What are you using for your Photo Booth Curtains?

[flosho]

I think you missed my point.

When scanning thru SRPs (Search Return Pages) IF a thumbnail visually seperates itself from the others, then higher CTRs are expected (merchandising 101).

Speaking of stock shots, I can think of no manuf'er that sells its iron in a sterile & featureless white room. If your thinking of "evox shots" you won't find any on ebay and they have 1/2 the background in a dark grey.

My example was this:

Search returns 10 results

8 of them are "everyday" shots with varied angles but can tell it's an actual shot of the car.

1 of them is a very nicely done shot with all white background. -Customer skips it because it looks to similar to a stock photo, while it "sticks out" it looks too much like a stock photo to generate a click.

1 of them is a very nicely done shot in front of the dealership wihth minimal background distractions. -Customer clicks this one because the car isn't covered in snow or a dark shadow AND because it looks "real".


My point was simply that I feel like there is a fine line between presenting a vehicle to look it's best and making it look too good that people don't feel its an accurate representation or what have you...


This is just my opinion, and I don't work at a large dealer group selling new cars so it could be out of left field for most/some.

 

[joe.pistell]

My example was this:

Search returns 10 results

1 of them is a very nicely done shot with all white background. -Customer skips it because it looks to similar to a stock photo, while it "sticks out" it looks too much like a stock photo to generate a click.

Flosho, I know where your goin'. You see the white background and your mind flashes to a dealer stock photo inventory pic. I get it, but we're in the biz, so we're sensitive to it. IMO, shoppers (on ebay) won't come to the same conclusions you're making.

For some fun!
Wash your mind of all pre-conceptions and THINK like a ravenous ebayer... prowling page after page for the kill. You lurk and lurk so more. You refresh just to make sure your looking at the "freshest data". As the days rack up, you return to again and again find out if some skumbag has upped the bid one of the 22 cars your watching...


What's the most common experience a shopper has after the 2nd week?
Eye Fatigue.


Shopper uses the thumbnails to "visual bookmark" a unit they saw days earlier. Scanning eye balls need a simple visual message to stop on your unit for sale. I bet if you put a big a** yellow start over the opening pic (the thumbnail), your CTR would raise.

just my $0.02 view of the world we're in.


p.s. this reminds me of some sage advice my Cars.com rep gave me. "Be sure to turn on your headlights in your opening shot, we have proof that it raises the CTR" I snickered and said "Ahhh... ok". I followed with "...And when all your clients have their headlights on, the highest CTR will go to the guy with them OFF!" Funny how they had never thought of that!

Jeff Kerschner and I were eBay KINGS back in the day, and we've been down this "thumbnail road" many times before!! hahahaha

 

[joe.pistell]

It's photo booth backdrop & lighting upgrade time!

I'm leaning towards Alex's recommendation of a Muslin Back drop. I am thinking a marble texture, possibly:

Does anyone know of a dealer that's used Muslin Curtains in their photo booth?

 

[joe.pistell]

Also,

The lack of color in the backdrop makes silver cars look lifeless.





See how the green triangle overlay makes the silver look better?



Thoughts?

 

[john.quinn]

We just switched to this to attract more commercial business:

 

[ed.brooks]

We just switched to this to attract more commercial business:

WINNING!

 

[ryan.leslie]

We just switched to this to attract more commercial business:

"Forget Gen Y, we are pre-selling Gen AB."-JQuinn

 

[Ssilvestri]

I just started working for an independant used car dealer. i worked for a franchise as their internet manager/photographer for a year and a half, and before that i ran a company that took photos for dealers and managed their ebay pages for about 6 years, so i feel like my angles and method of taking the photos is pretty solid (that's up to debate i guess haha) Anyway, my new boss started the process of the booth before i started there (hung some lights) and we are in process of starting the rest of it. I wanted to get some input on what anyone thinks about the area, and how the photos are coming out now. i feel like we need:

at least one curtain or wall between the booth and the rest of the service dept.
additional lighting or some diffusion method
paint/seal/appoxy/tile the floor (this is our biggest delima right now)
get rid of the block glass windows on the one wall to elimate natural light
Our Logo/website/phone number displayed on the walls somehow.

here is a car i did in the area as it sits now.
2006 Jeep Liberty Limited canfield, Ohio | Haus Auto Group
and our website is
www.hausautogroup.com (just in case that car sells and the link dies)

ANY and ALL critism/suggestions are welcome!!