Quote - Just want to add that there are rules for vendors when posting there promo images, not sure if thats what the OP is referring to, but vendors cant simply advertise there products as they want.

But personally i would prefer to see products in a basic setup, and if it looks good or just decent there, you know as user that if you spend some time setting up a decent scene with nice lighting etc, the product will most likely also follow along. As you dont really know how long time have been spend on a "super" render, and then you might be very disappointed when you actually try the product and cant even come close to getting the same result.

I do understand your point and the desire to provide accurate depictions of the product under normal use.  However, IMO, some of these "accurate depictions" are accurate only if they apply to a blind monkey banging on the keyboard with a blunt object while determining rendering settings.  There, I said it. :)

For instance, it takes practically no skill at all just to move a light so it actually shines somewhere near the product being offered...  If the producers and marketers have such low expectations of their user base then they needn't worry about selling quality products at all - their customers would have no use for them.  But, I think both are intimately concerned with providing those types of products.  They just need to get on the same page as to decide how best to do that.