Understanding how the type

of images effects customers

propensity to buy &

perception of value for

money

Alison Strong

Marketing Imaging Manager

0113 826 1377

• Excellent - Web primary source (90%) to gather

product information & ideas (catalogue & stores at 60%)

• Watch out - Action taken as a result of poor images/

info – 65% go to a competitor who delivers well. They

buy where cheapest

• Multiple images showing features & benefits are most

important for customers

• Price, Quality, Product Information, Choice &

Delivery Charge – are the top 5 considerations when

shopping for furniture online

Headlines

Our Digital Pulse PanelGender

M ale

Female

Marital status

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

Single

Co-

habitin

g

Mar

ried

Civil-par

tnersh

ip

Separate

d

Divor

ced

Widow

ed

Prefer n

ot to

say

No of children in household

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0 1 2 3 4 5 or more

Employment status

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Unemployed

/ looking for

w ork

Self-

employed

Employed

part time

Employed

full time

Apprentice /

trainee

Retired Prefer not to

say

Our Digital Pulse PanelRegion

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%

Eas

t Midla

nds

Eas

t of E

ngland

Gre

ater

Lon

don

Nor

th E

ast E

ngla

nd

Nor

th W

est E

ngland

Nor

ther

n Ire

land

Sco

tland

Sou

th E

ast E

ngla

nd

Sou

th W

est E

ngland

Wal

es

Wes

t Mid

land

s

Yor

kshire

and

the

Hum

ber

I don

't liv

e in th

e UK

Attitude to shopping online

0%

10%20%

30%40%

50%

60%70%

80%

I prefer shopping online I use a mix of shopping online

and in physical stores,

depends on the product I want

I‟d prefer to go to a physical

store to purchase

Attitude to product costs

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

I like things to be as cheap as

possible, if they don‟t last that

long it doesn‟t matter

because I can buy a new one

I‟d rather spend a little extra

on something if I know it‟s

going to last

I‟ll always buy the best

quality, regardless of price

Home AccessoriesBronze

Silver

Gold

Respondents 511

Respondents 510

Home Accessories

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

This type of images give me

the confidence that the

product is suitable for my

home (size, purpose &

function)

These type of images help

me understand the product

colour and material

I like to see other items

from the same range and

co-ordinating products to

give me ideas and

inspiration for my home

I would expect to be able to

buy other items in the

photograph at the same

time

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Respondents 502

Below are some statements people have made about the product images on

this page. For each statement please tell us how much you agree or disagree.

5 = Agree, 1 = Disagree

Respondents 508

Small Furniture Items Bronze

Silver

Gold

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

BRONZE SILVER GOLD

If the product images where like the style shown right, how likely would you be to buy this product?

5 = Definitely Would Buy, 1 = Definitely Would Not Buy

2.90

3.00

3.10

3.20

3.30

3.40

3.50

3.60

3.70

3.80

BRONZE SILVER GOLD

How confident are you that this style of image provides you with all the information you need to decide to buy the product?

5 = Very Confident, 1 = Very Unconfident

Respondents 539

Respondents 537

Small Furniture Items Bronze

Silver

Gold

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

This type of images give me

the confidence that the

product is suitable for my

home (size, purpose &

function)

These type of images help

me understand the product

colour and material

I like to see other items

from the same range and

co-ordinating products to

give me ideas and

inspiration for my home

I would expect to be able to

buy other items in the

photograph at the same

time

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Below are some statements people have made about the product images on

this page. For each statement please tell us how much you agree or disagree.

5 = Agree, 1 = Disagree

Respondents 540

Respondents 537

Large Furniture Items Bronze

Silver

Gold

Respondents 509

Respondents 510

Large Furniture Items Bronze

Silver

Gold

Respondents 505

Respondents 510

Summary When shopping online for the following items, what sort of

images would you expect to see? (Please tick all that apply)

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Multiple feature/ benefit images

Zoom / close up

Product in a

room set

Single photo of product

Model using

product

Product video

Home accessory (e.g. cushion, bedding, curtains, vase, etc) Yes

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Multiple feature/ benefit images

Product in a

room set

Zoom / close up

Single photo of product

Model using

product

Product video

Small furniture item (e.g. chair, side table, bookcase, desk, etc)

Yes

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%

Multiple feature/ benefit images

Zoom / close up

Product in a room

set

Single photo of product

Model using

product

Product video

Large furniture item (e.g. wardrobe, sofa, bed, sideboard, etc)

Yes

522 responses

“When an item containing an enclosed area

(cupboard or wardrobes etc) is shown, I

would like to see the interior to see how

shelves, hanging space or dividers are

arranged”

Summary

When shopping online for the following items, which is the

MOST IMPORTANT image to see? (Please tick one only for each product)

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Single

photo of

product

Product

in a

room set

Multiple

feature/

benefit

images

Model

using

product

Zoom /

close up

Product

video

Home accessory (e.g. cushion,

bedding, curtains, vase, etc)

Large furniture item (e.g.

wardrobe, sofa, bed, sideboard,

etc)

Small furniture item (e.g. chair,

side table, bookcase, desk, etc)

“Videos - useful only if I

would be using the product

more as a „how to‟ or „how

easy‟”

“So much depends on the size of the item, the

cost and the written description. If the written

description is very good and the item is of

relatively small value then I am more likely to

buy from a single simple image.

The more expensive or complicated the item,

the more information would be required

(written and image). This is when the value of

video and customer feedback can be

important.”

Summary

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

120.00%

When shopping online for furniture please rank your top 5 considerations?

Score vs highest achieved

1762 responses

Go to another website to find a similar product

Try and find the product in a store (if the website has stores)

Other

Don‟t buy from anywhere

When shopping on a website, if the

product images do not provide with enough

information, what do you usually do?

520 responses

“Phone the

company for

details”

“Look up the same product

on another website and

then buy it from whichever

is cheaper.”

Summary

Website / online

In store

Catalogue / brochure

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Website / online Catalogue / brochure In store

Online

In a store

Thinking about browsing or shopping for homewares

and furniture, which of the following do you use to

gather information and ideas?

522 responses

And which do you use most?

Would you usually end up buying

online or in a store?

“I cannot always judge the

proportions of the item

online so I prefer to go to

the store and make sure it

is what I am looking for.”

“Because buying on line is so

straightforward.

Also I am disabled and have

mobility problems so visiting a

store isn‟t an option for me.

Everything I need I buy

online.”

“More convenient - I can

browse on line late at

night/discuss with

partner without having to

drag him round shops.”

RecommendationsIncrease shot rate per product – where

necessary

• cut-outs/ some with propping

• product specific – focus on features & benefits

• introduce more video‟s/ 360 shots to large furniture

items that require an action (sofa bed, assembly,

divan etc)

• continue with work done on wardrobes/ sofa beds

P

Make lifestyle/ room set shots more cost effective

(furniture photography currently costs approx. £250 per

product)

• more selective of products that are shot in room sets –

hero products

• more cost effective production – allocate photography

studio & brief in volume, requirements & product

information early to achieve volume discount

• make room set shots more cost effective by „carving

up‟ into individual shots of all products within room set

P

Improve the perception of lifestyle photography purpose

• they are our brand

• they portray quality

• they enable our customers to make an informed decision

• they can be utilised across multiple formats – press, POS, APN

• they are memorable – putting us in customers minds to think of Asda over the competition

P

Recommendations

Great quality double divan bed featuring a pine frame base and a Firm Silentnight Miracoil 3

Ortho mattress.

The Silentnight Miracoil 3 Ortho double mattress offers comfort and firm support for your

bedroom at an affordable price.

Featuring the Miracoil 3 Spring System for unrivalled support and 'no roll together' plus lower

back support zone and pressure relief. Micro quilted, hypo-allergenic mattress cover for

comfort, all night long.

• With two drawers you have plenty of room to store things like spare bedding or clothes

• Mattress depth - 22cm, easy care with no turn

• Also available in single and king size with four drawers

For more than 60 years Silentnight has been synonymous with providing comfort, support

and a relaxing night's sleep to millions of consumers across the UK. Firmly established as the

bed industry's largest manufacturer and brand leader, Silentnight‟s well-known Hippo and

Duck characters, first created to demonstrate the unique 'no roll-together' properties of a

Silentnight bed, remain recognisable symbols across the nation. As a company, they are

committed to offering the consumer choice, quality, comfort and support, whilst constantly

innovating with an aim of producing the ultimate bed selection.

See our Beds and Mattresses Buying Guide for handy tips and advice on choosing the right

one for you.

Headboard and home accessories shown for display purposes only

Continue with improvements

of copy – see divan example

• product specific features,

benefits and suitability

• cross sells to other products

within range/ colour options

• utilises keywords customers

commonly use – improves our

natural search results

Improve quality information

• work closer with suppliers/

technical to achieve

• more details about the product

materials, manufacturing

methods/ country

• „how & where made‟ videos

• assembly instructions online

• 3D drawings of products with

dimensions to understand size/

P

P

This will deliver:

• A better customer experience - build their trust in us, reflecting our excellent store customer service/ experience

• Will build our brand & quality perception plus deliver point of difference

• Improved inventory & opportunity to sell-through at full retail price

• Ability to utilise all online marketing channels by having usable content across multiple media (to prevent re-briefing for individual purpose)