Alternate Images are every image after the primary on a Bloomingdale's product page: the back view, the details, the lifestyle shot. Bloomingdale's requires them on every listing. Its guide asks for at least 3 images per style, aims for 6, and allows up to 11 plus a swatch, so a style with a primary image and two alternates is the minimum that passes review. Shoppers flip through the alternates before they buy, and Bloomingdale's reviewers reject images that do not look professionally shot and edited, so the set affects both approval and conversion.
Alternates are chosen per colorway: each color variant carries its own set, every size of that color shares it, and the sets may differ between the colorways of a style group.
Image specifications
Every alternate is held to the same technical bar as the Primary Image.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1200 x 1500 pixels (4:5 portrait) |
| Background | White |
| Color profile | sRGB |
| File size | Up to 10 MB |
| Style | Professionally shot and edited photographs |
| Model faces | Cropped just below the eyes |
| Count | 1 to 10 alternates after the primary; Bloomingdale's asks for at least 2 and prefers 5 |
Order of the images
Bloomingdale's reads the image set as a sequence, and the first two positions are fixed.
| Position | Content |
|---|---|
| Second image (first alternate) | Back view, matching the primary's setup: on model for adults, flat-lay for kids |
| Third image | Detail shot or lifestyle image. Use a detail shot for anything with a pattern or print |
| Then | The remaining angles and close-ups, with lifestyle images last |
When a category shot list applies (below), it replaces this generic order.
Content rules
- Never repeat an image, and never reuse the primary image as an alternate.
- Every image must show this variant's colorway. Skip images of other colors. For a color variant, skip images that show every colorway together unless nothing else is available.
- Do not place two images with the same view, orientation and scene next to each other.
- A size chart may be uploaded as an alternate image.
- Swatches do not belong here. Bloomingdale's has a dedicated Swatch Image field.
Shot lists by category
| Category | Alternate sequence |
|---|---|
| Kids & Baby apparel | Front flat-lay (primary), back flat-lay, then a detail, on-figure or lifestyle image. Suits, sportscoats, tights and socks take a detail shot in the third position. Use the standard view codes ST_FR, ST_BK and ST_DET when your source names them |
| Kids & Baby shoes | Product image (primary), top view, detail shot |
| Men's Clothing | Front on model (primary), back on model, then a detail shot on model. Dress shirts: front folded, detail, lifestyle. Dinner and tuxedo jackets: front on model waist-up, front on model full body, then back or detail |
| Men's Shoes | Product image (primary), top view, detail shot |
| Women's Clothing | Front on model (primary), back on model, then a detail shot or lifestyle image. Coats, jackets, blazers and dresses: front, back, then an alternative view on model, detail or lifestyle. Denim and bras: front, back, then a side view on model or detail. Bodysuits: front with bottoms, front bodysuit-only, back. Tights, socks and hosiery: front on model, detail on model, lifestyle |
| Women's Shoes | Product image (primary), top view, detail shot |
Examples
| Style | Alternate set | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Women's floral midi dress, "Sage" | Back on model, print close-up, side on model, lifestyle | Good: back second, detail third for a print, lifestyle last |
| Men's oxford dress shirt | Folded detail of collar and placket, lifestyle | Good: follows the dress shirt list |
| Boys' fleece hoodie | Back flat-lay, hood and zipper detail, on-figure | Good: kids stay flat-lay for the first two positions |
| Women's slip dress, "Rose" | Back view of the "Black" colorway, group shot of all colors | Weak: shows other colorways |
| Women's ankle boot | Same three-quarter product shot twice, lifestyle | Weak: a repeated view, and no top view or detail shot |
Common mistakes
- Sending only the primary and one back view. Two images per style is under Bloomingdale's minimum of three.
- Leading with lifestyle images. They belong at the end of the sequence, after the product shots.
- Reusing the same alternate set across every colorway. A shopper looking at the "Camel" variant should see camel in every frame.
- Images below 1200 x 1500 pixels or in a 1:1 crop. The 4:5 ratio applies to every image, not only the primary.
- Uncropped model faces. Bloomingdale's crops just below the eyes on model shots.
- Putting the swatch in the image set instead of the Swatch Image field.
How Osello fills this field
Alternate Images is a variant-level field set once per colorway and shared by every size of that colorway. Osello selects from the source product's images after the primary is chosen, never picking the primary again or any image twice, and prefers a side or back view for the first slot. It skips images that preview customization, requires at least 1200 pixels on each side, and crops to 4:5 where a source image needs it (see crop listing images to the required shape). Backgrounds that are not white are made white; edits made by the AI wait for your approval before they are used (see approve AI-edited images). The selection rules are described in how Osello chooses your listing images.
The rest of Bloomingdale's requirements are in the Bloomingdale's field directory.
Frequently asked questions
How many alternate images does Bloomingdale's require?
At least two after the primary, for a minimum of three images per style. Bloomingdale's aims for six images in total and accepts up to eleven plus a swatch. Osello's field accepts one to ten alternates.
Can the alternate images differ between colorways?
Yes, and they should. Each colorway's set has to show that color, so a "Navy" variant and an "Ivory" variant of the same style will normally carry different images. All sizes of one colorway share the same set.
Where does the size chart go?
A size chart image can be uploaded as one of the alternates. Bloomingdale's also has a separate Size Chart Image field for it, so use whichever your listing workflow fills.
Do alternates need a white background too?
Yes. The 1200 x 1500 pixel, white background, sRGB specification applies to every image in the set, and reviewers expect the same professional finish throughout.
Should the back view be on a model or flat?
Match the primary. Adult apparel uses a back view on model; kids and baby apparel uses a back flat-lay. Shoes take a top view in that position instead.