Image ops is a pipeline, not a project
Stores with hundreds of SKUs don't have an "image problem" once; they have one every week — new arrivals, new marketplaces, a theme change that needs a new crop. The teams that cope treat images like a production line: fixed inputs, fixed presets, sampled QA.
1. Standardise the input
- One master per SKU at 2000px+ on the long side, on a plain background.
- SKU-first filenames:
SKU123_01.jpg,SKU123_02.jpg… Position 01 is always the main image. - Source from wherever they live: supplier spreadsheets (Excel Image Downloader) or supplier product pages (Product URL Extractor).
2. Clean once
Run every master through background cleanup so all main images share the same white and margin. Doing this before resizing means every derived size inherits the fix.
3. Presets, not decisions
Decide your output set once and save it as presets:
| Channel | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon / Flipkart / Nykaa | 2000×2000 | 1:1 |
| Myntra / Ajio | 1080×1440 | 3:4 |
| Shopify theme | 2048×2048 | 1:1 |
| Instagram feed | 1080×1350 | 4:5 |
| Reels / video cover | 1080×1920 | 9:16 |
Image Studio applies a preset to a whole batch and returns a flat ZIP plus a summary report and a failed-items report — the two files you need for QA.
4. Batch sizes and QA sampling
- Process in batches of 200–500.
- Open the Failed report first; most failures are corrupt files or wrong formats.
- Sample 5% of the output: check edges, margins and that position 01 is on white.
5. Add value where it changes conversion
Not every SKU deserves lifestyle scenes or video. Rank by revenue and apply the expensive steps to the top 20%:
- Lifestyle scenes via AI Lifestyle Generator (2–3 per hero SKU)
- Multi-angle catalog pages via AI Catalog Generator
- 5-second videos via AI Video Studio
6. Re-run, don't re-shoot
When a marketplace changes its spec or you add a channel, re-run the masters through a new preset. Keeping masters clean is what makes this a 20-minute job instead of a re-shoot.
A weekly rhythm that works
- Monday: ingest new SKUs, name files, clean backgrounds.
- Tuesday: export presets for all channels, QA sample, upload.
- Thursday: generate scenes and videos for the week's top sellers.
Predictable, boring, and much cheaper than Friday-night firefighting.
