Most companies operating at a global level don’t know this truth! Preferring in-house photo editing is a real bottleneck. You are undermining your own limited resources and productivity. If you ask why it is so, the cause is multipronged! It often involves a lot of high-cost factors, such as employee salaries, software expenses, hardware investment, office space, and more. And that includes other maintenance-related hassles as well.
For a detailed overview of the outsource clipping path services, comparison with in-house editing, and handy tips on which one to choose, consider this exclusive read from Visuals Clipping. We are a reliable photo editing service provider, making outsourcing easier!
Also Read: What Is a Clipping Path? Types, Uses, Tools & Techniques
The True Cost of In-House Photo Editing
The real cost of in-house editing, as against the option to outsource clipping path, is huge. It involves multiple factors, such as employee salaries, software costs, hardware & workstations, training and skill development, etc.
- Employee salaries: You need the staff in your in-house editing to handle various tasks. It is a major consideration. Most of your financial resources will be going in this direction. And, not just that, employees would also need benefits, bonuses, paid leaves, etc., along with their remuneration.
- Software costs: Professional editing tools aren’t cheap. They offer quality features, and thus, they are expensive too. Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Cloud Storage, etc., are all unavoidable. And, they require high upfront costs.
- Hardware & workstations: To run software and get tasks done, you would need high-performance computers and color-accurate monitors. Additionally, you also need to arrange for suitable storage and backup solutions.
- Training and skill development: It is an ongoing hassle when it comes to establishing an in-house editing facility.
- Management and production time: Getting in-house editing doesn’t mean things will start happening on their own. Even if there are AI capabilities, you need someone to handle day-to-day management tasks, such as assigning work, reviewing edits, ensuring consistency, etc.
The following table describes the nature of major expenses when you choose in-house editing.
| Expenses Involved in In-House Editing | Nature |
| Employee Salaries | High |
| Software Cost | Recurring on a monthly basis |
| Hardware Investment | Very high |
| Office Space | Ever-rising due to the increasing cost of living |
| Training Cost | On-going |
| Scalability | Limited |
| Turnaround Speed | Typically slow or depends on the staff |
| Production Management | Additional workload |
Note: If you choose to outsource your clipping path services, the total annual monetary requirement will be reduced considerably.
Why Brands Choose to Outsource Clipping Path Services?
Major reasons why brands consider the option to outsource clipping path to global or offshore partners are as follows. It includes lower costs, higher profits, no quality compromise, talent availability, English fluency, ease of scalability, and more, as elaborated below.
- Lower costs: That is the first reason brands think of outsourcing in the first place. They can get the same amount of work at considerably lower charges.
- Higher profits: When the cost of production drops to a lower level, and the retail price remains the same, profit margins go up by full measure. As a result, the revenue increases, providing the business with more resources to grow and expand!
- No quality compromise: Generally, lower costs mean lower quality. But that isn’t true when working with a premier global agency. Here, you get the same quality of work at affordable price due to efficient global operations and infrastructure.
- Talent availability: The skill and expertise in offshore locations are available with incredible diversity to handle complex editing needs. Specialized services like vector conversion are also available offshore.
- English fluency: Outsourcing is booming because language is no longer a barrier. Top agencies employ fluent English speakers, ensuring seamless communication with clients across the US, UK, Europe, and Australia.
- Ease of scalability: You can scale up your clipping path services at any moment without any technical problems. There are all the resources you might need up and running.
- Resilience under pressure: Some of the typical qualities of professional editors in dedicated global editing hubs are hard work and flexibility. They will provide perfection in work and also adjust their time as per the client’s requirements.
Better customer support: You get round-the-clock customer support. So, you don’t have to wait for any specific time to get your queries sorted. - High productivity: You get the same amount of work done at a lower cost. That increases the worth of your limited resources. So, that means a significant rise in the productivity level.
Cost Comparison: In-House Editing vs. Outsourced Clipping Paths
Offshore photo editing is the best option if you want the least hassle for mass photo editing. Outsourcing helps you save a fortune with quality. Go through the key differences between these two approaches from the cost perspective. The table explores salary, software, hardware, office space, and other key cost considerations.
| Expense | In-House Editing | Outsource Clipping Path Editing |
| Salaries of the employees | High cost | Not needed |
| Costs of required software | Recurring every month | Not needed |
| Hardware Investment | Very high cost | Not needed |
| Office space | Major cost factor | Not needed |
| Training costs | Ongoing with ever on the rise | Not needed |
| Scalability | Difficult with fluctuating needs | Available at your instance, whenever you have a higher work burden |
| Learning curve | Depends on the staff’s competence | Out of consideration |
| Production management | Additional work burden | Handled by the service provider |
Get a rough idea of how much money you need for in-house editing from the table below.
| Cost Category | In-House Editing |
| Base Compensation | $70,000 |
| Benefits & Overhead | $35,000 |
| Management & QA | $15,000 |
| Training & Onboarding | $8,000 |
| Turnover Replacement | $2,350 to $140,000 |
| Productivity Opportunity Cost | $25,000 |
| Total Annual Investment | $157,700 to $293,000 |
Also Read: Clipping Path Service Pricing: Cost Per Image Explained
Which Option Is Right for You?
The decision should be easy and quick to make. Majorly, firms oscillate between cost and privacy when considering outsourcing. Get this dilemma solved here and learn how to choose decisively.
- Cost savings: For cutting crucial costs and increasing profit, outsourcing is the most workable solution. You will end up saving a huge amount of money. That is because now you don’t need to pay salaries to professional editors. There will be no office space that you need to arrange for the staff. All will be gone, and you just need to worry about the payment to the outsourced clipping path services.
- Privacy: Many firms or companies have a common concern, mostly when starting to outsource services offshore. They have privacy issues. Will it be safe to trust our data with an agency? Well, for this concern, you can easily find a reliable partner. Just vet your service providers before making any long-term financial commitments.
Debunking Common Myths About Outsourcing Clipping Path Services
There are various myths associated with the option to outsource clipping path services globally. It involves hidden costs, less creative control, only for big companies, poor quality, insecurity, etc. These are explained and debunked below.
- Hidden costs: Many business owners and individuals have this misconception about outsourcing. They think that there are hidden costs involved. And thus, the final cost reaches the same as in-house editing. It is false, as cost savings are genuine due to large-scale global operational efficiencies.
- Less creative control: You just lose control over your photo editing projects, and the agency handles all the creative aspects. Well, that is another myth. It is not true because agents only perform tasks as per a client’s requirements and preferences. So, you enjoy full creative control.
- Only for big companies: Some tend to think that outsourcing is only for big, multinational companies. That is another misunderstanding. Even a single person with a workload can delegate the task and take advantage of outsourcing.
- Poor quality: Service providers handle a lot of editing projects at once. Many clients approach them for cheap services. That is why you get poor quality because the providers try to maximize their profit. No, premium agencies ensure quality. Otherwise, they will lose customers. And, it is a real phenomenon because of high competition among firms providing outsourced services.
- Insecurity: Outsourcing is also seen as something lacking in security. But that is a very lame understanding. Everything is insecure, not just outsourcing bulk clipping path services, if you don’t check a provider’s background sufficiently. Always deal with incorporated and licensed providers.
- For the least professional people: If you aren’t skilled enough, then you have to outsource. Well, that is not true! Even seasoned professionals outsource services to save time through delegation.
Also Read: Quality Control Process of a Top US Retouching Company
How to Vet an Outsourced Clipping Path Service Provider
The best way to vet a clipping path provider before you choose to outsource clipping path services is provided below. These points are related to reviews, experience, expertise & license, incorporation details, video calls, etc. For more, follow along.
- Reviews: Check online reviews and comments provided by various clients. They have already experienced the services of the agency. Thus, you can see if there are any signs of dissatisfaction. It is the best technique to gauge the worth of an outsourced service. For example, a lot of negative remarks mean the service quality is poor.
- Experience: Go for any provider who has sufficient experience in the field. Otherwise, you might not get the quality you are looking for. After all, you don’t want to deploy an amateur editor for your professional marketing campaign.
- Expertise and license: Ensure that an offshore image editing agency is an expert in what they offer. For this examination, you must have all your objectives clearly sorted in your mind first. The provider must also have a valid and active license to operate under the name of a legal company.
- Incorporation details: To see if the company is truly registered with the law, ask for the incorporation details of the company. In the US, for instance, you can search for business licenses through state registries to access all the crucial details about the company.
- Video calls: Don’t just talk to your provider on a voice call. Choose the mode of video calling so that you can interact with the person face-to-face. From this interaction, you will have a lot of insight into how professional and genuine a particular agency is.
- Office tour: Ask for a virtual tour of the office and express a genuine curiosity to meet with their in-house team. Agencies often have many staff members. That will further give you an idea if you should outsource their services.
- Referrals: If you are very serious about hiring an honest firm for outsourcing photo editing, or in particular, clipping path services, ask for referrals. See if you can get a recommendation from someone you already know. That is a great way to hire a trustworthy service provider abroad.
If you are looking for a reliable, global photo editing partner, you can outsource to Visuals Clipping. We have helped countless international clients achieve stellar success at scalable costs without ever compromising on quality.
Also Read: How to Choose a Clipping Path Service Provider
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is an outsourced clipping path service?
Ans: It is a B2B service where a specialized agency hand-draw the vector paths using Pen Tool in Photoshop so that the product is isolated from the background and has crisp edges for ecommerce listing.
Q2. Is it safe to outsource unreleased product photos?
Ans: Yes, as long as you are using a professional and registered company. Agencies such as Visuals Clipping use encryption when transferring files and adhere to Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to safeguard your intellectual property.
Q3. How do I transition from in-house to outsourced editing?
Ans: Start small. Consider sending a test batch or try out a free trial to set your brand guidelines and quality expectations with the agency. As the workflow and communication is perfected, slowly ramp up volume until the agency is full utilizing the post-production processes you have them on board.
Q4. Does outsourcing mean a drop in quality?
Ans: No. But rather, in most cases, the quality is improved. The premium agencies hire dedicated specialists that perform thousands of clipping paths per day, which means that they are likely to be more accurate and consistent than a generalist team in-house.
