Properly Resizing an Image

Posting this short tutorial about image resizing for your products. I'm one to believe that you should keep your product image thumbnails consistent throughout your web store. The same goes if you are showcasing an image set for any website. 

The width should remain consistent. It's always a plus if the height can remain the same as well. You an always crop in on a thumbnail to show more of your product and not the stuff surrounding it, even it is shot portrait style (vertical). If you cut off a little of the product, that is okay too. So long as the product you kept in the picture is enticing to your customer enough to click and see the full image on the overview page!

Here is the video:

Monitor Resoultions

A few people have asked me this question recently. 

"How do monitor resolutions affect me?"

The display resolution of a digital television or computer display typically refers to the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube (CRT) and flat panel or projection displays using fixed picture-element (pixel) arrays.

Via Wikipedia

A bunch of mumbo-jumbo, I know. I will try to explain in a way that makes sense.

First you must know the pixel. Without going into too much detail, a pixel is actually just a square dot. The images on your computer are made up of a lot of little square dots.

As you can see in this image.

Monitors differ. A lot.

Some monitors can only fit 640 pixels across the screen. These kinds of monitors make your website appear very large, because the PIXELS are BIGGER...

Other monitors can fit over 2568 pixels across the screen. Lets say both monitors are 19". The "high resolution" monitor is going to make a website appear smaller than on a monitor that has low resolution (smaller pixels)

I will show a real world example.

This is my computer monitor. Obviously I have shrunken the images to fit the blog.

This is my monitor as I currently use it at 1680x1050 pixels. I could fit several of my websites across this screen. My monitor is a 21" wide screen monitor.

This is my same monitor at 640x480 resolution. As you can see I can barely view 2 3rds of my my website because the pixels are BIGGER.

It's good practice to make sure your website or webstore fits within 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high. 640 x 480 is rarely used these days. Only older (not HD) televisions use this resolution, even though you can set your monitor to it, I wouldn't advice it :p

A lot of people are migrating to 1024x768 pixels so if you go a little wider on your site, it is acceptable. Most good website are about 700 pixels wide or they stretch 100% to fill the page at any resolution. 

To reflect on a question someone asked me before; They asked how many inches is a certain amount of pixels on a screen. You cannot answer that question because as you can see above, 640 pixels is 21" and so is 1,680. Every monitor varies. 

Is your store ready for the holiday season?

I know the holidays are approaching quickly. Believe me. My 10 month old is turning 1 on Thanks Giving this year. The time is passing too fast.

We're running a special right now at eBiz Graphics. A logo and header together for $99.  If you want to get a leg up on your competitors you should be sure to have your winter products in stock, NOW! The holidays bring the best sales for most internet retailers and the perfect way to compliment that is with a professional logo and header for your site that compliments your product and business.

A suggestion would be to "theme" your header to have a seasonal feel to it. Much like "google.com" changes their logo on special days to reflect a holiday and/or event. This gives that extra something to your site while making it obvious to your customer that your website is ever-changing. This will encourage repeat business.

What does a logo represent and why do I need it?

So you started your new e-Biz. Have you looked into having a logo made yet?

If you're serious about your business you are going to need a logo. Logo's aren't just fancy pictures in your website header. Usually they aren't just text, either.

Okay, why is a logo so important?

Your logo or "mark" represents your company! Their are about 3 kinds of logos. Some are purely text logos. Companies like "ABC" network or "Revlon" makeup. These include pure play on text, and the font used is usually designed from scratch. 

The second kind of logo can stand on it's own without text. They create a symbol for themselves easily recognized anywhere. A classic example of this is the Nike logo. It's just a mark. You see that swoosh and you know it's Nike.

The third kind of logo is a hybrid between text and symbol. It's very hard to build yourself up to the reputation level that Nike has. As a small e-biz it is recommended that you accompany a mark with text. Sometimes these kind of logos include symbols in their play on text. For instance, "Amazon.com" makes a smiley face while showing "A to Z". If you look at the FedEx label, between the E and x you can see an arrow, insinuating movement. Some details are much more subtle.

Okay, I get the types of logos, but why do I need one?

A good logo can set the bar for any company. In the care of a professional designer a logo can represent what your company does and give a feeling to a customer through recognition. Lines and shapes and colors really make a difference. Some things can be taken negatively by a customer, even if they are not aware of why it is negative to them. For instance, if the color red is used improperly. Certain red's can induce passion and caring while others induce a feeling of anger or hostility. Same thing goes with the type of font you use or even the sizing of things. You don't want to seem over-bearing or non-existent either. I've seen logos where the mark is very large and the text is very small inside of it to the point of being unreadable! 

You want your customer to feel safe and in a professional environment in order to lead them to a purchase. Believe it or not, logos can say a lot with very little, if done correctly.

Where else can I put logos?

Logos can go many places. Obviously they can go on your header of your website or on a business card. But have you ever thought about putting it on your package labels? On your packaging tape? What about sending stickers with your logo on it in your packages? Your advertisements? In your email signature? What about on your product if you're manufacturing yourself or in China? Your logo should go on everything you can put it on! Don't be shy! In some cases you can even put your mark alone on materials or product. This can rub off as very professional to your customer and get repeat business because you will be more memorable. Which brings me to my next point...

What do I get out of it?

You will stand out from the crowd. You will achieve an identity. You will convert traffic. You won't be like every other store out there. Your company will be professional. When you contact suppliers include your logo in your email signature to appear more established.

The difference.

A lot of "logo design websites" can provide logos for very cheap. You get these logos cheaply because they recycle designs from other clients or use stock artwork to make a so called custom logo. Ebiz Graphics charges just a tiny bit more because your company is handled in a professional manner and your logo will never be made out of old stock artwork or recycled logos. 

Be creative! Stand out from the crowd!

To consult a designer about your new logo for free go to ebizgraphics.com and fill out the order request form! We don't  invoice unless you are ready for a logo! :)