Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
Do I Need My Own Product Photos to Start?
Not on day one, but you do need photos that show the exact product you sell. Here is when supplier images and stock photos are fine, and when they cost you sales or listings.
Key takeaways
- You can launch with supplier photos if you have permission to use them. They must show the exact item you ship.
- Stock photos work for banners, lifestyle sections and blog posts, not as the main image of a product.
- Google Merchant Center requires the primary image to show the exact item sold and bans stock photo watermarks.
- Shopify accepts images up to 5000 x 5000 px and under 20 MB, and recommends 2048 x 2048 px for square product images.
- Who it is for
- New store owners
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- Your product list
No, you don't need your own product photos to start, but every product image must show the exact item the customer will receive. Supplier photos are fine if the supplier allows it, and stock photos are fine for banners and lifestyle sections, not as main product images. Plan to replace the key images with your own once the first products sell.
I build and audit Shopify stores, and weak or mismatched photos are one of the first trust problems I flag. The image rules below come from Shopify's Help Center and Google Merchant Center, checked on 7 November 2026.
Your photo options at launch
| Source | Use for | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier photos | Product images | Same images as every reseller |
| Stock photos | Banners, lifestyle, blog | Misleading if used as product |
| Phone photos | Product and detail shots | Poor light, uneven style |
| AI-edited images | Backgrounds, cleanup | Changing how the product looks |
| Hired photographer | Hero and lifestyle shots | Upfront cost |
Supplier photos: fine with permission
If you resell or dropship, the supplier's photos are the fastest way to launch. Get written permission first, because photos are copyrighted like any other work. Then check two things: that the photo matches the variant you ship, color included, and that it has no watermark or other brand's logo. The weakness is sameness. Shoppers who compare prices see the same image on ten stores, and the cheapest one usually wins. Your own photos are one of the few ways to stand out on an identical product.
Stock photos: for everything except the product
Free libraries such as Unsplash allow commercial use, but the license doesn't let you sell images without significant modification, and a stock photo of a similar mug isn't a photo of your mug. Use stock images for homepage banners, collection headers, about pages and blog posts, where the image sets a mood rather than showing an item for sale.
Shooting your own on a budget
- Use daylight. Shoot near a large window, with a white card opposite to fill shadows.
- Use a plain background. A roll of white or light gray paper is enough for most small products.
- Keep the phone steady. A cheap tripod keeps every shot at the same angle and height.
- Shoot a set. Front, back, side, a detail close-up, scale in a hand or room, and the packaging.
- Keep the frame the same. Shopify suggests a consistent aspect ratio so collection pages line up.
- Edit lightly. Crop, straighten and correct white balance. Sidekick, Shopify's AI assistant, can help create images, but never change the product's color or shape.
Shopify image specs
Product image limits on Shopify
- Max size5000 x 5000Pixels, or 25 megapixels.
- File sizeUnder 20 MBPer image.
- Square2048 x 2048Usually displays best.
Photos and returns by country
If the item that arrives looks different from the photo, expect complaints and returns wherever you sell. In the UK and the EU, customers can cancel an online order within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason, so a misleading photo turns straight into return postage and lost margin. In the US and Australia, change-of-mind returns depend more on your own policy, but an item that doesn't match its description is a different matter. Accurate photos reduce returns as much as they win sales.
What to do next
- Launch with what you have if it's accurate, then reshoot your best sellers first.
- Name and compress images properly. My guide to image SEO for Shopify covers file names, alt text and sizes.
- Build the page around the photos. See designing a high-converting product page and building trust in a new store.
- Short on time? Read running a store alongside a full-time job for what to do first.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use stock photos for my products?
Not as the main product image. A stock photo shows a similar item, not the one you sell, which misleads shoppers and breaks Google Merchant Center's rule that the primary image must show the exact item. Use stock images for banners and lifestyle sections.
Can I use my supplier's product photos?
Yes, with the supplier's permission. Make sure each photo matches the exact variant you ship and has no watermark or other brand's logo. Replace key images with your own later so your store looks different from other resellers.
What size should Shopify product images be?
Shopify recommends 2048 x 2048 pixels for square product images. Images can be up to 5000 x 5000 pixels or 25 megapixels, and must be under 20 MB.
Are free stock photos safe for commercial use?
Many are. Unsplash's license, for example, allows commercial use without credit, but you can't sell the images without significant modification. Always read the license of the library you use.
Can I take product photos with my phone?
Yes. A recent phone, daylight from a window, a plain background and a tripod produce good product photos. Shoot the same angles for every product so your collection pages look consistent.
Can I use AI to create product images?
You can use AI to clean up backgrounds or create lifestyle scenes, and Sidekick can help create images in Shopify. Never let it change the product's color, shape or details, because the photo must match what the customer receives.
Sources
- Product media types, Shopify Help Center
- Image requirements, Google Merchant Center Help
- Unsplash License, Unsplash
- Sidekick, Shopify Help Center
- Online and distance selling for businesses, GOV.UK
- Guarantees and returns, Your Europe (European Union)
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
More guides
-
Why Shopify Stores Lose Sales on Mobile: A Practical CRO Checklist
Mobile visitors decide fast, with one thumb and plenty of distractions. Here is how to find the leaks on a Shopify store and fix them in the right order.
-
Shopify CRO Audit Checklist for DTC Brands
The checklist I use to audit DTC Shopify stores, from checking that the data can be trusted to deciding which fixes to ship first.
-
When to Build a Custom Shopify App Instead of Adding Another Subscription
Another subscription is the quickest fix, until you are paying for five apps that still don't match how your business works. Here is how to decide.
-
How to Find Out What Theme a Shopify Store Uses
Every Shopify store names its theme in the page code. Here is where to look, how to read what you find, and what it means for your own theme choice.
-
How to See What Apps a Shopify Store Uses
Apps leave traces in a store's page code: scripts from their own servers, app embed folders and pixel settings. Here is how to read them, and what to do with the list.
-
How to Name a Shopify Store (and Check the Name Is Free)
A store name has to be easy to say, free as a domain and a handle, and clear of other brands. Here is the process I use with clients, and what Shopify lets you change later.
