High Res Photos

[#1]

I uploaded dozens of new listings to my shop and all of them were tagged for being "low res" with Etsy AI asking me to retake them. I sell vintage and antique buttons so the pictures can't get too large. I also can see the most minute details in the photos, so I don't know how I can get them more "high res" than this. What can I do? How can I alter them so the AI Gods like them without retaking them? And how would I retake them and make them more high res when they're already pretty detailed? 

Thanks. I've been locked out of most Etsy forums for some strange reason (IT will fix it, then it won't work), so I hope I'm posting in the right area and that some can see my photo quality. 

[SewlyButtons]

@DaysofYoreTreasures 
@WoodbineEverlasting 

There is a difference between what you've shown in red and the Intrinsic size. The intrinsic size will ALWAYS specifically state Intrinsic size. What you've described IS the size of the image that you uploaded, you're correct in that, but it is not as easy to find in the code when you do an Inspect (at least for me it isn't). The intrinsic size is the only thing that will show you the size of your image as modified by etsy. And the little pop-up window you get using the hover I suggest puts the information in front of you without having to look for it.

Again, on the customer side, hover over an image in one of your listings, right click with your mouse and select inspect. The code will display on the right side. Part of that code will be shaded. Again, hover over the shaded part. When you hover over that shaded part a little window will pop up showing a picture of your image, and below that will be the following (using one of my images as an example):
Rendered size: 712 × 593 px
Rendered aspect ratio: 712∶593
Intrinsic size: 794 × 662 px
Intrinsic aspect ratio: 397∶331
File size: 135 kB

In my case, doing the same from the listing side for the exact same image shows the following:
Rendered size: 709 × 534 px
Rendered aspect ratio: 709∶534
Intrinsic size: 2000 × 1667 px
Intrinsic aspect ratio: 2000∶1667
File size: 434 kB

In this example, 2000 x 1667 is the size of the image I uploaded. The image size as modified by etsy is 794 x 662. I suspect the Intrinsic aspect ratio may reflect further compression of an image by etsy since on the listing side it's the same as my uploaded image... but on the customer side it's showing a 50% reduction of the Intrinsic size (but don't quote me on that).

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@SewlyButtons 

Thanks for your reply.

It is true that Etsy does resize images to suit various pages and displays.

I think it is important, though, to help sellers determine actual full image size, either for themselves or to help out others when all they have is the customer display to work with.
Based on the original announcement and the help articles, we know that the Search Visibility messages are using the full image size, not a variable intrinsic size, to make their determinations.

[SewlyButtons]

@DaysofYoreTreasures 

Yup! Absolutely agree.

I think the important thing to note here is that there are actually TWO ways to determine the actual raw pixel size of the image being uploaded.

1. Quickly checking for the intrinsic size from the listing manager while listing (or after)

2. After an item is already listed from the customer side using your method.

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@SewlyButtons  Sounds good! I think the listing manager method is definitely easier for our own listings.

@cindylouwho2 wrote a better description of the customer side method than I ever could, including a video.

I think it will be helpful for others reading this thread too.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-check-of-106763157

In case that link doesn't work, just google
cindylouwho2 etsy check image size

[FourSonsWoodworking]

The default microsoft photo editor has a resize capability that will boost the pixels to the wanted size. I use that all the time.

[NewCanvasHomeArt]

There seems to be another problem here. My products with 3000*3000 pixel dimensions are giving a low resolution image warning. There seems to be a problem with etsy.

[VintagePussycatShop]

I REALLY appreciate all of the fantastic answers on this page!  Y'all are giving amazing info.   And I appreciate all of the time that everyone is putting into helping one another (and me).  It infuriates me that this is now what we need to go through, I will be honest.  I also happen to do my listing through Vendoo because I list my same items on multiple platforms.  So that is an added level of "interference".  I also have a mac, and always forget how to "right click" since macs don't do that, haha.  I have reached out to both Vendoo and Etsy about this issue and have not gotten resolution or response that really makes sense.  I will say that in some previous listings, when I assumed the issue was with Vendoo possibly compressing images before listing on Etsy, I was editing my Etsy listings to replace the photos with the ones directly from my phone, and sometimes it helped but sometimes it didn't.  One time, it finally helped on the third try.   And I just can't work like that.  I am suspecting, based on everyone's comments, that there is def some work to be done on seller sides with increasing photo sizes (though for me, it only became an issue beginning Dec. 22 which is weird) but also seems to be a lot of glitches or incorrect flagging on the part of Etsy.  I can make some adjustment in the way I take photos (which honestly is gonna put a kink in things for me) but I am also having issues with photos that should not require any adjustment.  A photo that I upload with over 3k pixels should not be getting flagged as low resolution.  And I shouldn't need to become a technical genius (thats how this feels ) just to upload some friggin photos.

[WoodbineEverlasting]

@VintagePussycatShop 

This is a tangential question, but how do you like Vendoo? Have you verified that they were compressing your photos? I'm looking for a multi channel app for syncing my website and Etsy shop, but I am concerned about the overall functionality for listing variations (my shop is FULL of variations that are constantly changing because everything I make is OOAK, therefore the variation photos are always changing) and I'm also concerned about the pixel size being downgraded by the app.

[VintagePussycatShop]

@WoodbineEverlasting Overall, I do like Vendoo. I have not verified yet if they are compressing the photos, though.  This photo thing is honestly zapping my mental energy so I am only dealing with it in snippets. I don't do listings with variations - but my understanding is that Vendoo doesn't really have the capacity to deal with them either.  When I signed up for Vendoo, I was looking at them and at List Perfectly.  I believe I went with Vendoo because the pricing was way better, and both platforms had similar functionality (for what I do).  Their customer service is pretty good (especially by today's standards, haha) and I do like them overall.  I only list on 3 platforms currently but am probably going to expand a bit when my next billing cycle starts.

[WoodbineEverlasting]

@VintagePussycatShop 

Thanks so much for this information. Thus far it seems like none of the syncing platforms handle variations well, so I'm feeling a bit hopeless about listing OOAK variations on multiple channels from a single pool of my inventory. I think my best strategy at this point will be just to drive traffic to my Etsy shop for my ready made OOAK floristry items, and then list my flower seeds and dried flower bundles on both my website and Etsy shop, as that kind of inventory is much easier to manage on multiple sites. 

[VintagePussycatShop]

Ok, I swear, I am gonna rip my own eyeballs out at this point.  I looked at one of my flagged listings.  My original photo is 3400 pixels by 3400 pixels.  The "intrinsic size" in my listing editor is 1600 x 1600. In the customer view, its slightly smaller, but I think still over 1500.  So I went to Vendoo (because I list thru there).  The vendoo photo is 1600 x 1600.  So I figure, ok, THATS the issue. Vendoo must be compressing it.  Well, in the meantime, I made a sale.  Its a multi-item listing, so of course after the one sold, the listing "renewed".  THAT one is not flagged for low resolution, so I looked at the intrinsic size.  1600 x 1600.  I literally have no idea what is going on and I am pretty sure I am gonna ignore it because I am making myself crazy trying to fix it and they are not even consistent with their own requirements. 

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@VintagePussycatShop 

It seems the low res message is only appearing for newly published listings.

[VintagePussycatShop]

Another update.  Woke up this morning and all of my low resolution messages are gone. Instead of 40 items with the message, I now only have 3 items (REALLY old listings that are legit low res) showing. Was mercury in retrograde and I didn't know it?