Human Element Test
Test whether adding a person to your Amazon main image improves product understanding, perceived scale, and shopper purchase preference.
The test setup
Create a variation of your main image that shows your product with a person. Use white clothing to keep the product isolated on white.
The question this answers
Do shoppers prefer a main image with a human element?
What shoppers are asked
Shoppers see your image options and choose the product they would be most likely to buy, then explain why.
Pretend you're browsing on Amazon. Which product would you be most likely to buy? Why?
How to read the result
Look for scale and use cues in the explanations. When a human element wins, shoppers almost always mention one of two things: they could finally tell how big the product is, or they could tell how it is used. Those two reasons explain the result.
Watch the demographic split carefully on this test. A model reads differently to different buyers, and a 50/50 overall result is often two groups disagreeing strongly rather than genuine indifference. Open the demographic breakdown before you conclude anything.
A balanced overall result can hide strong differences between demographic groups. Review the demographic breakdown before treating the result as indifference.
Losses usually name the person, not the product: I was looking at her, not the item, or a model who does not look like the buyer. That is a casting note, not a verdict on the format. Consider one re-shoot before you abandon the human element.