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How to Format Art Dimensions on Shopify for Higher Sales: Complete AR Preview Setup Guide

Written By:
Alex Le
Last updated:
October 21, 2025

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Art stores lose an average of 30% of potential sales when customers can't visualize how artwork will look in their space. The solution? Properly formatted dimensions that enable accurate AR previews.

Getting your art dimensions right isn't just about providing measurements—it's about creating an exceptional customer experience that drives conversions. When shoppers can see exactly how your artwork will look in their space with accurate sizing, they're 73% more confident in their purchase decisions and significantly less likely to return items.

This comprehensive tutorial will walk you through setting up precise AR previews using Picture It, ensuring your customers can visualize your art at true-to-size scale and boosting your conversion rates.

Why Accurate Dimensions Matter

Before diving into the setup process, it's important to understand why getting your dimensions right makes such a difference. Customers shopping for art online face a common challenge: uncertainty about how a piece will actually look and fit in their space. By providing accurate AR previews, you're solving this problem and significantly reducing return rates while boosting customer confidence.

Step 1: Format Your Dimensions Correctly

The foundation of accurate AR previews starts with properly formatted dimensions. Here's how to set them up:

Dimension Formatting Best Practices

Your dimensions should follow the standard Width x Height format. While Picture It can detect dimensions in various formats, consistency helps ensure the most accurate results.

Recommended formats:

  • 24" x 36"
  • 61cm x 91cm
  • 24 x 36 inches
  • 61 x 91 centimeters
  • Paper Sizes: A1, A2, B1, etc.

Pro tip: Always include units (inches, cm, etc.) alongside your measurements. This helps Picture It's detection system work more accurately, though the app can still function without explicit units.

Step 2: Add Dimensions to Your Shopify Products

How you add dimensions depends on your product structure:

For Single Products (Individual Paintings)

Place your dimensions anywhere within the product description. Picture It's intelligent system will scan and detect them automatically during the import process. You can write them naturally within your product copy, such as:

"This stunning landscape painting measures 30" x 40" and would make a perfect centerpiece for any living room."

Painting Dimensions Shopify


Alternative method:
If you prefer a more structured approach, you can store dimensions in Shopify metafields. When using metafields, make sure to include a separate field for units to ensure proper detection.

Metafield dimensions on Shopify Artwork

For Products with Variants (Prints Available in Multiple Sizes)

For products offering multiple size options, include the dimensions directly in your variant names. This allows Picture It to automatically map each size option to its corresponding dimensions.

Example variant names:

  • Small Print (12" x 16")
  • Medium Print (18" x 24")
  • Large Print (24" x 32")
Paper Size Dimensions for Prints on Shopify
Variant Dimensions on Shopify

Step 3: Install and Configure Picture It

Once your product dimensions are properly formatted, it's time to set up the Picture It app.

Installation and Onboarding

  1. Install Picture It from the Shopify App Store
  2. Complete the onboarding process - this is where Picture It scans your products and imports all dimension information
  3. Configure your measurement settings during onboarding

Picture It Onboarding on Shopify

Setting Up Measurement Preferences

During the onboarding process, you'll need to specify how your dimensions should be interpreted:

  • Default measurement: Set your preferred measurement units
  • Dimension format: Choose how you want dimensions displayed to customers

Don't worry if you need to make changes later - these settings can always be adjusted in the app's configuration panel.

Step 4: Activate AR Previews for Your Products

With your dimensions imported, it's time to activate AR functionality:

Product Activation Process

  1. Navigate to Step 3 in the Picture It dashboard
  2. Review imported dimensions - you'll see all detected dimensions displayed in a convenient column for verification
  3. Activate your first product
  4. Activate your variants - this automatically imports dimensions for all size variants of a product
Picture It Onboarding Activation on Shopify

Quality Check

Take a moment to verify that all dimensions have been correctly imported. This quick review can save you time and ensure accuracy before going live.

Step 5: Add AR Preview Buttons to Your Store

Make it easy for customers to access AR previews:

  1. Navigate to Step 4 in the Picture It dashboard
  2. Select your button placement options - choose where the AR preview button appears on your store, whether through an app embed or an app block.
  3. Customize button appearance to match your store's design
  4. Save and publish your changes

LIve Preview Button Picture It on Shopify

Step 6: Test Your AR Previews

Before announcing this new feature to customers, thoroughly test the experience:

Testing Process

Picture It Virtual Showroom QR Code

  1. Visit a product page with activated AR previews
  2. Open the Showroom feature to see all available dimensions
  3. Scan the QR code with a mobile device to test AR functionality
  4. Verify sizing accuracy by comparing the AR preview to known objects

The AR preview should show your selected artwork at true-to-size scale, allowing customers to see exactly how it will look in their space.

Best Practices for Success

Maintain Consistency

Keep your dimension formatting consistent across all products. This ensures reliable detection and a professional appearance.

Regular Updates

As you add new products or variants, remember to activate AR previews for these items to maintain a consistent customer experience.

Customer Education

Consider adding information to your product pages or FAQ section explaining how customers can use the AR preview feature.

Monitor Performance

Keep track of how AR previews affect your conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Most retailers see significant improvements in both areas.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Dimensions not detecting properly? Check that your formatting follows the recommended Width x Height pattern with clear unit indicators.

AR preview sizing seems off? Verify that your width and height mapping is configured correctly in the Picture It settings.

Variants not showing individual dimensions? Ensure dimensions are included in variant names rather than just the main product description.

Conclusion

Setting up accurate AR previews might seem complex initially, but following this step-by-step process ensures your customers get the most realistic preview possible of your artwork. The investment in properly configuring dimensions pays off through increased customer confidence, higher conversion rates, and fewer returns.

With Picture It handling the technical complexity, you can focus on what you do best - creating amazing art. Your customers will appreciate being able to visualize exactly how your pieces will look in their homes, leading to more satisfied buyers and a more successful online art business.

Ready to get started? Install Picture It today and begin offering your customers the true-to-size AR preview experience they've been waiting for.

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