Shopify developers, where do you source your product images and content for the demo store that you create as part of your theme submission?
I need some placeholder content but I’m stumped regarding where to get a library of products.
Topic summary
A Shopify developer is seeking sources for placeholder product images and content for theme demo stores required for theme submission.
Recommended Image Sources:
- Burst by Shopify – Free stock photos curated specifically for ecommerce, categorized by niche, ideal for Shopify themes
- Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay – High-quality stock images free for commercial use without attribution
- Lorem Picsum/Unsplash Source – Quick placeholder images with customizable sizes
Product Data & Content:
- Shopify Polaris Sample Data – Official sample product/customer data in JSON format (though one user reports a broken GitHub link)
- Faker.js or Falso – Libraries to generate fake product names, prices, SKUs, and reviews
- Shopify GitHub Repository – CSV files with ready-made products, images, and descriptions
- Open source datasets – Available on Kaggle/GitHub, but require checking for trademark/copyright issues
Best Practices:
Avoid real brand names or copyrighted products. Use realistic-looking demo data that showcases theme features like variants, multiple images, and detailed descriptions. Staying within Shopify’s ecosystem (Burst, official sample data) is preferred.
Image & Product Content Sources#### 1. Burst by Shopify- Free stock photo platform by Shopify.
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Images are curated for ecommerce and categorized by niches (fashion, tech, beauty, etc.).
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100% free for commercial use – ideal for Shopify themes.
2. Pexels / Unsplash / Pixabay- High-quality stock images.
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Free for commercial use with no attribution required.
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Great for lifestyle images, banners, and generic product shots.
3. Shopify Polaris Sample Data- Official sample product and customer data from Shopify’s Polaris design system.
- Clean JSON format – great for dev environments.
4. Faker Libraries (for Content)- Use JS or Liquid-based faker libraries like:
5. Open Source Product Datasets- Kaggle or GitHub sometimes hosts sample ecommerce product datasets (e.g., Amazon product metadata).
- Scrub for trademarks or copyrighted text/images.
1 Like
For your Shopify theme demo store, you can source product images and content from a few safe and recommended places. Shopify provides sample product data through their GitHub repository, which includes CSV files with ready-made products, images, and descriptions. This is ideal for development and testing.
You can also use Burst by Shopify, which offers free high-resolution stock photos tailored for eCommerce. These images are free to use with no attribution required and are officially recommended by Shopify.
For generating placeholder text like product names and descriptions, you can use tools like Faker.js. For placeholder images, sites like Lorem Picsum or Unsplash Source let you quickly grab random images with customizable sizes.
If you want more variety, you can also explore royalty-free image sites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. Just make sure the images are free for commercial use and don’t require attribution, or stick with Burst to stay within Shopify’s preferred ecosystem.
Avoid using real brand names, copyrighted products, or overly generic content. Shopify prefers realistic-looking demo data that showcases your theme’s features, like variant options, multiple images, and long descriptions.
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Thanks!
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1 Like
Thank you for this!
Shopify Polaris sample data link is giving a 404