Tips to work correctly with CSV files and upload products into your Shopify store easily

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When you import a product CSV into Shopify, your product list in Shopify updates to match the CSV file. 

You can import CSVs into Shopify from outside sources like another Shopify store, a different ecommerce platform, or a supplier. 

You can also export a CSV from your Shopify store, make changes, and then import it back into your store to update your products. 

Here are some tips for working with product CSVs that you want to important into your Shopify store. 

Save two copies of your CSV when updating products

You can edit one copy and keep the other as a backup product list. Be aware that, if you import a CSV file with errors into Shopify, it can overwrite your original products and they can’t be recovered. 

It’s important to note that, when you wave a CSV, it doesn’t make a copy of your product images. If you want to backup your images, then you have to save them separately. 

Make sure your CSV matches Shopify’s CSV file format for products

If you have a CSV file from another source, like an inventory list, then you need to rebuild it in Shopify’s format. Otherwise, the import will fail. You can download a sample CSV file so you don’t have problems with Shopify’s format. Just click here to download it. 

If you’re using a CSV to move products from another store, then you need to upload your product CSV to your new store while your old store and products are still available on a publicly accessible website. Otherwise, links to your variant and product images won’t be imported. 

Don’t use CSV files for dropshipping stores

You can’t use a CSV file to import products when you have a dropshipping app like Oberlo. Using a CSV file on dropshipping products cause errors such as broken product links, prices not updating, inventory out of sync, and orders not sent to the Oberlo app. 

How to import a product CSVs

To import a CSV file, start from your Shopify admin > Products > Import. Click “Choose File”, locate your CSV file, and click Open. Click the checkbox if you want to update data from matching products with data from your CSV.

In your CSV file, each product has a product handle and a product title. The product handle is what a customer sees in the URL when they go to the product online. A product title is the actual title of the product. A product title can match the product handle or it can be totally different. 

If you select this checkbox, and your CSV file has a product handle that matches a product already in you Shopify store, then the CSV data that you import overrides data for the same product. 

Next, click “Upload file”. Shopify shows a preview of your first product. Check that the information is correct. If it’s not correct, then cancel the upload and edit the file so it previews correctly. If the preview is correct, then click “Start import”.

The import might take a few moments depending on the size of the file. When your CSV file is uploaded, you receive a confirmation email from Shopify. 

If you find this tasks too complicated, or there is any problem on the import process that you don’t have any idea how to solve…

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