• Spyne
  • Posts
  • Bad Photos Are Costing You $$$ in Lost Leads

Bad Photos Are Costing You $$$ in Lost Leads

Why you need high-quality & accurate visuals, how to shoot those, and top news from the automotive world

Author

Kshitij Rawat
May 01, 2025

You wouldn’t sell a car with a flat tire. So why use flat photos?

In the world of online car commerce, your visuals can make or break a deal. Shoppers can’t touch, feel, or test drive a vehicle before making a decision when checking a car online. So, they rely heavily on images and videos to evaluate their options.

If you want to increase engagement, build trust, and close more deals, then high-quality images and immersive videos are your most powerful weapons.

Poor Visuals Are Killing Your Conversions

First impressions matter, won’t you agree? Research say so too! Consumers form first impressions in 50 milliseconds. In fact, 67% of consumers consider clear, detailed images to be more important than product information or customer ratings.

Consumer expectations are evolving, and you have to evolve with them. Are your visuals up to the mark? Get a free audit to truly know.

Attraction is just one part of the equation, engagement is the other. Used car listings with high-quality images receive around 48% more engagement than the average listing, which leads to higher sales potential. This translates to better conversions too; dealerships using videos see up to a 30% increase in inquiries.

You need to engage the customers, using interactive 360-degree spin visuals, video brochures, or feature highlights. 64% of shoppers say formats like 360° virtual car tours would convince them to buy without a test drive.

If you only use static, low quality, cluttered images for your listings, you’re losing out a huge chunk of leads.

20% of Dealers Still Don’t Get It… Are You One of them?

Not everyone understands the importance of great visuals. Research states that more than 20% dealerships don’t feel photos are important for shoppers who are researching or purchasing a vehicle. This directly contradicts actual research data, and is harming dealership conversions.

Shooting high-quality visuals require a studio (either build or rent one), camera equipment, and a professional crew. Then, you’ll set up logistics for driving cars to and from the studio. Then you wait for all those images to upload on your VDPs. All of this takes a lot of time and a lot of money, even more if you need reshoots…

As the Ron Davies song goes, It Ain't Easy!

So, what’s a dealership to do then? Use modern technology, of course!

Sell Like the Top 1%, Without Spending Like Them

Spyne allow dealerships to shoot studio-quality images at a fraction of the cost of a real studio. All you need is a smartphone; no expensive equipment, no photography skills needed!

Spyne has the solution to all your dealership photography/videography woes:

Get Premium Studio Images, Without a Studio

Shoot your cars anytime, anywhere, then pick the background you like. Spyne’s AI technology will automatically replace the original backdrop with a clean, premium-looking studio or showroom. You can choose from our library of 100+ backgrounds.

Want to feature your dealer storefront in your car listings? No worries! Request a custom backdrop and we’ll create it for you. No matter where you you shoot, your car listings will all have the correct branding.

One-Click License Plate Masking

Add your dealership logo over all your cars’ license plates in a single click. Compliance and branding in one go!

Visuals That Feel Real

Worried that AI-edited images would look fake? Stop worrying! The images shot using Spyne will never feel fake or out of place, thanks to smart AI enhancements:

  1. Window-see-through

  2. realistic shadow on the floor

  3. reflection on the floor

  4. angle correction

    …and many more!

Virtual Walkarounds for the Online World

Top dealers and your competitors are using interactive 360-degree displays to give shoppers an immersive feel. This makes online feel intimate and personal, boosting sales potential massively.

With Spyne, shooting interactive 360 view is super easy! Just shoot a 360 video of your car using Spyne app, pick your background, and viola! Here’s what the AI magic does:

  1. Stabilizes the video

  2. Replaces the background (choose from 100+ options or create custom)

  3. Adds realism with window see-through, shadow-generation, reflection on floor

  4. Branding

  5. Numberplate masking

  6. Automatically extract images from video

    … and more!

Interested? Try this out yourself!

Your Inventory Made Cinematic

Consumers crave interactive, immersive experiences. Enter the Spyne’s video tour — your ultimate tool for boosting engagement, especially on social media.

We combine trending audio, popular effects, and your dealership’s unique branding to create content that stops the scroll and gets noticed. These video tours are not just about showcasing cars; they’re about creating a buzz that drives conversations, clicks, and shares across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc.

  1. Drive Social Media Traffic: Use trending audio, viral effects, and eye-catching content to fuel your social media presence. These videos help you stay relevant and expand your reach to a broader audience.

  2. Engage More Buyers: Videos have a 1200% higher engagement rate on social media than photos.

  3. Tailored for Your Brand: Whether you’re showcasing a luxury car or a pre-owned model, these video tours are fully customizable to reflect your brand identity. Your logo, colors, and messaging shine through every frame.

  4. Boost Conversions: Interactive videos make it easier for buyers to visualize their next purchase, driving more inquiries and faster conversions.

Conclusion

In today’s digital-first world, online car buyers expect a visual, interactive, and engaging shopping experience. By using high-quality images, immersive 360-degree videos, and video brochures, you can build trust, boost conversions, and sell cars faster than ever before.

Ready to upgrade your online listings? Start capturing better visuals today and watch your sales accelerate!

Still on the fence about Spyne? Take a free audit of your online inventory! We analyze your listings, discover the gaps, and show you the next steps; helping you gain an edge over the competition.