Alt text on product images is important for creating an inclusive and accessible online shopping experience. It provides visually impaired individuals with essential information about the product's appearance and features, enabling them to make informed decisions. Alt text also benefits users with slow internet connections and contributes to search engine optimization efforts. By implementing accurate and descriptive alt text, e-commerce businesses can expand their customer base, ensure equal opportunities for all users, and make product information accessible to everyone.
Marketplacer supports Alt text on product on variant images via the following methods:
Operator and Seller API (GraphQL):
- Query Alt text on products and variants via the AdvertSearch or AllAdverts queries
- Add, edit or remove Alt text via the AdvertUpsert and VariantUpdate mutations
- Please note that if updating existing images on adverts or variants all images need to be provided in the request, otherwise those images not included will be removed
- Please reference our API documentation here.
Seller API (Legacy / REST):
- Query Alt text using the advert and variant image endpoints (GET)
- Add, edit or remove Alt text using the advert and variant image endpoints (POST, PUT)
- Please reference our API documentation here.
Seller Portal 2.0 UI:
1. Login to the seller portal 2.0 and navigate to "Products"
2. Products: Navigate to the "Media" tab. In the image table is a column in which Alt text can be added. When creating new products manually it is a two steps process:
-
- Upload an image
- Add Alt text
3. Variants: Navigate to the "Variants" tab and locate the image table. The image table includes a column to input Alt text. As for products, when adding a new image manually it is a two step process to add Alt text:
-
- Upload an image
- Add Alt text
UPCOMING CHANGE - DATE TBC: Bulk Product Spreadsheet (Operator Portal and Seller Portal):
- The bulk product spreadsheet will allow adding, editing and removing Alt text for images. Alt text uploaded in columns for which no image exists will be ignored.
- 40 additional columns will be added to the bulk product spreadsheet, 20 each for the product and variant image columns
- Column headers for product image Alt text:
- "Image Alt text 01 (Main)", "Image Alt text 02" - "Image Alt text 20": Located between columns "Image 20" and "Variant Image 01 (Main)"
- Column headers for variant image Alt text:
- "Variant Image alt text 01 (Main)", "Variant Image alt text 02" - "Variant Image alt text 20": Located between columns "Variant Image 20" and "Errors"
- Bulk product export columns configuration (Operator Portal and Seller Portal 2.0 only):
- To include/exclude the Alt text columns as per the above enable/disable the checkboxes "Image Alt Text" and "Variant Image Alt Text"
Alt text on product and variant images is not supported in the Legacy seller portal UI or on the Marketplacer frontend.