Product CSV file format

Product CSV file format

The first line of your product CSV needs to include the field headers described below, in the same order, with each separated by a comma. Subsequent lines in the file should contain data for your product using those same fields in that exact same order. Here's a description of each field:

Handle Handles are unique names for each product. They can contain letters, dashes and numbers, but no spaces. A handle is used in the URL for each product. For example, the handle for a "Women's Snowboard" should be womens-snowboard, and the product's URL would be https://yourstore.myshopify.com/product/womens-snowboard.

Every line in the CSV starting with a different handle is treated as a new product. To add multiple images to a product, you should have multiple lines with the same handle.

Title The title of your product. Example:Women's Snowboard
Body (HTML) The description of the product in HTML format. This can also be plain text without any formatting.
Vendor (min. 2 characters) The name of the vendor for your product. For example, John's Apparel.
Type The Product type. For example, Snowboard.
Tags (can be left blank) Comma-separated list of tags used to tag the product. Most spreadsheet applications automatically add quotes around the tags for you. If you are using a plain text editor, you will need to manually add the quotes. For example, "tag1, tag2, tag3".
Published States whether a product is published on your online store. Valid values are TRUE if the product is published on your online store, or FALSE if the product is hidden from your online store. Leaving the field blank will publish the product.
Option 1 Name If a product has an option, enter its name. For example, Color.

For products with only a single option, this should be set to Title.

Option 1 Value If a product has an option, enter its value. For example, Black.

For products with only a single option, this should be set to Default Title.

Option2 Name (can be left blank) If a product has a second option, enter its name. For example, Size.
Option2 Value (can be left blank) If a product has a second option, enter its value. For example, Large.
Option3 Name (can be left blank) If a product has a third option, enter its name.
Option3 Value (can be left blank) If a product has a third option, enter the value of the option.
Variant SKU (can be left blank)

The SKU of the product or variant. This is used to track inventory with inventory tracking services.

This field can't be left blank if you're using a custom fulfillment service

 

 

Variant Grams

The weight of the product or variant in grams. Do not add a unit of measurement, just the number.

Shopify will always import and export weight in grams, even if you specify a different unit. You must use accurate weights if you intend to offer carrier-calculated shipping or use a third-party fulfillment service.

Variant Inventory Tracker (can be left blank) Include your inventory tracking for this variant or product. Valid values include shopify, shipwire, amazon_marketplace_web, or blank if inventory is not tracked.
Variant Inventory Quantity The number of items you have in stock of this product or variant.
Variant Inventory Policy How to handle orders when inventory level for this product or variant has reached zero. Valid values are deny, or continue. deny will stop selling when inventory reaches 0, and continue will allow sales to continue into negative inventory levels.
Variant Fulfillment Service

The product or variant fulfillment service used. Valid values are: manual, shipwire, webgistix, amazon_marketplace_web. If you use a custom fulfillment service, you can add the name of the service in this column. For the custom name, use only lowercase letters. Spaces aren't allowed—replace them with a dash (-). Periods and other special characters are removed. For example, if "Mr. Fulfiller" is your fulfillment service's name, enter mr-fulfiller in the CSV file.

You must have a custom fulfillment service set up in your Shopify admin before you can add the name of the service in this column.

Variant Price The price of the product or variant. Don't place any currency symbol there. For example, 9.99.
Variant Compare at Price The "Compare at Price" of the product or variant. Don't place any currency symbol there. For example, 9.99.
Variant Requires Shipping (blank = FALSE) The option to require shipping. Valid values are TRUE, FALSE, or blank.
Variant Taxable (blank = FALSE) Apply taxes to this variant. Valid values are TRUE, FALSE, or blank.
Variant Barcode (can be left blank) The barcode, ISBN or UPC of the product.
Image Src

Enter the URL for the product image. Shopify will download the images during the import and re-upload them into your store. These images are not variant-specific. The variant image column is where you specify variant images.

You won't be able to change your image filename after that image has been uploaded to your shop. Don't upload images that have _thumb, _small, or _medium suffixes in their names.

Image Position Enter the number that represents the order in which you want the image to appear on the product's page. The images will appear in order from smallest to largest starting from an image position value of 1. For example, enter 1 if you want the image to appear first for that product.
Image Alt Text (can be left blank) The text that describes an image. Useful if an image cannot be displayed or a screenreader passes over an image—the text replaces this element.
Gift Card States whether the product is a Gift Card or not. Valid values are TRUE, or FALSE. The addition of this column also allows you to edit other Gift Card details, such as the Body or Tags columns, and import these changes. A gift card can only be created and activated in the Shopify admin. You can't initially create a gift card through a product CSV import.
Variant Image The url for images of variants.
Variant Weight Unit Valid values are `lb` and `kg`.
Variant Tax Code SHOPIFY PLUS

The Avalara code to apply taxes to this product. This field applies only when you are importing to or exporting from a store that uses Shopify Plus's integration with Avalara AvaTax.

When you create a CSV file by exporting products from a store that uses Avalara, the Variant Tax Code field is populated. If you import this CSV file into a store that doesn't have Avalara set up, then your import will fail.

Metafields

Tip

There are ten metafield columns that appear in every CSV file. Only two of them apply to all stores. The other eight apply if you have installed the Google Shopping App to submit your products to Google's Merchant Center. When exporting or importing, these ten columns can be placed in any order. Click here to read which metafields are required.

SEO Title (does not require the Google Shopping App) The SEO Title is found on a product's details page under the Search engine listing preview header in the Page title field. The SEO Title has a character (letters & numbers) limit of 70.
SEO Description (does not require the Google Shopping App) The SEO Description is also found on a product's details page under the Search engine listing preview header in the Meta description field. The SEO Description has a character (letters & numbers) limit of 160.
Google Shopping / Google Product Category Google has a proprietary set of product categories. The full list is quite large to allow merchants to be specific towards their target audience. You can upload any value you want using the CSV file, however if your language format does not match Google's full product taxonomy, you might not be able to publish the products to Google.
Google Shopping / Gende What gender does this product target? Valid values are Female, Male, or Unisex
Google Shopping / Age Group What age group does this product target? Valid values are Adult or Kids only.
Google Shopping / MPN The MPN, or Manufacturer Part Number, is a string of alphanumeric digits of various lengths (0-9, A-Z).
Google Shopping / Adwords Grouping This is used to group products in an arbitrary way. It can be used for Product Filters to limit a campaign to a group of products, or Product Targets to bid differently for a group of products. You can enter any "string" data (letters and numbers).

The Collection column exception

To organize your products into collections during the CSV upload, you can add a new column anywhere in your CSV file with the header name Collection. This is the only column you can add to the CSV that will not break the format. Therefore:

  • Collection (must create a new column, can be left blank)

Enter the name of the collection you want to add this product to. If it is an existing automatic collection, then the product needs to meet the conditions for the collection. If the collection does not already exist, then one will be created for you. You can only add a product to one collection using this method.

Caution

The Collection column is the only column you can add to the CSV that will not break the format. You can't add any more columns to your CSV.