Launching a small online shop: product photos, a privacy policy and QR codes that keep working
Three jobs come up in almost every small-shop launch and are easy to get wrong: photos that each marketplace accepts, legal pages that match what your site really does, and QR codes on packaging that still work next year. Here is how to do each one quickly.
1. Product photos: one shoot, every marketplace
Each store wants something slightly different. These are the sizes our presets use, following each marketplace's published photo guidance (check your category's current rules before listing):
| Marketplace | Size (px) | Background | Product fills | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon main image | 2000 x 2000 | white | 85% | JPG |
| eBay | 1600 x 1600 | white | 85% | JPG |
| Etsy (4:3) | 3000 x 2250 | white | 80% | JPG |
| Shopify (square) | 2048 x 2048 | white | 82% | JPG |
| Instagram post (4:5) | 1080 x 1350 | white | 78% | JPG |
| Transparent PNG | 2000 x 2000 | none | 90% | PNG |
How to get there:
- Shoot on a plain background in soft, even light; fill the frame and keep the whole product in focus.
- Remove the background. Doing it in the browser keeps unreleased products off third-party servers.
- Centre the product, add a soft shadow so it does not float, and export each size. Square crops are not enough for Etsy (4:3) or Instagram (4:5).
Snipbare does steps 2 and 3 on your own computer: background removal is free and unlimited, and Snipbare Studio exports all six presets with a soft shadow, as a batch ZIP. Per-image services charge per photo (remove.bg: 40 credits for $9 on 1 Oct 2026); Studio is a flat $9 a month, or $5 for 30 days.
2. A privacy policy that names your real tools
A privacy policy has to describe what your site actually collects and who receives it. Before you generate one, list:
- every tool that sees visitor data: payments (Stripe, PayPal), analytics (Google Analytics), ads and pixels (Meta Pixel), email (Klaviyo, Mailchimp), your store platform (Shopify);
- where your visitors are (EU/UK visitors bring GDPR legal bases; several US states have their own rights);
- whether you sell to consumers (refunds, subscriptions and delivery belong in the terms of service).
Then the cookie banner: under GDPR, analytics and marketing tags should not run before the visitor agrees. A banner that only shows a message while the tags fire anyway does not do that job. What to look for: tags blocked until consent, Google Consent Mode v2 (defaults to denied, then updates), and Global Privacy Control respected.
Noticewright writes the privacy policy, terms and cookie policy from a questionnaire with 39 common services built in, and gives you a self-hosted banner that does all three. The policy is free with a credit link; Pro is $29 once per site, where rivals bill yearly (WebsitePolicies $59/year, Termageddon $119/year, read 1 Oct 2026). It is a template tool, not legal advice, and it does not host or auto-update your policies, which the yearly services do.
3. QR codes on packaging, flyers and menus
A printed QR code should be dynamic when the link might change (a seasonal landing page, a review link, a menu): the code points at a short link you control, and you repoint the short link. The catch is the provider: QR Code Generator PRO's help centre says dynamic codes made during its 14-day trial are deactivated when the trial ends, so a box you printed can stop working.
Rules of thumb:
- Use dynamic codes only where the destination may change; static codes never depend on anyone.
- Choose a provider that keeps redirects running even if you stop paying.
- Test the printed size: about 2 x 2 cm is a practical minimum for phone cameras at arm's length.
Scanmoor's redirects never check the subscription, so codes keep working after Pro lapses; only editing and stats need a plan. Styled static codes are free; Pro is $4 a month, $36 a year or $49 once, against $9.99 a month billed yearly for QR Code Generator PRO's Starter plan (read 1 Oct 2026).