If you've added a product but haven't uploaded a photo yet, Homegrown automatically picks an emoji that matches the product type — a 🥕 for produce, a 🍞 for bread, a 🧀 for cheese, and so on. This keeps your storefront from showing blank gray rectangles before you've had time to take photos.
How the emoji is chosen
The emoji is selected based on the product category and name. It's automatic — you don't pick it.
How to replace the emoji with a real photo
Open Products in your dashboard
Click the product you want to update
Click Add photo (or the existing emoji image to replace it)
Upload your image
Click Save
The emoji disappears as soon as you upload a real photo. Photos sell better than emoji every time — once you have a chance to shoot your products, get them up.
Tips for product photos that sell
Shoot in natural light near a window during the day
Plain background — a wood cutting board, a linen napkin, or a clean countertop
Show what's inside if it's a packaged product (one whole, one cut open)
Square crop, eye-level angle, no filters
See How to take local product photos that sell for the full guide.
Why we don't just leave it blank
Empty product photos hurt conversion. Shoppers scrolling your storefront skip products without images. The emoji placeholder isn't ideal, but it's better than a blank box — and it nudges you to upload the real thing.