PPN #30: 6 Must-Have Product Images for Faire Success

Hey there! 👋

Between supply chain challenges and market volatility, retail can feel pretty unpredictable these days.

The good news? There's one powerful aspect of your wholesale strategy that's completely within your control: how your products show up visually on Faire.

When a buyer is scrolling through hundreds of brands on Faire, you've got milliseconds to grab their attention. Your product carousel isn't just showing your product—it's your visual pitch deck, telling buyers exactly why they need YOU on their shelves.

At The Prosper Lab, we’ve revamped hundreds of Faire profiles, A/B tested countless image combinations, and have officially found the right formula for your product carousel.

The transformation is immediate and measurable. Buyers who used to scroll right past are now stopping, clicking, and (most importantly) ordering, with traffic + conversion consistently going up.

Today, I’m sharing our insider’s guide to the 6 images you need in your Faire product carousels. Because getting on Faire isn't enough—you need to actually sell once you're there. →

The Essential Faire Image Carousel Checklist

1️⃣ Leading Product Image

Objective: Show a clear view of your product and packaging in an inviting, colorful manner that represents your branding.

Must-have elements:

• Clearly shows front packaging as it would appear on a shelf

• Clearly demonstrates what the product is/how it's used

• Features a colorful background that grabs buyers' attention

Add to the creative brief: Use bold, saturated backgrounds that instantly communicate your brand vibe and contrast with your packaging to make your product POP like nothing else.

Bonus points: Place your product at a slight angle (approximately 15-20 degrees) instead of perfectly straight-on to create dynamic visual interest. And for goodness sake, make sure the product is the hero—leave enough negative space around it to breathe!

Pro tip: This is the ONLY image buyers see when scrolling through search results, so if you invest in just one professional photo, make it this one!

2️⃣ Stylized Product Images

Objective: Show off product details and give retailers a good understanding of your product before they read descriptions.

Must-have elements:

• Use props/scenes to show flavor, type, or usage

• Keep it colorful & inviting

• Create a lifestyle-oriented setting

• Include 2-3 different styled shots in your carousel

Add to the creative brief: Use styled images that tell a micro-story about your product. For food products, that could be raw ingredients arranged artfully around the packaging to signal flavor profiles. For beauty products, try texture shots that convey sensory experience. These aren't just photos—they're visual storytelling.

Bonus points: Color coordinate your prop selection with your packaging colors for a cohesive, intentional look, but keep it SIMPLE. Overcrowded images confuse buyers.

3️⃣ Back of Packaging Shot

Objective: Let buyers examine all the information they'd see in-store.

Must-have elements:

• Clear photo of packaging back

• Maintain consistent background colors with your other images

• Ensure text is readable

Add to the creative brief: Treat your back-of-package shot with the same level of care as their hero image. Don’t just flip the package over and snap a quick pic—use the same gorgeous backdrop, perfect lighting, and thoughtful positioning to make even the ingredient list look desirable.

Bonus points: If your packaging has standout certifications or claims, consider slightly angling the package to ensure these features are perfectly visible. And please, PLEASE make sure the image is high-res enough that buyers can actually read the small print if they zoom in!

Pro tip: This image builds serious buyer trust—they NEED to see ingredients, instructions, and nutrition facts before they'll commit to an order.

4️⃣ Product Close-Up

Objective: Help retailers understand texture, size, and quality of your actual product.

Must-have elements:

• Show what's inside the packaging

• Highlight texture and detail

• Can be lifestyle-oriented or simple product shot

Add to the creative brief: Use macro photography techniques to showcase the quality of your products. For food products, showing the inside or texture is absolutely CRUCIAL; for beauty products, showing application or absorption is what seals the deal. These images answer the question: "What am I ACTUALLY getting?"

Bonus points: Consider including something for scale that fits your brand aesthetic. For food, this might be a beautiful fork with a bite taken; for skincare, this could be fingertips applying the product. Buyers need to understand size and application intuitively.

5️⃣ Infographic

Objective: Communicate key selling points visually within your product carousel.

Must-have elements:

• Highlight benefits, ingredients, or usage

• Use consistent branding

• Keep it clean and easy to scan

Add to the creative brief: Answer buyer questions before they're even asked by highlighting unique ingredients with beautiful illustrations, explaining unique usage methods with simple steps, or showcasing sustainability practices with impactful icons.

Bonus points: Include retailer-specific information like available display options, case pack details, or compelling consumer data points. Anything that helps the retailer envision how this product will perform in THEIR store is golden.

6️⃣ UGC/Lifestyle Image

Objective: Show real people using your product to build authenticity and trust.

Must-have elements:

• Clearly demonstrates models using the product as intended

• Bright imagery that matches your aesthetic

• Authentic, relatable scenarios that help retailers visualize their customers using the product

Add to the creative brief: The best-performing brands are selecting UGC that looks professional enough to blend with their brand aesthetic while still maintaining that crucial authenticity factor. They're choosing images with diverse models that represent their actual customer base (not just Instagram perfection), in real-world settings that feel accessible yet aspirational.

Bonus points: Include UGC from the types of customers who shop at your target retailers. If you're targeting high-end boutiques, choose UGC which features the lifestyle your boutique customers aspire to. Retailers want to see THEIR customers using your product.

Pro tip: These images help buyers envision their own customers enjoying your products, creating a powerful emotional connection.

Quick Action Steps

1. Audit your current Faire product carousels against this 6-image checklist

2. Identify your biggest gaps (Leading image should be top priority)

3. Plan a photography session or hire a product photographer

4. Create templates for consistent backgrounds and styling across all product carousels

Remember: Your Faire profile is essentially your digital wholesale catalog. The brands that invest in quality imagery are the ones that wholesale buyers return to again and again.

Need help optimizing your Faire presence? Our Faire Manage service specializes in transforming underperforming Faire profiles into wholesale powerhouses.

Until next time,

Caroline Grace 
Founder, Product & Prosper

P.S. Speaking of Faire, are you ready for the July’s Faire Market? Our Faire Market playbook helps clients maximize their Market week results! Stay tuned for this year's Market prep guide coming soon, or schedule a call to learn more about our services.