Do I need to disclose that my product images are AI-generated on Etsy or Shopify?

Quick Answer

It depends on the platform. Etsy explicitly requires you to disclose if an item is "Designed by" you but produced/generated with AI assistance. Shopify does not currently have a mandatory "AI-generated" tag for product photos, provided the product itself is real and the image is not misleading. However, transparency is always the safest policy to build buyer trust.

Nightjar Note:

Nightjar is built for product photography, not "generating products that don't exist." Because Nightjar preserves your actual product's geometry and details, you are editing a photo, not hallucinating a fake item.

Etsy's Specific Rules (2024/2025)

Etsy distinguishes between "Handmade" and "Designed by." If you use AI to generate the visual art you are selling (e.g., prints), you must:

• List the item as "Designed by a seller."
• Disclose AI usage in the description.

If you are selling a physical handmade pot and use AI only to edit the background, Etsy’s current enforcement focuses on the item itself being handmade. However, do not tag it as "photographed by me" if it was fully synthesized.

Shopify & General E-commerce

Shopify’s policy is rooted in Truth in Advertising.

Allowed:

• Changing a background to white, placing a model in a generated street scene, color-correcting via hex codes.

Banned:

• Generating a product that looks higher quality than what ships (e.g., smoothing out stitching errors on a bag).

Best Practice for Nightjar Users:

If you use Nightjar’s Virtual Try-On or Background Replacement:

• Do verify the product looks identical to the physical unit.
• Do focus on the "Concept" (e.g., "Styled by Nightjar AI").
• Don't hide material defects behind AI smoothing.