The problem
Photos taken on the bedroom floor make good stock look cheap, and editing them takes time. If a reseller lists 80 items a month and spends 5 minutes cleaning up each item's photos, that's 400 minutes, 6.7 hours a month.
What the AI does
Photoroom is an AI photo editor. Its Pro plan includes a background remover, retouch, AI shadow presets, a product fixer, AI expand and resize and an image enhancer, with 1,000 exports a month, and you can edit in batches. Take photos of each item as usual, run them through Photoroom to replace the background with plain white or a simple surface, and export. Keep at least one photo per item showing it as it is, including any marks, because a buyer who receives something that looks worse than the photos can return it as not as described.
A worked example
A reseller in Sheffield, registered as a business seller, lists second-hand branded clothing and homeware and has about 300 live listings. The owner takes 4 photos of each of about 80 new items a month (320 exports) and edits them in Photoroom Pro.
Before
About 5 minutes an item cleaning up photos by hand: 80 x 5 = 400 minutes, 6.7 hours a month
After
About 1.5 minutes an item in a Photoroom batch: 80 x 1.5 = 120 minutes, 2 hours a month
What it's worth
About 4.7 hours a month saved (280 minutes), worth around $124£93€111A$179C$175 if your time is worth $27£20€24A$38C$38 an hour. Photoroom Pro was shown as €9.99 (about $12£9€11A$17C$17) a month, or €5.99 (about $7£5€6A$10C$9) a month billed yearly, with VAT included; UK prices may differ slightly.
How to set it up
- Start a Photoroom Pro free trial and test it on 10 items with different colors and materials.
- Pick one background style and use it for every listing so your shop looks consistent.
- Edit in batches, then check each photo against the item in your hand.
- Keep one unedited photo of each item and close-ups of any marks, wear or damage.
- Check your export count in month one; 4 photos x 80 items is 320 of the 1,000 allowed.
What goes wrong
- Retouch and product fixer tools can remove marks that are really on the item. For second-hand goods, misrepresenting condition leads to returns and 'not as described' cases.
- Plain backgrounds can hide size; add a photo with a tape measure or the item worn or in use.
- Background removal can cut off thin straps, fringes or fluffy edges; check every edge before uploading.
- Prices were shown in euros when checked, and the Shopify connection is only on the Max plan.