I have always found it to be super bizarre when a listing says the trinket is 3” tall, then the listing is flooded with bad feedback that says “It’s so small!”. In many cases, the title will even say “3” Tall Lighthouse Decor”, yet the item is still slammed with complaints about it being “tiny”. Then, I happened to be reading through Reddit posts and came across exactly why this happens.

Apparently, as of 2021, people have no idea how big (or small) 3 inches is. They have no idea how wide “1 foot” is or how gigantic a 54” pillow can be. So, with this in mind, typing the size into the listing is pretty much useless; sure, you can tell the buyer the shirt is 24” long, but if the buyer has no concept of what 24” is and doesn’t want to take the time to figure it out, you’re either going to lose out on a sale, end up with bad feedback or end up with the buyer requesting a return. So, as sellers, how do we teach people measurements? Here’s 7 pieces of advice provided by Reddit users who are active online buyers:

1. Show a measuring tape / ruler in the photos. Every Reddit commenter stated that seeing a ruler helped them understand what the size is.  If you're going to buy a ruler, you should probably buy a yard stick unless you sell very small items. 

2. When posting photos showing the ruler, add these images to the “Product Images” section instead of embedding them into the “Description” section.  As we already know, most people do not read the full description before buying.  

3. When possible, use props. Clothing on a mannequin, or at least a hanger, is helpful. If the item is a piece of decor, show it’s size comparison next to a universally-known item, such as a quarter, a dollar bill, a AA Battery, a cell phone, an ink pen or pencil, etc. If you show the trinket next to a dollar bill, the buyer will be able to easily understand that the 3” decor is half the size of the dollar bill.

4. When applicable, offer charts like this one that show the buyer a size comparison:

Charts like the one shown above are fantastic for items like stud earrings, gemstones, etc.

5. You can also offer charts that show quantity needed for a specific purpose:

These types of charts are AMAZING when the item is used to fill space of some kind.  For example, 

• Wallpaper
• Tile / Artificial Grass Squares / Flooring
• Beads, Hot Fix Gemstones, Decorative Wood Pieces
• Paint 
• Material by the Roll

6. If you offer a variety of sizes, you can create a graphic that shows the items differences:

You could make a chart like the one above for pretty much any type of item that comes in a variety of sizes. Personally, I find the simple image above to be exceptionally helpful. Additionally, I had no idea that Polar Bears were that much bigger than Tigers.  If you are looking for a really awesome, simple editing program with free storage, I highly recommend (and personally use) PicMonkey.  

7. Use a fashion form icon and a simple line:

If you need a basic fashion form, you can save the image below: