The image is still worth more than a thousand words, especially in e-commerce. Consumers take on average only 50 milliseconds to form a first impression of an online product, according to data from a Google survey. With the popularization of AI tools focused on photo editing, Brazilian sellers have found more accessible and efficient alternatives to present their products online, without relying on professional photo shoots, which are usually expensive and time-consuming.
Instead of setting up studios, hiring photographers, or renting locations, retailers selling on Mercado Livre, Shopee, Elo7, Instagram Shopping, or platforms like Nuvemshop and Shopify have adopted AI-generated images to simulate realistic contexts. A handmade cushion can appear in a modern living room; a natural cosmetic on an illuminated bathroom counter; a handmade mug, in the hands of a model on a morning coffee table. All digitally done, based on a single simple product photo, usually taken with a cell phone.
The feature, known as AI product staging, uses algorithms to position products in scenarios that mimic reality, automatically adjusting light, shadows, perspective, scale, and color temperature. Unlike digital mockups or traditional montages, current tools have been trained to understand both the object and the environment, resulting in images that appear to have been produced in real photo shoots.
“In the past, creating good lifestyle images required a whole production: location, casting, photographer, art direction, and editing. This is expensive and time-consuming, a luxury that most sellers simply do not have,” explains Matt Rouif, CEO of Photoroom, a startup specializing in AI image editing. “Today, in a few minutes, it is possible to generate a library of realistic photos with professional quality.”
The proposal is simple: with a clean product image, the retailer can generate dozens of staged variations for different channels. In addition to product pages, these images are used in email campaigns, social media, paid ads, and virtual storefronts. Visual flexibility also allows adapting the pieces for different audiences, for example, positioning the same sneaker in a sports track or in an urban environment, according to the campaign’s profile.
For many Brazilian merchants, especially those who operate alone or in small teams, this technology has become a competitive advantage. “The costs for a complete photo session with location, photographers, models, and editing can easily exceed R$ 5,000. It is unfeasible to repeat this process for each new release or promotional campaign. With AI, we solve this in minutes, with a symbolic investment,” says Matt.
More than just a practical solution, contextualized images play a strategic role in compensating for the lack of physical contact with the product during the online buying journey.
According to industry experts, this type of visual narrative sparks immediate interest, as well as generates greater trust and emotional connection. “If you sell handmade soaps, printed shirts, or handmade jewelry, showing your products in the right context can be the difference between being ignored or sold,” adds the CEO of Photoroom.
Furthermore, the ease in producing images allows teams to quickly test which visualizations generate more value. With less time and cost per image, it is possible to conduct A/B tests with different visual contexts and focus efforts on campaigns and creative assets that convert the most.
“AI does not replace human creativity but multiplies the reach of what a small team can produce. And in online commerce, where everything starts with the image, that makes all the difference,” Matt concludes.
