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Product Data

Your product pages are built from your BigCommerce product records. This page covers which fields the storefront uses, how to get the best out of them, and the custom fields it reads.

Images​

Product images come from BigCommerce in the order you've set there, with your primary image used first in listings, search results and social previews.

Guidance
FormatJPEG or PNG.
SizeAt least 1200 pixels on the longest side, so the zoom view stays sharp. The storefront resizes down, never up.
Aspect ratioKeep it consistent across your catalog. Mixed ratios make listing grids look uneven.
Alt textSet it in BigCommerce. It's used for accessibility and read by search engines.
OrderThe first image is the one shoppers and social platforms see. Make it your best.

Zoom on the product page is controlled by productImageZoom, on by default.

Faster images

Evolve Image Optimization resizes, compresses and format-converts your images at the CDN edge, serving modern formats to browsers that support them. It's usually the single biggest page-speed improvement available, and it needs no changes to your product records.

Variants and options​

Product options and variants are read from BigCommerce. As a shopper makes a selection, the storefront updates price, availability, images and the part number to match the selected variant.

On a variant-heavy product, check both of these:

  • Each variant that should have its own image has one in BigCommerce. Otherwise the gallery doesn't change as the shopper selects.
  • Variant-level stock is accurate. Availability shown on the page is the selected variant's, not the parent product's.
Bundles and kits

Product bundles and kits are not fully supported on BigCommerce storefronts today. If bundles are central to your catalog, talk to us before launch.

Part numbers and SKUs​

The part number or SKU is shown on product pages and listings, controlled by showPartNumbers. If your SKUs are internal codes you'd rather shoppers didn't see, turn it off.

Reviews​

Product reviews come from BigCommerce and are on by default:

SettingDefaultEffect
productReviewSummarytrueThe star rating summary near the product title
productReviewstrueThe reviews themselves, further down the page
productReviewSubmitregisteredOnly signed-in customers can submit a review

Set productReviewSubmit to all to let guests review, or none to accept no submissions from the storefront. Moderation stays in the BigCommerce admin.

Custom fields the storefront reads​

BigCommerce custom fields on a product are read by the storefront and used to drive per-product behavior. Today that means Virtual Try-On:

Custom fieldValues
vto.typegarment, scene, surface, none
vto.garmentClassUPPER_BODY, LOWER_BODY, FOOTWEAR, FULL_BODY
vto.materialClassFABRIC, TILE, WOOD, PAINT, WALLPAPER, STONE

Set them in Products → Edit Product → Custom Fields, or in bulk through the BigCommerce Management API. Field names are case-insensitive, and recognized vto.* fields are hidden from shoppers rather than shown in the product specification list.

Per-product values override the store-wide defaults, and vto.type=none opts a product out entirely. For the full behavior, including store defaults and what shoppers see, read Image Engine on Evolve Storefront.

note

Custom fields you add for your own purposes aren't displayed automatically. If you want one to appear on the product page, whether that's a care instruction, a certification or a size note, it's a small advanced customization.

SEO fields​

Your product's SEO page title, meta description and meta keywords in BigCommerce are used directly as the storefront page's metadata, and its description feeds the social preview text. See SEO.

A pre-launch data check​

Run through this on a sample of twenty products across your range:

  • Primary image is the right one and is large enough
  • Alt text is set
  • Description reads well, since it's used for the page description and social previews
  • SEO page title and meta description are filled in
  • Variants have their own images and accurate stock
  • The product is visible to your Evolve channel

See also​