Documentation

Images and Assets

Elevate, May 20-22-2025, Miami Beach, Florida

Learn about the differences between Images and Assets and the scenarios where you should use either Images or Assets.

  • After completing this page, you should be able to:

    • Choose when to use either Images or Assets to solve your media requirements.

    • In digital commerce, visual appeal is everything. Online shoppers rely heavily on product images when making purchase decisions and depend on high-quality visuals to evaluate product details, compare options, and build trust in a brand.

    Why do images matter in digital commerce?

    • Increase conversions: a well-optimized image can increase sales.
    • Reduce returns: clear product visuals help set accurate expectations, decreasing return rates.
    • Strengthen brand identity: consistent and high-quality imagery enhances brand recognition.
    • Boost engagement: interactive media keep customers engaged longer.
    However, as digital commerce businesses expand their catalogs and sell across multiple markets, effectively managing media assets becomes a challenge. Composable Commerce provides two options to manage images with your product catalog: Images and Assets.

    Let's clarify the differences between Images and Assets in Composable Commerce and the scenarios where you should use either Images or Assets..

    Images

    Images are integrated with Product Variants.
    • Purpose: represent product visuals directly on product pages and listings.
    • Storage and delivery: uploaded images are stored on a Content Delivery Network (CDN), ensuring fast loading times globally.
    • Limitations: no sharing between Product Variants. Implement this logic in your application, if required.
    • External hosting: you can link to images hosted externally by providing their URLs.
    You can add, update, and delete Images either via the Merchant Center on the Product Variant level or via the HTTP API.

    Assets

    Assets provide a more flexible approach for handling various types of media, beyond just product images.

    • Purpose: manage multiple types of media (such as images, videos, and PDFs) associated with Products, Categories, or other resources.
    • Flexibility:
      • Multiple sources: an Asset can have different formats and resolutions (for example, video encodings and image sizes).
      • Rich metadata: you can use name, description, and tags for organization and filtering purposes.
      • Custom Fields: store additional information specific to your needs.
    • Use cases:
      • Product manuals (PDFs)
      • Localized videos
      • Multiple image resolutions for different contexts
      • 360-degree product views
      • Various video encodings for compatibility
    • External hosting: you can add links to images hosted externally by providing their URLs.
    For more information about working with Assets, see our tutorial.

    Key differences at a glance

    FeatureImageAsset
    PurposeProduct-specific visualsGeneral media management
    File TypesImages onlyImages, videos, PDFs, and more
    MetadataLimited (URL, label)Rich metadata (name, description, tags, and custom fields)
    OrganizationTied to Product VariantsFlexible; can be linked to Product Variants and Categories
    Source optionsSingle sourceMultiple sources for different formats, resolutions, and encodings
    Use casesProduct displaysProduct manuals, localized content, 360° views, high-resolution downloads, and any scenario that requires diverse media with detailed metadata and flexible management

    Choose between Images and Assets

    While Images are suitable for basic product visuals, Assets are generally the preferred method to manage media content in Composable Commerce. The flexibility, rich metadata, and support for multiple file types make Assets a powerful tool for creating engaging and informative product experiences.

    If you need to manage anything other than simple product images or if you require detailed metadata and flexible organization, Assets are the way to go.

    Product Tailoring

    Product Tailoring enables you to customize product information, such as names and descriptions, for different brands or regions represented as Stores within your Composable Commerce Project.
    Product Tailoring also lets you specify various Images and Assets to be used for a product in a specific Store, overriding the default ones. For more information, see our Product Tailoring documentation.

    Test your knowledge

    Where to next?

    Great job at finishing the Model and manage business processes with States module!

    That brings us to the end of the Model your product catalog learning path. If you haven't yet completed our other functional learning paths, we strongly recommend that you complete them next. Click one of the cards below to get started. Good luck!