The Description is the one paragraph of selling copy on a Nordstrom product page. It is required on every item, set once per style group, and Nordstrom shows it twice: the first sentence, about the first 165 characters, appears under the title and price as the selling statement, and the whole paragraph appears again as the opening of the "Details & care" section, above the feature bullets. Because the same text does both jobs, the opening sentence has to stand on its own and the paragraph has to stay short.
Format rules
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Required | Yes |
| Level | Parent listing; every colorway and size in the style group shares it |
| Shape | One paragraph, complete sentences, no line breaks, bullets, HTML or emojis |
| Recommended length | 100 to 300 characters; Nordstrom wants the description short and lets the feature bullets carry the detail |
| Hard limit | 10,240 characters |
| Selling statement | The first sentence, within roughly the first 165 characters, states the strongest customer-facing benefit in plain words |
| Characters | No smart quotes, em or en dashes, trademark signs, bullets or other typographic symbols |
| Forbidden words | Nordstrom rejects copy containing any of its 75 forbidden words and phrases |
Nordstrom's forbidden list mixes trademarked terms that belong to other companies ("xoxo", "coachella", "barbie", "sherpa", "for less"), culturally appropriative words ("gypsy", "tribe", "aztec", "navajo", "oriental", "eskimo"), curse words and a few common words that collide with existing labels ("lush", "urban", "onesie"). It also bans curly quotes and apostrophes, so type a straight apostrophe in "women's".
Nordstrom also rejects hype. Leave out "ultimate", "must-have", "never-before", "guaranteed", "perfect for everyone", "best ever" and similar superlatives, and write in a polished, friendly voice instead.
Content rules
- Describe the fabric, fit, construction, details, comfort and finish that the source data supports. Work the words shoppers search for (product type, silhouette, fabric, fit, closure, sleeve length, rise) into ordinary sentences rather than a keyword list.
- Keep it identical across the style group. Every colorway and size shows the same paragraph, so remove color, pattern and size mentions. For pants, mention the inseam only when every variant shares it.
- Do not repeat the Title, and do not repeat what the Highlights bullets already say. The description romances the product; the bullets list its specifications.
- Leave out internal item numbers, warranties or lifetime guarantees, price, inventory and anything that steers the shopper away from buying.
- "Our" and "we" mean Nordstrom on Nordstrom.com. Refer to the maker by brand name instead ("Rag & Bone's signature stretch denim").
- Mention country of origin only when the product is made in the USA or the UK.
Examples
| Description | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| This wardrobe-essential lyocell-chambray shirt is lightweight and drapes gently against the body for a laid-back look that is always in style. | Good | One sentence, 145 characters, a benefit up front, searchable words in a natural sentence |
| A relaxed midi dress cut from airy linen with a smocked bodice and adjustable straps, made to move easily from the beach to dinner. Reformation's linen softens with every wash. | Good | Two sentences, under 300 characters, brand named instead of "we" |
| The ultimate must-have navy shirt! Available in sizes XS to XL. Machine wash cold. | Weak | Hype words, a color and size range that vary by variant, and care that belongs in the bullets |
| We designed this shirt with our signature fit and a lifetime guarantee. | Weak | "We" reads as Nordstrom, and guarantees are not allowed |
| Style #4471-NVY. Lyocell chambray shirt. Long sleeves. Button front. | Weak | Internal item number, fragments instead of sentences, repeats the bullets |
Common mistakes
- Pasting the full Shopify description, with its line breaks and bullet HTML, into a field that allows one plain paragraph.
- Writing 600 characters of copy when Nordstrom wants 100 to 300 and shows only the first 165 under the price.
- Burying the benefit in the second sentence, so the selling statement under the title ends mid-thought.
- A color name in the paragraph, which makes the shared copy wrong on every other colorway.
- Curly quotes copied from a word processor, which trip the forbidden character list.
- "Our" and "we" used from the seller's point of view.
How Osello fills this field
Osello fills the Description at the parent level, so one paragraph is shared by every variant in the listing. It rewrites the source product description into a single plain-text paragraph within Nordstrom's rules: HTML is stripped, color, pattern and size mentions are removed, forbidden words and characters are replaced or dropped, and the first sentence is written as the selling statement. When the source has no description, Osello writes one from the product's other attributes and its images, and it never mentions price, cost, inventory or stock. Each AI-written value carries a confidence score, and you can steer tone or vocabulary for your store with custom instructions. See how Osello AI fills listing fields for the mechanics.
The Nordstrom field directory covers the rest of Nordstrom's fields, and the Nordstrom readiness checker shows whether a Shopify product's description is usable before you connect.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Nordstrom product description be?
Aim for 100 to 300 characters in one paragraph. The hard limit is 10,240 characters, but Nordstrom shows only the first 165 under the title and price, and the feature bullets are meant to carry the detail.
Can the description mention the color?
No. Every colorway and size in a style group shows the same description, so color, pattern and size mentions make the copy wrong on the other variants. Color belongs in the color fields and the images.
Can I use HTML, bullets or line breaks?
No. The description is a single plain paragraph. Bullets belong in the Highlights field, and HTML is stripped before submission.
Can I mention the brand?
Yes, and you should when you would otherwise write "we" or "our", because on Nordstrom.com those words refer to Nordstrom. Do not repeat the product title, though.
Can I say where the product is made?
Only when it is made in the USA or the UK. Leave country of origin out of the description for everything else.