What you will make
A listing image set: one compliant main image plus three to five lifestyle or secondary images that still show your real product accurately.
Best for: Sellers who already have a clear photo of their product and want better secondary images without a studio shoot.
Before you start
- A sharp, evenly lit photo of the real product, shot by you or someone who gave you the rights.
- Access to the marketplace’s current image requirements (open them in a second tab; they change).
- An image editor that supports layers and masks.
Steps
Audit the source photo
Zoom to 200%. Check focus on the label, clean edges, no colour cast and no reflections of the room. A weak source photo becomes a weak result, and fixing it later costs more than reshooting now.
Tip. Shoot against a plain light wall with a window to one side. Add a white card opposite to soften shadows.
Make the compliant main image without AI creativity
Cut the product out, place it on a pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255) and size it to fill most of the frame. Marketplaces typically ask for a minimum pixel size on the long edge, no added text, badges or watermarks, and an accurate product. Confirm the current numbers in your marketplace’s seller help before exporting.
Plan the secondary images first
Write the list before you generate anything: one lifestyle scene, one scale/size image, one detail close-up, one “what is in the box” image. Each image should answer one buyer question. This stops you from generating dozens of pretty pictures that do not sell.
Generate the scene, not the product
Ask the image model for an empty scene with a clear space where the product will sit. Models alter labels, logos and proportions. Generating only the environment, then placing your real photo into it, keeps the product exact.
Tip. Match the light: tell the model where the light comes from, then flip your product cut-out if its shadow side disagrees.
Composite and add a believable shadow
Place the cut-out on the scene, match scale to nearby objects, and paint a soft contact shadow on a separate layer. Add a subtle reflection only if the surface is glossy. Check the edge of the cut-out for a bright halo against dark backgrounds.
Compare against the physical product
Hold the product next to the screen. Check colour, label text, number of parts and proportions. Anything the AI invented (extra buttons, different caps, changed wording) must be removed. Misleading images lead to returns and policy problems.
Export and name the files
Export sRGB JPEGs at the size your marketplace requires. Name files so you can tell versions apart, for example sku_main_v1.jpg and sku_lifestyle_kitchen_v1.jpg. Keep the layered files for later edits.
Prompts
Replace anything in [square brackets]. Prompts are starting points: results vary between tools and versions, so review every output.
Empty lifestyle scene
Use this to generate the environment only.
Photograph of an empty [kitchen counter / bathroom shelf / desk] in soft morning window light from the left, shallow depth of field, clear flat surface in the lower third left empty for a product, natural props blurred in the background, neutral warm colour palette, no text, no logos, no people.
Scale image brief
Use this with a text model to plan the size/scale image.
My product is [describe it] and is [width x height x depth] cm. List 5 everyday objects a buyer knows the size of that I could place next to it so scale is obvious at a glance. For each, say how to arrange them so the product stays the hero.
Alt text and file names
Use this after export to label your files.
Write a short, factual alt text (under 120 characters) and a lowercase hyphenated file name for each image in this list: [list your images]. Describe only what is visible. Do not add claims about quality, certifications or results.
Checklist before you publish
- The main image has a pure white background, no text or badges, and the product fills most of the frame.
- Every label, logo and printed word matches the physical product.
- No AI-invented features, accessories or packaging details.
- Secondary images are clearly lifestyle or informational, not presented as the main image.
- You hold the rights to the source photo and to the tools’ output under their terms.
- You re-checked the marketplace’s current image policy on the day you uploaded.
Common mistakes
- Letting the model regenerate the product, which quietly changes the label.
- Using a lifestyle image as the main image.
- Matching the scene’s colour but not its light direction, so the product looks pasted on.
- Skipping the check against the real object.
