BigCommerce CSV templates to Import Product, Order

Updated: March 01, 2023

The BigCommerce Import feature will make it easier for you to manage your online store’s items, inventory, customers, and data. When importing and exporting data in CSV format, you can edit and add things in bulk. This article explains how to export a CSV file from your control panel and then re-import it into your store.

What is a CSV template?

A CSV file is a comma-separated values file that allows you to save data in a table format. CSVs resemble regular spreadsheets but have the.csv extension. They are usually in the form of a text file with details separated by commas, hence the name. Any spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc, or Google Spreadsheets, will open CSV files. They are distinct from other spreadsheet file styles in that they can only contain a single disk, do not save cell, column, or row styling, and do not save formulas. CSVs are commonly used in eCommerce to import and export products, customers, and order data to and from your shop.

What is importing data?

When you import data into your store using a spreadsheet, any changes you make will be applied directly to that area of your market. It’s a fantastic way to develop new goods, gain new customers, or make a fast adjustment to existing ones.

If you are importing data from a third-party, such as a distributor or another eCommerce site, take the time to align the column headings in the third-party CSV with the attributes available in BigCommerce. This will ensure that your data is correctly imported.

Importing a file from a server: If your file contains a lot of information, we suggest importing it from the server rather than from the control panel. The import method would be more stable as a result of this. To begin, establish a WebDAV connection and add your file to the import files folder.

After that, you can start importing your goods, customers, or other info. Choose Instead of downloading a file from your phone, use one that is already on the server. Then, from the drop-down menu that appears, choose your file and proceed with the import process as normal.

Importing products

Go to Import Products.
Under Import Options, fill in your favorite settings.

The file was exported using the ‘Bulk Edit’ template — Check this box if you used the Bulk Edit template to export your file or used our sample CSV or used the same column names specified in the table supported fields below. The rest of the Import Details settings will be pre-selected, allowing you to skip the Matching Fields stage.

If this box is checked, your goods will be modified when you import them. This is the most common reason for importing goods, so choose this choice.

Detect product categories from CSV file — Choose this option if you want the import to recognize category names automatically. You can choose to have all of your products assigned to a category in this list if you forgot to fill in the Category field in your CSV.

Ignore blank values during import — If you uncheck this box, the data associated with any blank fields in your import file will be deleted. As a result, we strongly advise you to leave this setting turned on. If you unchecked this setting and left a product’s description blank, the product’s description will be removed from your store without warning.

Default Option Type — If you are trying to build options via import but haven’t defined the option type correctly in the file, this is what you will get. It will allow you to use only one type of option, but we suggest that you define the option type in your CSV file.

The following settings are usually left alone. If you are uploading a spreadsheet and need to define the import settings, you will use them:

Is there a header in the file? Is there a column heading in the file?
What character is used to distinguish the fields, Field Separator?
What character is used to link phrases in a field enclosure?

Browse for your CSV file in the Import Products via CSV section and upload it directly from your device.
When you are done, click Next.
Double-check that all of the data you are importing has been compared to its BigCommerce counterpart. You can skip this stage if you choose Bulk Edit Re-import. See Table of Supported Fields for a list of available fields.
When you are done, click Next.
To begin importing your goods, click Start Import. You will see an import rundown until the import is over. To see any warnings created during the import, click More Information.

Creating new products via import

Importing new products to your store is the easiest way to bring new products to your store, whether you are making new products from scratch or importing a CSV file from a distributor. You will need to mention the specifics of new items in a CSV file before importing them. CSV files are discussed in greater detail in the Import/Export Overview.

Required fields

You must include the following fields (column headers) in your CSV file to construct a product:

Price Weight Product Name (physical products only) Stock management (set to none, by product, or By option, depending on how you intend to track inventory).

Otherwise, the product will not be generated if the following field is left vacant or empty: Item number.

Import file formatting

You can use our sample template to build an import file from scratch.

If you are using a CSV file from a third-party vendor, the columns won’t exactly fit BigCommerce’s product attributes. To ensure that your product data imports successfully, you must do one of the following.

Adjust the column headers in your CSV to fit the column headers in BigCommerce using the sample template as a reference, or match the column header with the corresponding product attribute in the Match Fields stage.

Importing tips

Here are a few pointers to ensure that your import goes smoothly:

Import no more than a few hundred goods, SKUs, or photos at a time to ensure a smooth import. The import will run faster if there is less data to process (products, SKUs, rules, and images). Imports containing a large amount of data are more likely to stall.

During the import method, you can choose Bulk Edit Reimport if you are using the sample template. This will select the suggested import settings for you and allow you to skip the Match Fields stage.

Importing product options

You will need to add sub-product SKUs with those attributes and rules if you need to link an action to the SKU/option, such as changing the price or showing a different picture, to build product variants linked to product choices. The most straightforward method is building the base product, exporting it, and then applying the SKUs and rules.

Importing product images

The quickest way to connect photos to your goods is to include them in your product import. Either of two methods can be used to do this:

If you already have the images on the internet and know the URL, you can use the image path in the CSV file to import them.

If you have images on your machine, we suggest using WebDAV to upload them.

Image requirements

Images must meet the following conditions. Importing or uploading an image that does not meet these specifications may result in products without images.

a-z, 0-9, -, and are the only characters allowed in image file names.
There are no spaces or special characters allowed in image file names.
JPEG/JPG, GIF, or PNG are the only appropriate image file types. TIFF, BMP, and PDF file formats are not allowed.
Your product images should be 1280 x 1280 pixels in resolution. The original image you upload will be used to generate other product images (such as thumbnails).

Using the image path

If your product images are already online, you can import them with your products by specifying the complete image path in your CSV file.

Find the product picture column in your CSV. This column will be named Product Image File - (#) if you are using the Bulk Edit template. If you are importing new goods, make sure the Product Image ID column isn’t filled in.

For each product, enter the complete path to the picture. URLs that aren’t http aren’t allowed. Build a new column with the heading Product Image File - # to upload multiple images for a single product (increasing the number each time you make a new column). Create a new column with the required heading and the same number as the corresponding image to contain any additional details for that image (such as descriptions).

Import your goods when you are finished. If you are using a template other than Bulk Edit, make sure the Product Image field in the Link Import Fields step of the import is set to the correct column.

Uploading through WebDAV

With the upload process, you will use WebDAV to upload images from your device to your shop, then define the image in the CSV by file name.

Begin by using WebDAV to link to your shop. The product images folder should be opened first, followed by the import folder. Then, from your screen, drag and drop the photos into the import folder.

Locate the column for product photos in your product CSV. This column is named Product Image File - (#) if you are using the Bulk Edit template. Enter the image file’s file name (for example, image.png).

Build a new column with the heading Product Image File - # to upload multiple images for a single product (increasing the number each time you make a new column). Create a new column with the required heading and the same number as the corresponding image to contain any additional details for that image (such as descriptions).

Import your goods when you are finished. If you are using a template other than Bulk Edit, make sure the Product Image field in the Link Import Fields step of the import is set to the correct column.

Notice about importing products

How do I import a commodity into a category?

When a category is mentioned in the Category column when importing a product and it does not exist yet, it is formed. It will be generated as a top-level category if it is listed alone.

Using a backslash () before a slash (/) character in your product category prevents having subcategories. For example, to avoid having a parent and child category, for example, if you want to construct a category called “Sweaters/Hoodies,” format it as “Sweaters/Hoodies.”

After a good import, why do I keep getting warnings?

While certain goods may have been imported, not all knowledge may have been successfully imported. When the Track Inventory column is left blank, this often happens.

If you don’t want to monitor inventory for your items, make sure the value is set to zero. A change in the product may also trigger import alerts. The picture of a product, for example, may have changed since it was last exported.

Is it possible to import product videos?

YouTube videos can only be inserted by modifying items in the control panel or via the Catalog API and cannot be imported or exported using a CSV format. On the other hand, product descriptions are a CSV file-enabled area that can include embedded videos and imported using a CSV file.

Conclusion

The BigCommerce Import feature will help you handle your online store’s products, inventory, customers, and data more efficiently. When you import and export data in CSV format, you can bulk edit and add items at the same time. This post shows you how to export a CSV file from your control panel and then import it back into your shop.