same results.

Either I'm cursed here, or going mad.  (Probably the latter, as I've heard madness described as trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results.)

Has anyone here had luck with thumbnails or the photo edit tool??

[PinkLakeStudio]

I just had a quick look and on my screen your photos look like they have been lightened too much, I always make my mockups (listing photos) for 2000x2000px and that seems to work great, maybe try using Canva with a document size of that (some sellers make it double at 4000x4000px) but I've never seemed to have an issue with the recommended size. Your jewellery is beautiful so you really want to show it off in the best way possible. I would be a bit weary using the photo edit tool as it's going to change the colours of your designs and could result in someone not receiving what they thought they were due to the colour difference.

[BarkingRockJewelry]

egad, now they're too light?  If I make them a tad darker - by whatever means works - I get the message that my photos are too dark and won't show up in Etsy search.

<sigh>

It's disheartening to have to spend so much time fiddling about with taking and retaking and retaking and adjusting photos, then fooling around with listing problems of all sorts, that I don't have much time left for creating anything new.

But thank you sincerely for your input!  And thanks for the kind words.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@BarkingRockJewelry  You shouldn't be having any issues with the image edit tool. What are you using to take photos? 

[BarkingRockJewelry]

A digital Canon camera.  It seems to work fine for everything and everywhere else.

ETA...once in a GREAT while, the edit tool works; most of the time it does not.

[ChestnuttVintage]

If Etsy tells me my photos are too dark, which it does sometimes, I just ignore it.  Items do still sell.  Saves me some effort!

[BarkingRockJewelry]

Interesting!

I think your photos are wonderful.  It makes me wonder if perhaps Etsy just doesn't like anything that doesn't have a stark white background.   

Maybe I'm being too intimidated by the repeated warnings that indicate my items won't appear in search?

[PrimFun]

@ChestnuttVintage   You have no idea if your items would sell more if on a different background.  For me your items are too dark and difficult to see.  So if I were looking I would probably pass your shop by.   A lighter background works better for my eyesight.

[ChestnuttVintage]

Maybe.  But I do OK.

[VintageRescueSquad]

It's not that it "won't appear in search" but that it could push it further down. It's a suggested improvement. I wouldn't worry about it. Some of mine have the same warning and still sell.

That being said, I wouldn't rely on etsy's photo editor to make alterations. It's very glitchy

[SugarTaffySoap]

@BarkingRockJewelry  You can always test a different background and see what happens. I don't sell jewelry but I recall someone saying to use an off-white background, maybe a non shiny marble?  I would look at your competitors and see what they are doing. Just an FYI, a while back I used a Canon and it was terrible for my Etsy photos. Cell phones tend to work better. 5 minutes of spinning, etc. is not normal. 

[BarkingRockJewelry]

er, my bad;  it's a Panasonic camera, not a Canon.

Pulling photos from my older cell phone is way too contorted for me.

[AutumnHollowStudio]

@BarkingRockJewelry I went to a garden center store and bought a natural stone slab to use for jewelry photos. I also have a white (not glossy) marble serving stand that I bought from Target that is round and rotates that I also use for photos.

Try to take your photos outside in natural light, no flash, and not in direct sunlight.  You may have to experiment to see what works best for you. And see if you can instead use a photo editing program on your computer instead of using Etsy's editing tool

[PrimFun]

@BarkingRockJewelry   To me it appears that the photos have been lightened by one of the tools such as the Bastet Cat.  It's hard to see the lines of the cat's face.  I know jewelry can be difficult but I found when I did jewelry that a light background worked better than white.

Are you using the flash?  That makes images harder to see.  I don't use a flash at all. I try for natural lighting using an Ottlight and outdoor lighting that gives a natural focus.

The photos seem out of focus.  What pixels are you using?  When you upload to your computer, do you use any program to help? 

The blue apatite photos look good to me.  I can see the detail.  No glare.