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Product photos play a crucial role in purchase decisions at online shopping malls. Unlike offline shopping, customers can't physically touch or try on products online, so they must make purchasing decisions based solely on product page photos. In this context, 'fitting models' are a key element that makes products stand out.

 

A fitting model isn't just someone wearing clothes but an important marketing element that maximizes product value and stimulates consumer purchase desire. Today, let's look at 7 key elements of fitting models that influence consumer purchasing decisions.

 

Essential Element 1: Model Image Matching the Product Concept

Successful shopping malls have clear concepts and target audiences. Fitting models are the most important visual means of expressing this concept. If you're selling cute style clothing, you should choose models with that image, and if it's an elegant, sophisticated style, you should select models with that atmosphere. This directly relates to the quality and consistency of product thumbnails.

*Thumbnail meaning: The representative image that first catches the customer's eye in the product list

 

The concept of a shopping mall determines the overall tone and manner of product pages and the homepage, and fitting models are the most direct representation of this concept. Therefore, establishing a clear concept for your shopping mall should be a priority before selecting models. When brand image and fitting model image align, consumers develop trust in the shopping mall and make purchase decisions more easily.

 

Essential Element 2: Representation of Various Body Types and Sizes

Modern consumers increasingly want models representing diverse body types and sizes. Especially for clothing shopping malls, using models with various body types can provide more accurate information about how clothes actually fit than showing just one standardized body type.

 

Recently, more shopping malls are employing plus-size models, and for athleisure products, muscular models are preferred. The trend is to use models with body types similar to the target customer base. This helps consumers more easily answer the question, "How would this outfit look on me?" By showing various body types and sizes, more consumers can make purchase decisions through models they can relate to.

 

 

Essential Element 3: Natural Poses that Emphasize Product Features

A fitting model's pose goes beyond aesthetic purposes to effectively showcase a product's characteristics and advantages. For example, it's important to strike active poses for workout clothes with good stretch, or poses that emphasize elegant flowing silhouettes for dresses.

Professional fitting models have the know-how to strike poses that best showcase product features. This means not just beautiful poses, but ones that effectively convey the functionality and design of products. Also, rather than exaggerated poses, showing natural poses as worn in daily life is effective in gaining consumer empathy. These natural poses make it easier for consumers to imagine how they would look actually wearing the item.

 

 

Essential Element 4: Professional Photography and Image Editing Quality

No matter how good the model and product are, it's difficult to gain consumer trust if the photography and editing quality is low. Professional lighting, camera equipment, and appropriate background settings are basic elements that can show products and models at their best. Background removal work is an essential process when working on product images, and these tasks must be done meticulously to make the product stand out more.

 

Lighting especially plays an important role in accurately expressing a product's color and texture. Inappropriate lighting can distort a product's actual color, leading to customer complaints after purchase. Effective lighting, like professional artwork creation, brings out the three-dimensional quality and texture of products. In the editing process, it's important to maintain a product's actual appearance while making it look attractive through natural editing rather than excessive retouching. Too much retouching can create a gap between the actual product and its image, increasing return rates.

 

 

Essential Element 5: Building Empathy with the Target Customer Base

Successful fitting models go beyond just having good looks; they must be able to build empathy with the target customer base. Shopping malls targeting teenagers need different model images than those targeting 30-40-year-old office workers.

 

Unlike professional fashion show models, fitting models may be more effective if they have body conditions closer to ordinary people - like the "good-looking people you might see on the street." This makes it easier for consumers to project themselves onto the model. Recently, there's also an increasing trend of using influencers as fitting models. Influencers who already have established fan bases can create strong empathy and trust with their followers, which can be effective in increasing conversion rates.

 

 

Essential Element 6: Providing Detailed Wearability and Fit Information

One of the biggest concerns consumers have about online shopping is "How will this look when I actually wear it?" Fitting models should provide detailed wearability and fit information beyond just showing the product. For this, it's effective to provide photos from various angles, photos with movement, and model body measurements. For example, information like "The model is 165cm tall and wearing size 55 top" helps consumers choose the right size for themselves.

 

Also, most shopping malls allow customers to see buyer's actual wearing photos in product reviews, making it possible to reference how the item looks on various body types. This information is an important element that reduces consumer uncertainty and promotes purchase decisions.

 

 

Essential Element 7: Face Exposure and Brand Image Consistency

Whether to show a fitting model's face can be an important strategic decision for shopping malls. When faces are shown, the model's expression and atmosphere can convey the product's image more richly. However, in this case, it can be difficult to maintain brand image consistency if models change frequently.

 

On the other hand, if faces aren't shown, consumers may not notice when models change, and they can focus more on the product itself. It also has the advantage of allowing products to be viewed more objectively while minimizing the influence of the model's appearance. Whichever method is chosen, maintaining brand image consistency is important. Through consistent shooting styles, editing methods, and overall atmosphere, you can convey a clear brand identity to consumers.

 

 

Practical Considerations for Using Fitting Models: Cost and Time Efficiency

While shooting with fitting models can certainly maximize a product's appeal, there are practical issues of cost and time. Fitting models' hourly rates vary depending on experience, region, exposure level, and shopping mall size, but they are generally higher than minimum wage, with experienced models costing even more. These costs can be burdensome, especially for small and medium-sized shopping malls.

 

Additionally, considerable time is spent on model recruitment, shoot preparation, actual shooting, and post-editing work. For shopping malls that frequently update new products, the burden of repeating this process can be even greater. To solve these cost and time issues, some shopping mall owners or employees directly act as models. However, this approach has the disadvantage of requiring more time and effort due to lack of expertise.

 

 

Smart Choice to Save Time and Cost: The Emergence of AI Fitting Models

Recently, with advances in artificial intelligence technology, alternatives have emerged that can dramatically reduce the time and cost burden of fitting model photography. One of these is the AI-based product photo generation service called 'Draph Art'. Draph Art is a service where users input product photos and desired concepts, and AI automatically generates and applies backgrounds, lighting, shadows, etc. It supports AI image generation, AI advertising material creation, and even AI model creation.

 

1. Model Change function: A feature that changes mannequin photos into virtual AI models

 

2. Model Creation function: A feature that creates virtual advertising models that match the product

 

3. Model Face Creation function: A feature that changes only the face in existing model photos

 

Using this AI technology can save over 90% of costs compared to professional studio photography and significantly reduce production time. Also, with a single upload, you can create unlimited images with various backgrounds and concepts, giving you the advantage of securing diverse marketing materials.

 

→ Try using Draph Art model functions

 

 

Digital Marketing Strategy to Strengthen Shopping Mall Competitiveness

Fitting models are important elements that maximize product value and greatly influence consumer purchase decisions. Consider the 7 key elements discussed earlier to establish an optimal fitting model strategy for your shopping mall. For successful shopping mall operation, recognize the importance of fitting models and establish strategies to use them effectively. Remember that fitting models are not just product displayers, but important mediators who build your brand image and communicate with consumers!