How to Import WooCommerce Products from Google Sheets

If you manage your product inventory in Google Sheets and want to bring it into your WooCommerce store, this guide will show you how to import WooCommerce products from Google Sheets easily and efficiently.

With over 900 million monthly users, Google Sheets is an excellent tool for organizing products. However, at some point, you’ll need to get that information into WooCommerce. Transferring products manually can be tedious and prone to mistakes. Fortunately, there’s a more efficient solution.

There are specialized plugins available that can handle the heavy lifting for you, allowing you to import all your products from Google Sheets without any hassle. This article will explore one such tool: the WooCommerce Product Import Export plugin. This plugin automates the import process, helping you save both time and effort.

Ready to simplify your workflow? Let’s go through the steps to import products from Google Sheets using the WooCommerce Product Import plugin!

📌

Key Takeaways:

Google Sheets is a highly popular spreadsheet solution used to organize and manage large amounts of data.
Transferring product data from Sheets can sometimes be necessary, but doing it manually can take time and is often susceptible to errors or data loss.
WebToffee’s Product Import Plugin lets store owners directly import product data stored in Google Sheets without hassles.

Importing Products from Google Sheets (Using WooCommerce Product Import Plugin)

Importing WooCommerce products can be straightforward, particularly with the Product Import for WooCommerce plugin. Here’s the exciting part: you won’t have to download a Google Sheets CSV file to your computer and then upload it to WooCommerce.

Instead, we’ll guide you through directly linking Google Sheets to WooCommerce using a published link to retrieve your products automatically.

Prepare Your Google Sheet

Before you can import products into your WooCommerce store, you need to get your Google Sheet organized. Think of your sheet as the blueprint for your entire product catalog, so it’s worth spending a few extra minutes to set it up right.

Suggested Column Headers

Here’s a list of the most commonly used columns you’ll want in your sheet:

Product Name – The name of your product as it will appear in your store.
SKU – A unique identifier for each product (especially helpful for tracking and managing inventory).
Description – A short or full product description (you can choose what to include).
Price – The actual price you want to sell the product for.
Regular Price – The original price (useful if you’re running a discount or sale).
Sale Price – The discounted price (if applicable).
Stock – The number of items available in stock.
Category – The category or categories your product belongs to (like “T-Shirts” or “Electronics”).
Image URL – A direct link to the product image. Make sure it’s a public link.

You can also include other optional fields like Tags, Product Type, Shipping Class, and even Attributes if you’re managing variable products.

Here is a sample file for your reference.

❗

Important note: Before using your Google Spreadsheet URL for importing, make sure the URL is set to publicly accessible.

Step 1: Publish Google Sheet URL to the Web for Importing

In your Google Sheet file,

Go to File > Share and click Publish to web

Select Entire document and Comma Separated Values (.csv) from the drop-downs.
Publish the spreadsheet by clicking Publish and copy the URL on the Link tab.

Step 2: Install & Activate WooCommerce Product Import Plugin (Pro)

Next, you must install the pro version of the WooCommerce Product Import plugin to import products from your Google Sheets file via a URL.

From your WordPress dashboard,

Go to Plugins > Add New Plugin
Click on Upload Plugin, select the zip file, and click Install Now.
Once done, proceed to Activate the plugin.

❗

Note: When you purchase the Import Export (Pro) plugin, you’ll receive multiple ZIP files. Be sure to install and activate both the wrapper and the add-ons.

Refer to this installation guide for a more detailed walkthrough.

Step 3: Select Product as Post Type to Import

Now that the plugin is installed, let’s see how the import action is carried out. From your WordPress admin panel;

Navigate to – WebToffee Import /Export (Pro) > Import.
Choose the post type to import as Product and click Select an import method.

Step 4: Select the URL for Importing Product Sheet

Select the Advanced import method to import data with filters, column selection, and other advanced options.
Next, click the Import from the dropdown, select URL, and paste the Google Sheet link you copied in the Enter file URL field.

Selecting URL for importing google sheet

Proceed to the next step.

👉

Also Read: A Complete Guide to WebToffee Import Export: Quick v/s Advanced Import Export

Step 5: Map & Reorder Import Columns

Select the columns you want to import. You only need to configure this if you want to skip specific columns. Otherwise, you can skip this step and move on to the next one.

Step 6: Set Advanced Options for Importing Products

Here, you can configure many advanced options for importing products from Google Sheets. Let’s have a look at each of these options:

📌

If the product exists in the store: You can skip or update existing products.
Match products by their: You can look up products using either their ID or SKU.
Skip import of new products: Select whether to import new products from the spreadsheet or not.
If product ID conflicts with an existing Post ID: If there’s a conflict with an existing Post ID, the import will skip that product. You can also choose to import the product with a new ID instead.
Update even if empty values: The product data will be updated even if some columns in the input file have empty values.
Use SKU to link up-sells, cross-sells and grouped products
Delete non-matching products from store – Choose this option if you want to remove products from your store that aren’t listed in the input file.

In the Advanced options, you can specify the number of records the server will handle within the timeout limit. If the import fails due to a timeout, consider reducing this value and trying the import again. Additionally, you can disable third-party plugin hooks during the import process.

Once done, click Import/Schedule > Import.

💡

Pro Tip: You can save your current import configurations as a template for future use. This way, you can quickly import your products without configuring these steps again.

Once the import is complete, a pop-up will appear indicating the status. It will show how many imports were successful and highlight any issues.

Tips & Best Practices for a Smooth Import Experience

When it comes to importing products into WooCommerce, a little preparation goes a long way. These tips will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your data is clean, accurate, and easy to manage.

Keep Your Spreadsheet Clean and Consistent

Before you hit the import button, take a few minutes to tidy up your spreadsheet:

Make sure your column headers are clearly labeled and remain consistent throughout.
Avoid empty rows or extra spaces — they can lead to import errors or skipped entries.
Stick to standard formats (like plain text for titles and numbers for prices).
If you’re using formulas, convert them to plain values to avoid issues during the import.

Backup Your Site Before Mass Imports

Always take a full backup of your website before running a bulk import.

This protects you from data loss or unintended changes.
If something goes wrong (like overwriting the wrong products or uploading incorrect pricing), you can quickly restore your site to its previous state.

Use SKU as a Unique Identifier for Updates

Your SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is more than just a product code. It’s your golden ticket for updating products accurately.

When importing updated data (like price or stock changes), WooCommerce uses the SKU to match products.
Always make sure each product has a unique and consistent SKU. Avoid duplicates at all costs.

Use Versioning in Your Google Sheets for Rollback

Google Sheets has a powerful version history feature, and it’s super handy when managing product data.

Enable versioning so you can track changes, revert to older versions, or spot errors in your spreadsheet.
You can even name specific versions like “Pre-import batch” or “Final update for Sale Campaign” to stay organized.

WebToffee Product Importer Plugin for WooCommerce (Pro)

The WooCommerce Product Import Export plugin is a highly rated and widely used plugin for migrating WooCommerce store products and related data from one store to another. It is recommended if you have a larger WooCommerce store and want more control over the import process.

Need to import from a URL? This plugin has you covered. It makes it easy to sync with Google Sheets for easy product imports. You can also bulk import product images, reviews, categories, tags, and other attributes. Advanced filtering, automated column mapping, and scheduled import and export options make the process more efficient.

The advanced features offered by this plugin include:

Import Different Product Types – Handle simple, variable, grouped, external, subscription, and even custom product types effortlessly in your import process.
Import from Multiple File Formats – Support for CSV, XML, TSV, and Excel files means you can use whatever format suits your workflow best.
Import Custom Fields and Hidden Meta – Bring in custom fields (meta keys), data from third-party plugins, or even hidden meta fields. Perfect for advanced setups and custom use cases.
Map, Transform & Bulk Edit Fields During Import – Customize the import by mapping fields, applying transformations, and using formulas or conditional logic to edit product data as it’s imported.
Use FTP/SFTP for Secure File Transfers – Import large files or automate external transfers via FTP/SFTP connections. Ideal for scheduled or remote uploads.
Automate Imports with Server Cron Scheduling – Set up cron-based automation to run imports on a schedule — daily, weekly, or whenever you need, with no manual intervention.
Export Products and Images Seamlessly – Export all your WooCommerce product data, including different product types and product images for backups, edits, or migration.

Wrapping Up

Hope this article has helped you understand how to import WooCommerce products from Google Sheets to your store.

If you’ve been using Google Sheets to manage your product inventory and want to move it to your WooCommerce store, the Product Import plugin by WebToffee is the perfect solution.

You can effortlessly import your products with just a few clicks. The plugin manages data with great precision, reducing the chances of errors and ensuring that your product information is transferred correctly.

Did you find this article helpful? We’d love to hear your feedback. Share your thoughts by commenting below, and let us know how we can help you further!

👉

Also Read: How to Bulk Update WooCommerce Products

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I import WooCommerce products from Google Sheets?

You can easily import WooCommerce products from Google Sheets using the WooCommerce Product Import Export Plugin (Pro) by WebToffee. For this,

– First, organize your Google Sheet with columns like Product Name, SKU, Description, Price, Stock, and Image URL (ensure the image links are public).
– Then, publish your sheet as a CSV file to the web and copy the link.
– In your WordPress dashboard, go to WebToffee Import/Export (Pro) → Import, choose Product.
– Select Advanced Import and from the import options, pick URL, paste your Google Sheet link, and continue.
– You can map columns, set advanced options (like matching products by SKU or updating existing listings).
– Finally, click Import, and the plugin will automatically fetch and add your products to WooCommerce.

Can I import product images directly from Google Drive instead of image URLs?

No, you’ll need to use public image URLs. If your images are stored in Google Drive, make sure they’re publicly accessible and the link format ends in .jpg or .png for proper import.

Can I use a private or restricted Google Sheet link for import?

No. The link must be publicly accessible for WooCommerce to fetch the data. If privacy is a concern, you can use a temporary sheet or restrict sharing once the import is complete.

How often can I import products from Google Sheets?

You can import products as often as needed. With the Pro version, you can even schedule automatic imports to sync your WooCommerce store with your Google Sheet at regular intervals (daily, weekly, etc.).

Will importing products from Google Sheets overwrite my existing WooCommerce products?

Not necessarily. You can choose to skip or update existing products during the import using the plugin’s advanced options. You can match products by ID or SKU to ensure only relevant ones are updated.

What if my import fails or times out?

If your import process times out, reduce the number of records processed per batch under Advanced Options. You can also disable third-party plugin hooks to minimize server load and retry the import.

How to Import WooCommerce Products from Google Sheets

Table of Contents