BUZZBONGO TECH GEEKS

Beginners often confuse marketplace designers with graphic and brand designers. While they all work with visuals, their responsibilities are different. However, graphic and brand designers can also work with product cards. Let’s discuss this in more detail.

• A marketplace designer creates product cards for Wildberries, Ozon, and other platforms. They understand the platforms’ technical requirements, can create infographics that sell, and understand how shoppers choose products online. Their main task is to showcase product benefits in small images to entice customers to buy.
• A graphic designer is a broad profession. They can create everything from business cards and posters to illustrations and website design. They work with a variety of formats and tasks without delving into the specifics of a specific field. They are a versatile visual design specialist.
• A brand designer creates a company’s visual image: the logo, corporate colors, fonts, and design style. They consider how the brand will appear everywhere—from a business card to a billboard. Their work is more strategic—they create the rules by which the brand’s visual identity will operate for years to come.

These specialties often overlap. For example, a graphic designer might master creating cards for marketplaces, while a marketplace designer might begin developing branding for sellers.

A marketplace designer must be able to draw, know the platform’s rules, and understand how customers perceive visuals. We’ve compiled three essential skills for creating cards.

1. Have a basic understanding of design and a keen eye for detail. It’s not enough to simply know how to use Photoshop; you need a keen sense of composition, balance, and typography. For example, if the text on a card overlaps the product or the font is too small, a buyer will simply scroll past the ad. Having a keen eye for detail helps you distinguish successful designs from unsuccessful ones.
2. Know the marketplace rules. Each platform has its own image requirements. You can’t place “Discount” signs over products if they’re prohibited, or write “World’s Best” without approval. Designers must consult the guidelines; the product card will be blocked, and the seller will be fined.
3. Understand marketing and competitors. A designer’s job is to make a product stand out from hundreds of similar ones. Researching competitors’ products and improving on them is crucial: for example, not just photographing a mug, but showing it in hand, with a close-up of its unique print, so the buyer immediately understands the advantage.

Moreover, a card designer must be persistent and able to negotiate. Working at a computer can be monotonous, and revisions from the client can be endless. It’s important to calmly accept criticism, work within the specifications, and find common ground with the client to ensure the result is satisfactory to both parties.

Marketplace designers are proficient in a variety of software programs. The broader their toolkit, the faster and more efficiently they can complete tasks—from retouching product photos to creating complex infographics. Here’s a basic set of tools that everyone will find useful:

• Adobe Photoshop is for photo editing. It can help you, for example, remove a green background from a white T-shirt, crop a product from a stock image and fit it into a finished layout, or color-correct a mug to make it look more appealing.
• Figma is for creating infographics and banners. For example, you can create a collage of several photos, add arrows and explanatory text, arrange everything on a grid, and immediately present it to the client.
• Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW are for vector graphics. For example, you could draw a clear diagram of how to assemble a chair, create benefit icons (e.g., “Eco-Friendly” or “Easy to Clean”), or create a vector logo for printing on packaging.
• Pinterest, Behance, and Dribbble are all great tools for finding ideas and references. For example, before creating a card for a dishware design, a designer searches Pinterest for “stylish minimalist kitchens” to capture the mood and color combinations that are currently trending.
• Shutterstock and Unsplash are photo stocks for finding backgrounds and additional elements. For example, when creating a card for a New Year’s blanket, you can download an image of a cozy room with garlands from a stock photo and include the product image in it.

Furthermore, in 2026, marketplace designers will need to be proficient in neural networks, as they help speed up routine tasks. For example, in Midjourney, you can generate a background for a product photo, and in ChatGPT, you can write five headline variations for an infographic. There are many neural networks available for designers, but we won’t cover them in this article.

The market offers several paths, from stable employment with a large company to freelancing. Let’s explore this in more detail.

• On staff at retail companies and major brands. Companies and manufacturers that actively sell on marketplaces hire designers to join their teams to constantly work on their visuals. For example, brands such as Befree, Zarina, and Sela sell on marketplaces.
• In design studios and agencies. Specialized agencies handle design tasks for a wide variety of clients. Here, designers work with a variety of products and tasks. For example, the Minsk-based studio “Benzin” positions itself as the only studio in the CIS specializing in marketplaces.
• Freelance. Many sellers, especially beginners, aren’t prepared to hire a full-time designer and are looking for specialists for one-time tasks or regular remote work.

Aspiring designers can search for work on freelance marketplaces such as Kwork, FL.ru, Fiverr, and Guru. Sellers also often post job openings on social media and Telegram channels, in specialized communities, or on job search services ( hh.ru, etc.). These channels help directly reach clients seeking marketplace designers.

A designer’s income depends on whether they work in an office or freelance. Today, you can choose any option—working in-house, remotely, or taking on individual projects. This choice affects more than just salary.

Working as an in-house employee offers a fixed salary and clear terms and conditions. In addition to their salary, designers receive paid vacation, sick leave, health insurance, and various company benefits. Working in a team makes it easier to learn new things from colleagues and collaborate on large projects. However, there are also downsides: you need to work according to a schedule and the company’s pace.

Freelancing designers decide how much they charge—per hour or per project. They can work whenever it’s convenient, take on multiple projects at once, and earn as much as they can. Experienced freelancers can earn more than in-house designers, especially if they work with international clients. But freelancing isn’t all about freedom. You need to be able to manage your time, find clients, and negotiate prices. Projects may not always be available, and vacation and sick leave won’t be covered.

Job sites offer numerous listings for designers with varying levels of experience. You can find full-time positions, individual projects, or just a few hours a week. For example,  hh.ru lists marketplace designer positions with salaries ranging from $700 to $2,500.

There are several paths to becoming a designer: self-taught, taking courses, or earning a design diploma. Each path has its advantages and is suitable for different people.

• Self-study is the most cost-effective option for starting a design career. There are plenty of free tutorials, articles, and videos online about creating cards for marketplaces. You can learn at your own pace and choose only what’s right for you. However, there’s a downside: without a mentor, it’s easy to get lost in the information and miss important details.
• Online courses provide structured knowledge and instructor support. In 2–8 months, you’ll master the core programs, learn how to create infographics, and work with clients. Many courses can help you find employment and land your first portfolio commissions.
• A degree in Graphic Design provides fundamental knowledge of composition, color, and typography. You’ll learn not only how to make cards but also how to create any visual content. The program takes four years, but you’ll gain a degree and a broad perspective on the field. However, you’ll have to independently learn the specifics of working with marketplaces. 

Whatever path you choose, the key is to start practicing as early as possible. Complete student projects, study successful cards from famous brands, and experiment with styles. The more work in your portfolio, the easier it will be to find your first clients. Remember: in design, it’s not the speed of learning that matters, but constant practice and a desire to improve.

1. Do you need to be able to draw to create designs for marketplaces?No, hand-drawing isn’t necessary. The key is to be able to use graphics programs, select fonts and colors, and create clear infographics. Most elements can be created using ready-made shapes and icons.
2. Is it possible to become a marketplace designer without experience?Yes, you can start from scratch. Some successful designers started without experience—simply learning and creating their first portfolio pieces. The key is a desire to learn and lots of practice.
3. How long does it take to master a profession from scratch?It’s different for everyone. Basic skills can be mastered in two to three months of intensive training. It will take four to six months to start taking your first orders. But you’ll need to constantly learn—marketplace trends and requirements change frequently.
4. Is it possible to work remotely?Yes, all you need is a computer and internet access. Most designers work from home and communicate with clients via instant messaging apps.
5. How do AI and neural networks influence the work of a marketplace designer?Neural networks speed up work—they help remove background noise, generate ideas, and create design elements. But they don’t replace designers; they become their tools. Humans are still needed to understand business objectives.