We've written previously about photography being hot for social content. A new article just out tells us how important photography is to affluent males buying online.

"The Resurgence of Style Among Men" by Alex Realmuto (through MediaPost's: Engage Affluent) notes the early success of online star Gilt "...is directly attributed to its focus on high-quality, professional photography".

Realmuto goes on to conclude that "...not having the most engaging photos of products can have a drastically negative effect on e-commerce sales".

In a market where merchants may be tempted to cut corners (on martketing generally and imagery in particular) to keep their CFOs happy, it's a great way to differentiate your offer, establish value in your brand and differentiate you from your competition.