How to describe color

[liawrig.nq8rdwqa3]

I have a buyer ask me occasionally - "what is the color" even though it's stated in the description.  This is the thing -- I take pictures and the COLOR may not be a true blue or a true pink because of lighting.  How can I put in the description (or what should I state in the description) that the lighting doesn't show the true color?  One time a buyer wanted better pictures to show the "true" color.  As you know, sometimes we can't get the "true" color.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @liawrig.nq8rdwqa3 

As a buyer, I’ve sometimes seen listings where every photo looks like a different colored item … and I’ve asked the seller which photo looks most like the item in person. That’s generally given me enough information to decide whether or not to purchase the item.

Photographing in ‘natural light’ gives the truest color … but there’s no guarantee that your and a buyer’s eyes will see the same color.  

[Remember that photo of the dress where different people saw completely different colors?]

[katzrul15]

@liawrig.nq8rdwqa3 

Clothing and shoes are hard to describe sometimes.

Can you take pix in natural light with no flash?

I have used what the manufacturer calls it, but then also stated what it looks like to me.

And yes, state in the listing color(s) do vary depending on your monitor/screen and especially, on a phone!

[silverstatetreasureboxes · Accepted solution]

@liawrig.nq8rdwqa3 

You can purchase a color wheel chart for clothing on the bay for little money. Place a piece of your clothing or item next to it and maybe this will help.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265757411425?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=2GYTuQcNThO&sss...

[lonebuck-books]

Colors can be difficult because of lighting, camera, different monitors and how we all see color.  I have found white to be one of the most difficult.  Bright white? White? Off white? Ivory?  Light beige?  Light gray?  Whenever I get one of those colors that can be misinterpreted I try to describe the color in my description.  I also take a close up of the item  with no background (front pocket of a shirt for example) and adjust my camera (usually lower the brightness) to get the color on the display to match the item.  I then put a note in my description letting potential buyers know that the close up photo is the most accurate color on MY COMPUTER screen.  I rarely get color based returns.