If you’ve ever tried to make an online store convert, you know the grind: swapping button colors, rewriting copy, adding reviews—anything to squeeze out a few extra percentage points. But here’s a question a lot of us dodge: does the choice of images really move the needle? And what if those images are free stock photos?
Stock photos are everywhere. They’re easy, cost nothing, and sites like Pikwizard or Unsplash make them look pretty slick. But plenty of marketers whisper that stock images feel “fake” and could hurt conversions. We got curious enough to test it for ourselves.
How We Ran the Experiment
We built two versions of the same product page. Same product, same description, same price, even the same layout. The only difference? The photos. One version used high-quality free stock images by Pikwizard and Pexels. The other used in-house shots of the actual product.
Over 30 days, we split traffic evenly between the two. We tracked add-to-cart rates, click-throughs, and actual purchases. No fancy tricks—just a straight A/B test.
What We Learned
The results were… mixed, but telling. For inexpensive, impulse-buy products, the difference was barely noticeable. Stock images performed almost as well—within about 3–5% of the custom photos.
But when it came to higher-priced or more trust-sensitive products, custom photography started pulling ahead—by 12–15% in some cases. That gap is big enough to matter if you’re selling something that requires a little extra persuasion.
One surprise? A few high-quality stock photos outperformed some of our own amateur product shots. A sharp, professional image from Pikwizard beat a poorly lit, slightly blurry in-house photo. It was a good reminder: quality matters more than ownership.
What This Means for Your Store
The lesson isn’t “never use stock photos.” It’s more like: use them strategically. Free images are perfect when you’re validating an idea or working on a tight budget. They’re a lifesaver for testing landing pages, ads, or product positioning without spending a cent on photography.
But as soon as you know a product is viable—or if you’re in a market where trust is everything—invest in custom images. They’ll feel more authentic, and that authenticity shows up in your conversion rates.
A Few Quick Tips
- Pick authentic visuals – Avoid the cheesy, overly staged stuff.
- Stick to reliable sources – Pikwizard, Unsplash, and Pexels all have high-quality, safe-to-use libraries.
- Keep your look consistent – Mixing wildly different styles across pages can make your brand feel scattered.
- Upgrade when you can – Use stock photos to get started, but swap them for real photos once you’ve proven your product.
Free stock photos aren’t the enemy — they’re a tool. In the early stages, they’re good enough to get you moving and can even outperform bad custom shots. But if you’re serious about conversions, especially for premium products, original photography is worth the effort. Use stock to launch quickly, then level up when it counts.
