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In this article, we will be discussing the step-by-step guide to importing products to Shopify from a public URL. This is an alternative method to the traditional way of importing products using a CSV file from your local storage.
Importing Shopify products from a URL is often faster than the traditional way of importing using CSV files from your local storage. Using this method, you can reduce the time required to import or update your product data.
You don’t have to store any files in your local storage. This will reduce the risk of losing or corrupting your product data file.
There is a wide range of data sources where you can store your product data file. You could also integrate with other eCommerce platforms or APIs to connect your store with external services and import products from them.
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
- Importing products from a public URL is quicker and more streamlined than uploading CSV files from local storage, helping you save time, especially during bulk updates.
- This method eliminates the need to store product files on your device, reducing the risk of file loss or corruption and ensuring smoother data handling.
- You can easily import product data hosted on various platforms or connect with external eCommerce services and APIs, allowing for greater flexibility and automation in managing your Shopify store.
Shopify doesn’t support URL-based product imports natively. To do it, you’ll need a third-party app like StoreRobo Shopify Product Import Export app. Here’s how:
- Prepare your file – Upload your product data to Google Sheets and publish it to the web (File > Share > Publish to web) to get a public URL.
- Open StoreRobo – In your Shopify admin, go to Apps > StoreRobo Product Import Export > Import.
- Paste the URL – Select the URL tab, paste your public file URL, and click Proceed.
- Filter by status — Choose which products to import (Active, Draft, or Archived).
- Set import options — Configure your import settings and click Import.
Your products will be imported directly from the URL — no file downloads needed.
The app offers multiple methods to import products, export filters, FTP import/export options, and more. You can even generate a Google Shopping feed file using this app. The app is available in both free and paid plans. However, importing products using a URL is a premium feature, so you need to purchase a premium plan.
After installing the app on your Shopify store, follow the detailed steps below:
Step 1: Prepare Your Product Data File
In this step, you have to make sure that the product data file is available with public access. You can use any URL source for importing products to your Shopify store.
We will be using Google Sheets URL for importing products.
To make the URL publicly available:
- Open the product data file on Google Sheets.
- Go to File > Share > Publish to web.
Select the document file and the file format, and click on Publish to publish the file.
Now, copy the URL from here.
Step 2: Import the File URL to Shopify
Log in to your Shopify admin account and go to the Apps menu from the sidebar. Select the StoreRobo Product Import Export app.
- From the app’s Home page, go to the Import section.
- Choose the URL tab and then paste the public URL containing the product data. (refer to Step 1)
- Click on Proceed to continue to the next step.
The app will identify the products from the URL and take you to the next step.
Step 3: Filter Products Based on the Product Status
In this step, you can filter products to import based on the Product Status. Let’s choose the Active products.
Also Read: How to Update Shopify Product Status in Bulk
Step 4: Choose the Import Options
In this step, you can choose different options to import products.
After choosing the necessary options, click on Import to import the products.
Once the products are imported, you can see the log report of the import action.
Yes. Shopify’s built-in CSV import tool is free and available in all plans. Go to Shopify Admin > Products > Import and upload your CSV file. For advanced methods like URL import, FTP, or scheduled imports, you’ll need a third-party app like StoreRobo, which has both free and paid plans.
Shopify’s native CSV import has a 15 MB file size limit. If your product catalog exceeds this, split it into smaller files and import them in batches. Alternatively, a third-party app like StoreRobo removes this limitation and handles larger catalogs without errors.
Prepare your product data in a Shopify-compatible CSV file, then go to Shopify Admin > Products > Import and upload the file. For bulk imports with advanced options like filtering by status, updating existing products, or importing from a URL or FTP, use the StoreRobo Product Import Export app.
Yes. While Shopify’s native tool only supports CSV uploads, StoreRobo lets you connect directly to your WooCommerce store via API and migrate products without manually exporting any files. It also supports imports from Magento and other platforms via CSV.
Conclusion
This article was a quick guide to help you import products to your Shopify store using a public URL. The Shopify Product Import Export app we mentioned in this article comes with some advanced features to help you seamlessly transfer product data in Shopify.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments section.
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