Please recommend sizes for uploading images

I use Irfanview to edit my pictures before uploading.

Free download for Irfanview

Also I try to keep my pics around 400 x 300

And it depends on the buyer and the auction if annoyance happens with too many pictures.

If your buyer is on dial-up and your auction is too graphic heavy with large size pics and too many..then they will back out of the page because it's taking too long to load in for them.

Also if I'm looking to buy oh...ok..here's an example. I just purchased a silicone cover for a Zune. I knew what I wanted, I knew what the product looked like, I didn't need lots of pics. Viewed the specs of the auction and hit buy it now.

When I purchased a car on eBay four years ago..I wanted a huge amount of pictures. I would also think if you were buying a collectible you'd want alot of pics.

On my ID that sells clothing...I try to have four pictures. Front, Back, and two close up for details. But if it's a nice vintage piece of clothing I'll use more.

That's one of the great things about Auctiva..you can use as many pics as you want and not be charged as eBay would charge you for additional pics.

Alot has to do on what you're selling and who your target viewing audience is.

Good Luck,
Donna

Hi Joan - I think Donna has the right idea about taking your potential buyers and what you are selling into consideration, as well as dial up customers. That aside, I personally like to have the supersized version of my photo(s) be large enough to be visually impressive, and to show a lot of sharp detail. This means a well done photo ie. sharp, in-focus, well lit, close-ups as necessary, proper backround, etc. The thumbnail in your listing will be downsized automatically to 400x300. That means your uploaded pic should be LARGER than that, otherwise there is nothing to supersize too, except the same size picture.

The maximum size Auctiva will allow is 1024x768. If you try uploading a bigger image, it will get downsized to that. I like using 1024x768, so my supersized pic is big, but that's just me. 800x600 might be a good compromise. Some folks don't like the supersize feature at all and will just stay with 400x300. It's all a matter of preference, taking factors such as Donna mentioned into account.

The main thing is to have GOOD photos. Just look at all the crappy photos on ebay, I mean REALLY BAD photos; it seems many sellers have no idea how to take a decent picture, or why they even need a good picture. They just wonder why their item won't sell.

That's the key...I didn't know that the photos are downsized for the thumbnails. I was thinking that the size I uploaded went into the listing, and I was freaking out that people would be tearing their hair out waiting for my photos to download.

The photos I uploaded were a little bigger than 1024x768, not much. I'll resize them next time I list an item.

I agree with you about the pathetic quality of many photos on eBay.I did try to make my photos clear, used my tripod, chased the cats out of the room.

Thank you for taking the time to fill me in on the details. I understand the concept now.

Joan

quote:

Originally posted by joan:
The photos I uploaded were a little bigger than 1024x768, not much. I'll resize them next time I list an item.
Joan

If you resize to 1024x768, or smaller, before uploading, check the file size of your resized pic first. High mega-pixel cameras can have huge file sizes for any given picture size unless you reduce this either in-camera or in an image editor. A final file size of about 100KB is about right for a 1024x768 pic as a compromise between image quality and a reasonable download speed.

If you think this is too much of a hassle, then you can upload a size larger than 1024x768 and let Auctiva reduce the size for you, then it will also reduce the file size as well. If you want a picture size smaller than that,for example 800x600, then you're back to controlling this yourself before uploading(because, so far, Auctiva will not reduce your file size unless it has to reduce your picture size at the same time). I hope I haven't made this too confusing.

I forgot to put the link to Irfanview

Fine job 'splaining Ninth.

I always keep my customers in mind in regards to the size of pic and how long it takes to view.

I don't want to run them off with long waits for the pics to be viewable.

I have smoking fast internet..but not everyone does.

On my clothing auctions or similar I do like the supersize pics. But for this ID, I don't...because there's no need.

Alot of selling is finding what works for YOU, the seller.

Good Luck,
Donna

Thanks for the link but ALAS I use Macintosh. But that's fine, I can manipulate my images super fast in Photoshop now that I know what file sizes to save/upload.
Joan

I just upload the pics in the same size my camera saves them in - 2288x1712 - and let Auctiva auto-resize them to 1024x768. Much easier that way, and my supersize pics always turn out great.

quote:

Originally posted by biscuit:
2288x1712 -

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
<smile>

Bet the supersize looks great!

Hi biscuit - Most of the time auto-resize results in good enough looking pics, but occasionaly the quality is noticably lower than I want, because the degree of compression that Auctiva imposes is too much for certain images to look good. The loss of quality can range from not noticable to very noticable depending on the image in question. It's just nice to be able to control things manually when you want too. I guess I tend to be fussy with my photos, probably too much sometimes.

quote:

Originally posted by Suthrnjewl:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
<smile>

Bet the supersize looks great!

Auctiva downsizes them to 1024x768, so the supersize is just right, I think. But, yeah, 2288x1712 would be pretty obnoxious to look at.

quote:

Originally posted by ninth_wave:
Hi biscuit - Most of the time auto-resize results in good enough looking pics, but occasionaly the quality is noticably lower than I want, because the degree of compression that Auctiva imposes is too much for certain images to look good. The loss of quality can range from not noticable to very noticable depending on the image in question. It's just nice to be able to control things manually when you want too. I guess I tend to be fussy with my photos, probably too much sometimes.

Yeah, I have heard that before, and I don't know why that is

My supersize pics come out in perfect detail. I can even make out fine elements/details of the pics.

I'm not trying to say I'm some kind of master. Far from it. I just do my edits in Photoshop Elements, save it as JPG at level 5 (50%) compression, and upload the bugger to Auctiva. Everything turns out just gravy.

quote:
Originally posted by biscuit:
Yeah, I have heard that before, and I don't know why that is

Sometimes when you do a side by side comparison you can notice a difference (again, ranging from not noticeable to very noticeable). It's easy enough to compare the uncompressed image in your editor with the compressed image in Auctiva in two side by side windows. Sometimes the difference is very obvious without need for close inspection. Again, a lot depends on the picture, and your fussiness ratio. Bottom line: If I ain't broke, don't fix it. Do what works for you.