How do I cut returns caused by "not as pictured"?
By Dan BartleyUpdated 4 minute read
The short answer
Make the listing match what arrives. These returns usually come from colour that looks different in real life, a size that was hard to judge, or a material that looked better on screen. Show each of those more than one way, in photos and in words, then read your return reasons by product to see which gap is still open.
Why do customers say a product was not as pictured?
Because something about it surprised them: the colour, the size, the material or a detail the photos did not show. Each is a gap between the listing and the product, and each has its own fix.
| What they say | What usually went wrong | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| The colour is different | The light, the phone’s processing or the editing changed the colour | Photograph in one kind of light, check against the product, name the shade in words |
| It is smaller than I thought | No photo showed it beside anything of a known size | A scale photo in a room or in a hand, with dimensions near the price |
| The quality looks lower in person | The photos flattered the material, or showed a different finish | Close-ups of the real material in daylight |
| It is not the one in the photo | One variant’s photo stood in for another, or a supplier photo showed a different version | Photos of every variant you sell |
| It looked different in the room photo | Styling or editing changed the product itself | Check every scene against the real product before it goes live |
How do I stop colour causing returns?
Photograph the colour accurately, then describe it, because every customer’s screen shows it a little differently. Name the shade and its undertone in words, show the product in daylight, and offer swatches for fabric, timber and rugs.
The causes and fixes are set out in how to get accurate colour in product photos.
How do I stop returns for the wrong size?
Show the product beside things everyone knows the size of, and put the dimensions where buyers look. A person on the sofa, a lamp beside the chair or a bag in a hand tells buyers the size faster than a list of numbers.
- A scale photo in the first three images, not at the end of the gallery
- Width, depth and height beside the price or the size options
- A frame with the dimensions marked, for pieces where size decides the sale
- For clothing, the model’s height and the size they are wearing
More in how to show the size of a product.
Do I have to refund a product that is not as pictured?
Often, yes. In Australia, goods must match the description you give, and when the difference is a major problem the customer can choose a refund or a replacement; in New Zealand, the product must match its description online.
The business.gov.au guide to the Australian Consumer Law lists matching the description among the guarantees every business must meet, and says a store policy cannot override those rights. In New Zealand, Consumer Protection’s guide to the Consumer Guarantees Act says the product a customer receives must match its description online, on packaging and on labels.
Neither law covers a simple change of mind; your own returns policy decides those. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I find out which returns come from the listing?
Ask for a reason with every return, in categories that point to a fix, and read them by product each month. A product with many colour or size returns has a listing problem; one with many faults has a product problem.
- Colour different from the photos
- Smaller or larger than expected
- Material or quality different from the photos
- Not the item shown, or the wrong variant
- Damaged or faulty
- Changed my mind
Fix the listing for the worst product first, then compare its return reasons over the following months.
Can better product photos reduce returns?
Yes, when the returns come from the photos. Photos that show the true colour, the size against familiar things and the real material up close leave fewer surprises, and a surprise is what not as pictured means.
Bartley Studio checks colour, proportion and materials against your phone photos in every frame, and finishes each one by hand. If a final image fails to match the real-world dimensions, colour profiles or physical materials of your actual product, it is re-edited until it matches, with no caps and no extra fees.
Other questions people ask about this
Should I avoid AI images if I am worried about returns?
Avoid any image that has not been checked against the real product. An AI image that changes the colour, shape or size of the product creates the very returns you are trying to stop.
Read the full answerDo customer photos help reduce returns?
They help, because they show the product in real homes and real light. They work alongside accurate product photos, not instead of them.
Read the full answerShould I offer free returns?
That is a decision about your margin. Whatever you decide, fix the listing first, because returns caused by an inaccurate listing are ones you may have to accept either way.
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