Alternate Images are the product images that follow the primary image on a Target+ product page: the back view, the details, the scale and lifestyle shots a shopper flips through before adding to cart. Target requires them on every listing. A primary image plus at least 2 or 3 alternates is the minimum to launch, and apparel needs a full front, a full back and a detail shot at the very least.
Alternates are chosen per variant. Every size of a colorway shares one set, and the sets differ between colorways, so a shopper looking at the "Navy" variant sees navy in every frame.
Image specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| File format | JPG |
| Color mode | RGB |
| Dimensions | 2400 x 2400 pixels preferred; 1200 x 1200 pixels is the recommended minimum |
| Shape | Square (1:1) |
| File size | Up to 10 MB per image |
| Count | Up to 15 alternates; Target needs at least 2 or 3 alongside the primary |
| Photography | Well lit, in focus, professionally shot photographs. No renders or CAD drawings of packaging |
| Usage rights | You must hold full rights to every image |
Target's photography direction applies to alternates too: shoot overhead, slightly 3/4 overhead or straight on, retouch only to clean up the product, and keep shadows natural, soft and following the shape of the item. Props are allowed only to show scale, kept sparse and neutral, ideally white.
Order of the images
Target reads the set as a sequence. The first alternate is the alternate view of the primary, almost always the back, and its background must match the primary's (white or light gray). Later images may vary their background.
| Position | Laydown photography | On-model photography |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Front | Front |
| First alternate | Back | Back |
| Second alternate | Special features or details | Full body or a detail shot |
| Then | Further details, scale shots, lifestyle images | Further details, scale shots, lifestyle images |
Lifestyle images should show the product at scale and in use. When it helps the shopper, an image should make the size, shape or capacity of the item obvious.
Content rules
- Never repeat an image, and never reuse the primary image as an alternate.
- Do not place two images with the same view, orientation and scene next to each other.
- Text on an alternate is allowed only when it is legible, on-brand and repeated in the description or highlights. The first alternate carries no text at all.
- A size chart may be one of the later alternates, never the primary or the first alternate.
- For a color variant, leave out images in other colors and images that show every colorway together, unless nothing else is available.
- No watermarks, promotional language or graphic content. No filler or "No Image" placeholders.
- Do not show items that are not included with the product.
- Skip images with logos, awards, competitor products or other retailers, and anything Target prohibits: alcohol, nudity, political or religious references, suggestive posing.
- The front of packaging is acceptable only when it is clearly a photograph of the real package.
Category shot lists
| Category | First alternates |
|---|---|
| Bags, Luggage and Accessories | For handbags and backpacks, the first alternate is the bag on a mannequin or a model |
| Jewelry | Rings, bracelets and earrings get a second angle; necklaces get an on-mannequin shot that shows the drape |
| Shoes, and Sports and Outdoors Shoes | Alternate 1: the right shoe facing the opposite direction from the primary (toe left). Alternate 2: the top of the right shoe from overhead. Alternate 3: the sole, straight on |
Examples
| Style | Alternate set | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Women's ribbed tank, "Sage" | Back on model, rib texture close-up, full body, lifestyle at a farmers market | Good: back first on a matching background, detail, then scale and lifestyle |
| Leather crossbody bag | Bag on a mannequin, interior pockets, strap hardware close-up | Good: follows the bags list, then features |
| Men's trail runner | Right shoe toe-left, overhead of the right shoe, sole straight on, on-foot lifestyle | Good: the footwear sequence in order |
| Kids' rain jacket, "Yellow" | Back view of the "Red" colorway, all five colors in a row | Weak: wrong colorway and a group shot |
Common mistakes
- Launching with the primary and a single back view. Target wants at least 2 or 3 alternates, and apparel needs a detail shot as well.
- A first alternate shot on a lifestyle background while the primary sits on white. The two backgrounds must match.
- Reusing one alternate set across every colorway of the style.
- Putting the size chart in the first alternate slot.
How Osello fills this field
Alternate Images is a variant-level field. Variants that share the same source images, in practice every size of a colorway, share one set, and each colorway gets its own. Once the Primary Image is chosen, Osello picks the alternates from the remaining product images in order, never selecting the same image twice, preferring a back or side view for the first slot and skipping images that preview customization such as embroidery or monograms. Images that are not square are cropped to 1:1 by removing background only, and backgrounds that are not white are made white; both edits wait for your approval before the listing can be submitted (see approve AI-edited images and crop listing images to the required shape). The full selection logic is described in how Osello chooses your listing images.
The rest of Target's requirements are in the Target+ field directory.
Frequently asked questions
How many alternate images does Target+ require?
Target needs a primary image plus at least 2 or 3 alternates to launch an item. Apparel needs a full front, a full back and a detail shot at minimum. Osello's field accepts up to 15 alternates.
Does the first alternate have to match the primary's background?
Yes. The first alternate is the alternate view of the primary, usually the back, and its background must be the same white or light gray. Later images may use other backgrounds, including lifestyle scenes.
Can I include a size chart as an alternate image?
Yes, as one of the later alternates. It can never be the primary image or the first alternate, and any text on it needs to be legible.
Do the alternates differ between colorways?
They should. Each colorway's set shows that color, so a "Navy" and an "Ivory" variant of the same style normally carry different images. All sizes of one colorway share the same set.