Why pack_product.py Renders Both a 1280×720 Cover and a 600×600 Thumbnail

Description and use

pack_product.py produces a 1280×720 cover and a 600×600 thumbnail to meet marketplace and grid display requirements.

Problem

Uploads were rejected because the packaging script produced a single image that failed to meet the differing aspect‑ratio requirements of marketplace listings and grid thumbnails.

Outcome

The dual‑canvas approach eliminates upload rejections and ensures that both hero and thumbnail images display correctly across all marketplace surfaces.

Workflow

• 1. Run python pack_product.py <product_name> "Product Title" "Subtitle" <count>
• 2. The script zips product files into <product-name>.zip
• 3. Pillow renders a 1280×720 cover image as <product-name>-cover.jpg
• 4. Pillow renders a 600×600 thumbnail as <product-name>-thumb.jpg
• 5. All three files are placed in the _system folder (or specified via --dir or PACK_ROOT).

Evidence

I built 39 products on a 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM server before I understood why my uploads kept getting rejected.

Source

pack_product.py renders both, every pack, with no flag to turn either off.

Source

The cover is the hero image. It is what the buyer sees first on a product page or a marketplace listing, and it is the one they judge in roughly two seconds.

Source

The thumbnail is the survival test. It shows up in grids, search results, category rows, and recommendation strips, often at 100px or less, often cropped to a square.

Source