Import Products
The Import feature allows you to create and update products from external files including CSV, Excel, TSV, and Google Shopping XML.
Opening Import
Open using one of these methods:
- Menu: File > Import Products
- Toolbar: Import/Export dropdown > Import Products
Supported Formats
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | .csv | Comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe delimited |
| TSV | .tsv | Tab-delimited |
| Excel | .xlsx | Microsoft Excel format |
| Google Shopping | .xml | RSS 2.0 with g: namespace |
Import Workflow
The import process has 5 steps:
- Select File - Choose the file to import
- Column Mapping - Map source columns to Shopify fields
- Preview - Review what will be imported
- Import - Execute the import
- Complete - Review results
Step 1: Select File
- Click Browse or drag-drop a file
- File is analyzed automatically
- Delimiter is auto-detected for CSV files
- Column headers are extracted
File Requirements
- Maximum file size: 100MB
- Must have header row
- UTF-8 encoding recommended
- Consistent column structure
Step 2: Column Mapping
Map source columns to Shopify product fields.
Mapping Editor
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Source Column | Column name from your file |
| Target Field | Shopify field to populate |
| Transform | Optional value transformation |
| Preview | Sample values from your file |
Target Fields
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Yes | Product name |
| Handle | No | URL slug (auto-generated if blank) |
| Description | No | HTML or plain text |
| Vendor | No | Brand name |
| Product Type | No | Category |
| Tags | No | Comma-separated |
| Price | No | Variant price |
| Compare At Price | No | Original price |
| SKU | Recommended | Stock keeping unit |
| Barcode | No | UPC, EAN, ISBN |
| Weight | No | Shipping weight |
| Inventory | No | Stock quantity |
| SEO Title | No | Meta title |
| SEO Description | No | Meta description |
Mapping Profiles
Save and reuse mapping configurations:
- Save Profile - Save current mappings
- Load Profile - Load saved profile
- Built-in Profiles:
- Shopify CSV (standard export format)
- Etsy CSV (from Etsy export)
- Google Shopping (product feed)
- Generic (common field names)
Transformations
Apply transformations to imported values:
| Transform | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trim | Remove whitespace | " shoes " → "shoes" |
| Uppercase | Convert to uppercase | "shoes" → "SHOES" |
| Lowercase | Convert to lowercase | "SHOES" → "shoes" |
| Strip HTML | Remove HTML tags | <b>bold</b> → "bold" |
| Prefix | Add text before | "SKU-" + "123" → "SKU-123" |
| Suffix | Add text after | "123" + "-NEW" → "123-NEW" |
| Replace | Find and replace text | Custom replacement |
Step 3: Preview
Review what will be imported before executing:
Preview Grid
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Row | Source file row number |
| Title | Product title |
| Action | Create, Update, or Skip |
| Status | Valid, Warning, or Error |
| Message | Validation details |
Preview Actions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Create | New product will be created |
| Update | Existing product will be updated |
| Skip | Row will be skipped (error or option) |
Validation
The preview validates:
- Required fields present
- Data types correct
- Duplicate detection
- SKU/Handle conflicts
Import Settings
Import Mode
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Create Only | Only create new products (skip existing) |
| Update Only | Only update existing products (skip new) |
| Create & Update | Create new and update existing |
Match Key
How to identify existing products for updates:
- Handle - Match by URL handle
- SKU - Match by variant SKU
Other Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Skip rows with errors | Continue importing valid rows |
| Update only mapped fields | Don't clear unmapped fields |
| Publish new products | Set status to Active (vs Draft) |
Step 4: Import
- Click Start Import
- Progress bar shows completion
- Each row is processed sequentially
- Errors are logged but don't stop import
During Import
- Cancel button available (partial import)
- Status updates in real-time
- Error count displayed
Step 5: Complete
Review import results:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Created | New products added |
| Updated | Existing products modified |
| Skipped | Rows not imported |
| Failed | Rows with errors |
Error Log
Click View Errors to see details:
- Row number
- Error message
- Source data
Export Log
Click Export Log to save results as CSV.
Etsy Import
Import products from your Etsy shop:
- Export from Etsy Dashboard > Shop Manager > Settings > Download Data
- Choose "Listings" export
- Import the CSV into ProductManager
- Use "Etsy CSV" mapping profile
Etsy Field Mapping
| Etsy Field | Shopify Field |
|---|---|
| Title | Title |
| Description | Description |
| Price | Price |
| Quantity | Inventory |
| SKU | SKU |
| Tags | Tags |
| Who Made | Metafield |
| When Made | Metafield |
| Materials | Tags or Metafield |
Note: Etsy supports 2 variants vs Shopify's 3. Some manual adjustments may be needed.
Google Shopping Import
Import from Google Shopping XML feed:
- Select the XML file
- Google Shopping profile auto-loads
- Review mappings (g:id, g:title, etc.)
- Preview and import
Best Practices
- Backup first - Export current products before importing
- Test small - Try with 5-10 products first
- Clean data - Fix issues in source file before import
- Use SKUs - Reliable matching for updates
- Check handles - Avoid duplicate URL handles
- Review preview - Always check before importing
Troubleshooting
"File not recognized"
- Check file extension
- Ensure proper encoding (UTF-8)
- Verify header row exists
"Column not found"
- Check column name spelling
- Remove special characters from headers
- Ensure consistent column structure
"Duplicate product"
- Check for duplicate handles/SKUs
- Use different match key
- Clean source data
"Import failed"
- Check internet connection
- Verify Shopify credentials
- Review error log for details
- Try smaller batches