Import Products with a CSV File

Do you want to add products using a spreadsheet file? You're in the right place! 
If you do not have product data yet, feel free to use our Sample Data! Read how to get and use it, here. 

In short, here's how to import products using a CSV file:

  1. Create/ open your product data spreadsheet 
    • Columns should contain (at least) product: Code, Type, Name, Retail Price, Tax (%), Description(s), Image, and Stock Level (or "Track Stock Levels : No")
    • Product variants, shipping, and related products use "colon" (:) delimiters. Eg. Blue:Red:Green
    • To import multiple "variants (product parameters)", "shipping methods", or "related products", please use colons ( : ) as delimiters in your spreadsheet cell. Examples, in respective order:
      • Blue:Red:Green
      • Small:Medium:Large
      • FedX:DHP:Store Pickup
      • 12345:54313:52342   (NB! These numbers are "Product Codes")
    • Product groups and sub-groups use "greater than" (>) delimiters, like: Parent-Group>Sub-Group. Examples:
      • Home>Bedroom>Furniture
      • Women>Fashion  
      • NB! DO NOT have spaces between the characters, like "Women > Fashion". 
  2. Save the spreadsheet in CSV format
    • Set: UTF-8 encoding
    • Set Field Delimiter: ; (semi-colon)
  3. Configure the CSV import settings
    • Match the options in your ShopRoller account to the columns of your spreadsheet
    • The only "required" field is PRODUCT CODE. Your spreadsheet does not have to contain all the fields ShopRoller offers - pick and choose the data you would like to import. 
    • IF you import either "Ostuhind (km-ga)" (Wholesale Price [with tax]) or "Müügihind (km-ga)" (Retail Price [with tax]), then you MUST also have the "Käivemaks (%)" (Tax [%]) field. 
  4. Import your CSV file! 
    • NB! Once you have clicked "Import CSV", you cannot cancel the import. (Don't worry, you can still delete them though)

Watch our tutorial video from our YouTube Channel to see the process, here:


To check the products you just imported, you can:

Go to CATALOG > PRODUCTS, then use the search filter: "Date Uploaded" (or "Date Modified" if your first import of these products were not "today") to find them. 

You can also use the search bar above your menu to look for particular product codes, brands, names, etc. 

          

  

1. Create/ Open your spreadsheet

Your spreadsheet may contain the following columns:
  • Product Code: an identification number you use for your product organisation. This field is a requirement for EVERY product - and is also the only "required" field. 
  • Product Type: indicate whether your product has variants (or is a variant) - or not 
    • Simple Product: a product without variables - no options to choose (eg. a Basketball)
    • Matrix Product: a product with variables - different options to choose (eg. a T-Shirt in Blue or Red)
    • Variant Product: a specific matrix product (eg. a Blue T-Shirt) 
  • Matrix Code: This field is required only if importing matrix/ variant products.
    It should be entered in the rows of Variant Products ONLY. Enter the "Product Code" of the parent "Matrix Product" into the "Matrix Code" field. 
  • Product Name: What your product is called. 
  • EAN Code: This is the "International Article Number" (also known as European Article Number or EAN), a standard describing a barcode symbology and numbering system used in global trade to identify a specific retail product type, in a specific packaging configuration, from a specific manufacturer. The most commonly used EAN standard is the thirteen-digit EAN-13, a superset of the original 12-digit Universal Product Code (UPC-A) standard. 
  • Short Description: A very concise message about your product, such as "16ml Lipgloss". The text is displayed in both the product page (when in list view) and in the product window. 
    NB! This is only required for Simple and Matrix Products - NOT required for variant products. 
  • Long Description: A long message about your product - this product description can be super long and detailed if you want :) This text is displayed in the product window. NB! This is only required for Simple and Matrix Products - NOT required variant products. NB! Formatting in your spreadsheet will not be carried over. 
  • Brand: The brand your product is from. 
  • Delivery Time: How long it will take your product to reach your customers (text format is suitable)
  • Supplier Code: A number sequence which identifies the supplier of the product 
  • Unit: How you measure/ sell your products, such as by: piece (pc), set,kilogram (kg),  etc.
  • Tax (%): What percentage of tax must be paid from the total purchase price? 
  • Wholesale Price (without tax): How much you purchased the product for (ie. the cost), without tax.
  • Wholesale Price (with tax): How much you purchased the product for (ie. the cost), with tax.
  • Retail Price (without tax): How much the product will cost your customer (ie. the price), without tax.
  • Retail Price (with tax): How much the product will cost your customer (ie. the price), with tax.
  • Retail Price Calculation: How you calculate the price your produce will sell for.
    • Fixed Price: You will set a specific cost yourself, per product.
    • Wholesale Price + Markup (€): The product cost plus a fixed dollar/ euro amount on top. 
    • Wholesale Price + Markup (%): The product cost plus a fixed percentage on top. 
  • Markup: What the markup amount is - ie. the € or % amount to be added to the wholesale price
  • Discount: If the product is to be sold at a lower price, indicate the discount price. 
  • Discount Type: How is the discount price calculated?
    • Fixed Amount: A dollar/ euro amount is deducted (eg. "€5 off")
    • Fixed Percentage: A percentage is deducted (eg. "5% off")
  • Length / Width / Height / Volume: Columns for dimensions of the product; size may affect shipping.
  • Shipping Weight: How much the product weighs for shipping; weight may affect shipping prices.  
  • Window Title: Only required for Simple and Matrix products (NOT Variant products). You might want to include this data if you would not like the "Product Name" to be the title, as seen in your storefront.
  • Search Engine Keywords (meta_keywords): Meta keywords are a specific type of meta tag, which appears in the "behind the scenes" (the HTML code) of a website, to help search engines figure out what the topic of a the webpage is. Add them to improve your store's SEO! Meta keywords look like this:
  • Search Engine Short Description: The text seen when customers search for your products in engines (such as Google):
  • Stock Control: This setting refers to whether you manage or track stock availability.
    If you have limited stock (and particularly if you use a warehouse), it is good practice to select YES. This is so that you can set and display stock levels for your products, such as "5 products available". In contrast, if you do not control your stock or are not particularly limited with stock quantities (such as for dropshippers or sellers of hand-made crafts) you might select NO. NB! You can also edit this setting per individual product by updating the "Lao Toode" field in the particular product card. 
  • Product Group (1-5): How is the product organised or categorized? Examples: Skincare, Fashion, Men's, Sport, etc. NB! If using sub-groups, your spreadsheet should read: Parent-Group > Sub-Group
  • Product Image Link (1-5): Select up to 5 columns for URL's where your product image can be found. 
    • If you are importing a matrix product, product images can be uploaded per each variant product (eg. to showcase individual colours of a product).
    • You can add Image URL's from your ShopRoller File Manager. 
    • URL's cannot be from your desktop (eg. C:\User\Pictures\Product Pictures...)
    • The URL must be for the image ONLY - not an entire webpage URL.  
    • For more information, read more under "important notes". 
  • Product File (1-5): Select up to 5 columns which contain files about the product. You might use product files if, for instance, you have detailed brochures or manuals you would like to show about the product. 
  • Product Video (1-5): Select up to 5 columns which contain video links. 
  • Display Price: You can already configure this product setting by typing your preferences into a "display price" column
    • No, do not display the price = 0
    • Yes, display the price to everyone = 1
    • Yes, display the price ONLY to visitors who are logged in = 2
  • Display Stock Level: Would you like for your customers to see how many products are left? 
    • No, do not display the stock level = 0
    • Yes, display the stock level to everyone = 1
    • Yes, display the stock level ONLY to visitors who are logged in = 2
  • Allowed to sell: Enable purchase
    • No, do not display the stock level = 0
    • Yes, display the stock level to everyone = 1
    • Yes, display the stock level ONLY to visitors who are logged in = 2
  • Enable Large Order Quantities: Allow stock level to go into negative amount 
  • Transport Methods: You can pre-set which products can be delivered by what transport methods in your spreadsheet. If you would like to do so, enter the information in one of the following formats:
    • No Transport Methods = 0
    • All Transport Methods = 1
    • Specific Transport Methods = Method1:Method2 (eg. Omniva:DPD:Customer Pickup)
  • Public: You can indicate whether everyone can see your products, or only registered users. 
    This setting can also be individually changed in the PRODUCT CARD page, under MORE > PRIVACY. 
    • Public (displayed for all visitors) = 1
    • Restricted (displayed only for visitors who are logged in) = 0
  • Related Products: Select what type of "related product" you are indicating, and which cell the data is in.
    • Related Products: products which are suitable to purchase together, such as socks with shoes. 
      People often use phrases like "People who purchased this, also purchased..."
    • Similar Products: products which are comparable to the initial product, such as "other t-shirts".
      People often use phrases like "You might also like..." 
  • Product Parameters: This section refers to your matrix product variables, such as colour or size. 

   

Important Notes

Before importing, you might want to double check that your spreadsheet data is compatible.

Check the format of your spreadsheet
  • CSV format
  • UTF-8 encoding
   

Check that your products list from either Row 1 or Row 2
If, like in the image below,  product data starts from Row 3 (or later), then "blank products" will be uploaded.
For better results, please ensure you remove additional rows from your spreadsheet! 

NB! If, like the image above, you have headings in your spreadsheet, please select YES in your ShopRoller account under the heading "Excel first row contains field names?"

           

Check that Product Types and Codes are written compatibly.

When importing products, you will have to distinguish whether the product is a:

  • Simple Product: a product you purchase as is, without alternative options / variables (eg Basketball).
    To indicate this type of product, ensure that you type  exactly (lower-case sensitive): product 
  • Matrix Product: a product which has various options to select from, such as for colour and size (eg T-Shirt)
    To indicate this type of product, ensure that you type  exactly (lower-case sensitive): matrix
  • Variation Product: the product you purchase as is, which is one of the options of the matrix product (eg Blue T-Shirt)
    To indicate this type of product, ensure that you type  exactly (lower-case sensitive): variant 

NB! If your cells auto-capitalize your text, you can FORMAT the cell as TEXT.  

The product codes in your spreadsheet should reflect this; you have two columns to work with:

  • Product Code: required for ALL products; must be unique
  • Matrix Code: required ONLY for variant products; must match "parent" product (matrix product) 

The "Matrix Code" column should be populated with the "Product Code" of the parent matrix product:

So, in the example above, we have a lip gloss product and a face kit product.

The face kit does not have variants - it is to be purchased "as is". As such, the PRODUCT TYPE column should read as "simple", and the MATRIX CODE column should be empty. 

The lip gloss comes in three colours, light pink, pink, and dark pink. This means that the lip gloss is a "matrix" type product, and should as such in the PRODUCT TYPE column. Then, the variant products need to be specified.

As you can see in the image above, the three coloured lip glosses were listed as a "variant" PRODUCT TYPE, and are the only rows which contain data in the MATRIX CODE column.     

     

Confirm that your Image URL's are suitable
Select up to 5 columns for URL's where your product image can be found. 

  • If you are importing a matrix product, product images can be uploaded per each variant product (eg. to showcase individual colours of a product).
  • You can add Image URL's from your ShopRoller File Manager. 
  • URL's cannot be from your desktop (eg. C:\User\Pictures\Product Pictures...)
  • The URL must be for the image ONLY - not an entire webpage URL.  

FAQ: How to import images via CSV, using ShopRoller File Manager

First, you will have to upload the images you want to use to your ShopRoller File Manager.
NB! Pay attention to your file organisation, as the navigation path (folder/ file names/ location) will form the URL.  

Then, in the Image URL column of your spreadsheet, type in the image navigation path to your file in ShopRoller: 
PRODUCT/IMAGE_FOLDER_NAME/IMAGE_NAME.jpg or .png 

   For example: lip-gloss/lip-gloss-gallery/lip-gloss-photo-1.jpg

NB! The Platform is case-sensitive, so be sure to write an exact match. 

   

2. Save your spreadsheet in CSV format

Here is how to do that from OpenOffice Calc. We recommend this is the program you save your CSV from!

Go to FILE and SAVE AS: 

Change "Save as type" from "ODF Spreadsheet (.ods) to "Text CSV":

Then check the box EDIT FILTER SETTINGS: 

Which should display this pop up. Select KEEP CURRENT FORMAT: 

Update the CHARACTER SET and FIELD DELIMITER:

  • Character Set: Unicode (UTF-8)
  • Field Delimiter: ;    (semicolon) 

     

3. Configure your CSV import 

Go to the admin of your ShopRoller account; then, to the CSV Import page:

...From the setup wizard, click IMPORT FROM EXCEL: 

...Or from the settings menu, go to CATALOG > PRODUCTS > + NEW PRODUCT > IMPORT FROM CSV FILE:

Then you will see the CSV import configuration page, which you can begin to set up for import:

You will need to match up the columns of your spreadsheet with the fields in your ShopRoller account so that they reflect.
(We are so sorry that this page is not translated yet! We will fix that up very soon.)

Click the drop down field EXCEL COLUMN, and select the letter of the column as seen in your spreadsheet.
For example, if "Product Name" was in Column "A" in the spreadsheet, the "Nimetus" field in ShopRoller should show "A".

Once you get to the bottom of the page, you will also see these questions: 

  • Language: What language is the spreadsheet data in? Which storefront language will the products be imported to?
  • Copy images to ShopRoller server? You have your own file manager in your ShopRoller account. Would you like for your images (from the URL) to be imported into your file manager too? 
  • Does the first row of your spreadsheet contain headings? Select YES if you have headings in your first row, or NO if your data list begins immediatley. Your products must start from no later than the second row. 
  • Field Delimiter: please use the semi-colon symbol ( ; ) 
    NB! A "delimiter" is a character used to specify the boundary between separate, independent data regions. 
  • CHECK the box if you only wish to modify existing products, based on your modified spreadsheet.
  • Do not import new products; ONLY change existing products, based on Product Code.
    CHECK the box if you only wish to modify existing products, based on your modified spreadsheet.

  

4. Import your CSV File

Once you have completed configuring your ShopRoller account with your CSV spreadsheet, you can upload the file. 
NB! Once you have started the import, it cannot be cancelled; products can be deleted later though. 

Scroll to the TOP OF THE SCREEN, and hit the button UPLOAD. 

Using the Sample Data File to UPLOAD, we can see that the product data successfully imported:

   

FAQs

Do you have more questions about the CSV import? Have a look! 

Where can I get Product Media URL's from?

When importing products via CSV, you can include columns for product media, such as for images, videos, and files.  Some important notes:

  • Media File URL's can only come from an internet-based pathway (and should be public / allow sharing)
    • This means you can store your files wherever you like online, such as your ShopRoller Fail Manager, Google Drive or Photos, DropBox, or even a simple website URL, etc. 
  • Media File URL's should always end with the format (example: ".jpg") 

How can I use Media  URL's  from your laptop/ desktop?
When importing products by CSV file, the image URL column cannot be a laptop/ desktop pathway (URL). 
Instead, product images should be uploaded  into  your File Manager - or to ano ther online manager . Once online, these media pathways (URLs) can be used in your CSV media URL columns.

How to get Media URL's from your ShopRoller File Manager
Entering Media URL's from your File Manager into your CSV file can be done either before the files are actually uploaded into your File Manager - or located after. 

The following steps are for those whom already have media (images, videos, files, etc) uploaded into ShopRoller. 

  1. View your File Manager by clicking CONTENT MANAGEMENT > FILES.
    You will receive a popup window which contains all the files you have uploaded: 
  2. Find the media you wish to grab the URL for
  3. Right-click the file > Click GET INFO: 
  4. Find "PATH" for the image location in your FILE MANAGER.
  5. Copy the PATH, EXCEPT for your store name. For example:
    Full path URL: treening-ee/Demo Matrix Product/12400-yves-saint-laurent-Roosa.jpg
    What you should copy: Demo Matrix Product/12400-yves-saint-laurent-Roosa.jpg
  6. Go back in your CSV file, and paste the image path, like:
    Demo Matrix Product/12400- yves -saint- laurent -Roosa.jpg

Alternatively, add data first - import images to ShopRoller later.

If you have not uploaded your files yet, you could first define your product media organisation in your spreadsheet, THEN upload products according to the pathways you laid out. 

For instance, you could do as such:

  1. In the Image URL column of your spreadsheet, type in the pathway:
    product-folder-name/media-folder-name/image-name
  2. When you upload the media later, create folders and upload media following the same navigational logic, ie:
    1. Create a folder with the product name
    2. Create a sub-folder for the product media
    3. Upload the image into that folder and title it as you have in the CSV column 
    4. NB! Our system is case sensitive, so pay attention to exact spelling. 
  3. Then, when you upload, your images will be found! Yay
                   

What are my Shipping Options?

Shipping methods can be identified and added during the product import process, by creating a column in your spreadsheet "transport methods". From there, you can enter one of three options:

0 = No Transport Methods
1 = All Transport Methods
Method1:Method2 = Selected Transport Methods

If you would like to add selected transport methods for particular products, you would enter your data following the third option, based on our Transport Methods list (found in your Product Card under "Shipping"): 

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us