# Nordstrom Alternate Images Field Guide

> Product images that will appear on the PDP with the main product image.

**Alternate Images** are the product photos that follow the primary image in the carousel on a Nordstrom product page. The field itself is optional in the sense that a single missing alternate does not fail validation, but Nordstrom needs at least 3 images on an item before it can launch, and the primary image is only one of them. Nordstrom also accepts up to 15 images per item, and items with 3 or more images consistently sell better than items with fewer, so treat every qualifying photo as one you should send.

Alternate images are chosen per colorway. A shopper who picks the navy version of a shirt should see navy in every frame of the carousel, so each color in a style group carries its own set, and every size of that color shares it.

## Image requirements

| Rule | Requirement |
| --- | --- |
| Orientation | Portrait, 2:3 aspect ratio |
| Background | White preferred on product shots; other backgrounds only on the lifestyle and miscellaneous images at the end |
| File size | Up to 10 MB per image |
| Count | At least 3 images on the item before launch (primary included); Nordstrom accepts up to 15 |
| Text and graphics | No text, logos or watermarks on any product image |
| Size charts | Not allowed in the carousel; Nordstrom adds size charts separately |
| Duplicates | Never repeat an image, and never reuse the primary image as an alternate |

An image that is identical to another except for its background counts as a duplicate. Send one version, preferably the white-background one.

## Carousel order

Nordstrom's carousel follows a fixed sequence: front angle, scale or detail, back, side, front on model, top, bottom, then lifestyle or miscellaneous. Your primary image already covers the front, so the alternates pick up from there.

In practice the order looks like this:

1. An alternate view of the primary image, usually the back or the side.
2. The other of those two angles.
3. Detail shots and close-ups: fabric, hardware, stitching, pockets, closures.
4. Lifestyle and styled shots last.

Do not place two images with the same view, orientation and scene next to each other. A back view followed by a slightly different back view in the same setting reads as a mistake to the shopper and adds nothing.

## Colorway rules

- Every alternate must show this variant's colorway. Leave out images that show a different color, even when they are the only photo of a particular angle.
- Group shots that show all the colorways together stay out unless nothing else is available for the variant.
- Images that showcase point-of-sale customization, such as a monogram or embroidery a shopper can add at checkout, do not belong in the carousel.

## Examples

| Alternate set for a navy oxford shirt | Verdict | Reason |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Back on white, side on white, collar close-up, cuff close-up, styled on model | Good | Follows the carousel order, every frame is navy, lifestyle shot is last |
| Front on white, front on grey, back on white | Weak | The first image repeats the primary and the second is a background-only duplicate |
| Back on white, white colorway back on white, size chart graphic | Weak | Mixes colorways and includes a size chart, which Nordstrom does not allow in the carousel |
| Flat lay of all five colors, back on white | Weak | Group shot leads when a single-color image exists; move it to the end or drop it |

## Common mistakes

- Sending the primary image again as the first alternate. Nordstrom sees a duplicate, and the shopper sees the same photo twice.
- Horizontal or square crops. Nordstrom expects 2:3 portrait, so a 1:1 shot leaves the carousel inconsistent.
- Watermarked or captioned photos pulled from a wholesale line sheet.
- Copying one set of alternates across every colorway to save time. Each colorway needs images of its own color.
- Sending 1 or 2 images and waiting for launch. The item cannot go live until it has at least 3.

## How Osello fills this field

Osello fills Alternate Images at the variant level and sets it once per colorway, so all sizes of a color share the same set. It picks the primary image first, then chooses alternates from the remaining images of that colorway, excluding the primary and any image that only differs by background. Osello prefers white-background shots, leaves out images that show customization, and crops to 2:3 where a source image needs it; a crop it makes on its own is held for your [approval](/help/ai-prompts/approve-ai-edited-images) before it is submitted. Osello sends up to 9 alternates per variant. See [how Osello chooses your listing images](/help/channels-listings/how-osello-chooses-your-listing-images) and [cropping images to the required shape](/help/channels-listings/crop-listing-images-to-the-required-shape) for the details, and the [Primary Image](/marketplaces/nordstrom/fields/featured-image) guide for the image that leads the carousel.

The [Nordstrom field directory](/marketplaces/nordstrom/fields) lists every other Nordstrom field, and the [Nordstrom readiness checker](/tools/nordstrom-readiness-checker) tells you whether a Shopify product already has enough images to launch.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many images does Nordstrom require?

At least 3 per item before launch, counting the primary image, so a minimum of 2 alternates. Nordstrom accepts up to 15 images per item and items with 3 or more sell better, so send every image that meets the rules.

### Can alternate images have a colored or lifestyle background?

Only at the end of the carousel. Product shots should be on white; lifestyle and miscellaneous images with a setting or a model in a scene belong in the last positions.

### Do all sizes of a colorway share the same alternate images?

Yes. The images describe the colorway, so every size of that color carries the same set. A different colorway in the same style group needs its own images showing its own color.

### Can I include a size chart as an alternate image?

No. Nordstrom does not allow size chart images in the carousel and adds size charts to the product page separately.

### Does Osello crop my images to 2:3?

Yes. When a source image is not already 2:3, Osello crops it to the required shape and queues the crop for your review before the listing is submitted.