Thumbnail checks
Check the thumbnail, not just the full-size product photo
Use square, landscape and portrait crop checks to find clipped product edges before publishing a listing.
The file and the storefront are different frames
A 2000 × 2000 export is square, but a website can display it in a differently shaped container. A theme or search layout may crop the sides, add empty space, or use a focal point. The source file alone does not tell you exactly what a shopper will see.
Dama shows center crops of your prepared image at 1:1, 4:3 and 3:4. These are geometric checks, not a reproduction of any marketplace screen. The crop previews do not change the downloaded file.
How much a new crop can remove
Starting with a 2000 × 2000 square, a centered 4:3 frame retains the full width but only 1500 pixels of height. The top and bottom each lose 250 pixels. A centered 3:4 frame instead loses 250 pixels from each side.
In percentage terms, an important detail sitting inside the outer 12.5% of a square is at risk in one of these previews. This is a check for these specific ratios, not a universal safe-area rule. Actual storefronts can use different shapes or positions.
Inspect meaning, not just symmetry
A centered subject is not automatically a good thumbnail. A thin necklace can remain fully inside the frame but become too small to understand. A group of products may fit while hiding how many pieces are included.
- Check the full product boundary, including handles, sleeves, stems and cables.
- Check that a crop does not change the apparent quantity or exclude an included accessory.
- View the preview at its small display size. Do not rely only on zoomed detail.
- Use a separate detail image if a label needs close inspection; do not force every detail into the first image.
- After uploading, inspect the listing and collection/search previews provided by your platform.
When the three previews disagree
If one crop clips the subject, return to Fit and add more margin, then prepare the batch again. If the subject becomes too small in every preview, a new source composition may be necessary. Adding more pixels does not fix composition.
Etsy provides its own image and thumbnail guidance. Read that alongside these checks, especially when a listing layout changes. Dama presets are independent starting sizes rather than official Etsy templates.