We know at times it can seem intimidating to try to take the perfect Covershot, and you may think it’ll just be easier to use a beautiful photo that someone else took. That’s when the thought crosses your mind: Is that okay to do?
Read on to get some best practices for using photos you didn’t take:
Even though we’re big fans of their great photography and beautiful pictures (hello, Instagram), whoever took the photo is the copyright holder of that image. They can sell or give permission to use it if they wish. They might even be open to their images being used if you reach out and ask. Others may not mind someone else using their photos at all! However, unless you took the photo, it’s best to assume you don’t have the right to use it.
What if you still want to use photography that isn’t yours? We strongly recommend to:
1. Get permission from the image owner – whether it’s an individual or a company. Don’t be shy! Reach out to the owner of the image for their go-ahead. Most image owners don’t mind as long as you’ve cleared it with them first.
2. When posting the picture, make sure you mention the original owner, link or tag them and other necessary ways to show the image’s source.
3. If you don’t receive permission, use a different image altogether to avoid any sticky situations! Let your personality and creativity shine and take your own photos for listings – it’s the best way for your potential buyer to know exactly what they’ll get when they buy the item!
For more tips on taking Covershots and other product photos, see the links below:
Make Your Covershots App-solutely Stunning!
According to AMD Law Group,
“Grabbing pictures from Google images, off of other websites, or even assuming that you have the rights to photos of yourself or your business despite that it was taken by someone else are all common mistakes that violate copyright law, and if charged, you can be faced with damages of up to $150,000 per image.”
http://www.amdlawgroup.com/how-to-use-photos-without-violating-copyright-laws/
Furthermore, when I emailed Poshmark Support about this, I received an email back saying they just assume that Poshers are getting permission from the photographer or manufacturer.
This is a serious matter. If Poshmark requires their users to follow Poshmark’s rules, then Poshmark should follow the law’s rules. It’s hypocritical if they don’t.
It is actually ILLEGAL to use a copyrighted photo without explicit permission, hence the copyright!
Why are hundreds of thousands of Poshers using copyrighted manufacturers’ photos? Because no one told them they can’t. Poshmark should be all over this; instead, in this blog, I see this:
“However, unless you took the photo, it’s best to assume you don’t have the right to use it”
“Best to assume?” It’s a FACT. Using manufacturers’ copyrighted photos is ILLEGAL. Poshmark cannot just recommend their users not use them without permission; they must insist that their users follow the letter of the law. Anything else makes Poshmark complicit.
Good luck getting help… you simply cannot get any answers in how to upload pictures unless you take them with the app. I see other pictures that are not taken with the app, can anyone out there help? PM support simply will not help at all unless the answer is GET OUR APP or get a phone that can get our app.
That’s weird Noone has answered you’re question because it’s very easy to take a picture not using the app. You can use your phone or a camera but you need to have whatever pictures you’re going to use in your gallery on the phone/tablet. Then go.into the poshmark app, hit the sell button, then when the camera comes up there is a button in the bottom right of a folder. Click that and your gallery will come up and you can pick whatever pictures you want to use. Hope that helps!
If you cannot get the poshmark app. is there no other way to upload photos and or sell your items. So far both my (LG) cell phone and my son’s Samsung galaxy tablet say they are not compatible with pm app. I am getting discouraged….and I don’t know anyone who would be willing to download an app to their phone for me.
Maybe I’m just not supposed to sell…. lol
yellerhairdgal
Hi Janice, our app is available on iPhone, iPad and Android devices.
how about answering her question with regard to getting pictures NOT taken with an iPhone or android uploaded? I see them all over your site!!! Is there anyone there that can answer a question beyond the 3 words GET OUR APP???????
Hi sjfield, Currently the only way to sell is via mobile app. Photos can be taken on another device and uploaded to a cloud storage app, such as Box or Dropbox, and other methods of getting images via a mobile device.