September 18, 2018 Industry news
Our shopping habits are changing rapidly with an increasing amount of transactions carried out online.
In 2017, seven per cent of all groceries in the UK were bought using the internet and two out of every five purchases were made using mobile devices.
With the level of mobile sales set to rise further, the way that products are represented online is becoming an increasingly important part of the customer experience.
The simple “pack shot” image may have been adequate for shoppers using a desktop display, but it cannot communicate the information needed by consumers using a much smaller mobile phone screen.
Add to this that retailers all adhere to different criteria when creating their online product imagery, and the sector has been clamouring for clarity and consistency.
The group was made up of retailers including Tesco, Asda, Carrefour and Walmart, brands including Unilever, Coca Cola, L’Oréal and Nestlé, tech giant Google and other GS1 organisations from across the world.
Governed by the Four Ws, the guidelines are a clear set of recommendations for creating consistent product images that allow shoppers to make quick and accurate purchase decisions on mobile devices.
In a nutshell, the Four Ws are:
- Who is the brand?
- What is it? – The type of product.
- Which variant of the product is it?
- HoW much of it is there?
To view the guidelines in more detail, simply click here.
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