How to Import WooCommerce Products via CSV

Got a CSV file with your products ready? Let’s quickly walk through the easiest ways to import them into WooCommerce, whether you’re using the built-in tool or a more advanced plugin.

Importing products into WooCommerce from a CSV file is one of the fastest ways to get your store up and running. But depending on your catalog size and product complexity, the process can either be straightforward or a bit tricky.

WooCommerce does come with a built-in CSV importer, which works well for basic product uploads. If you’re dealing with simple products and a clean CSV file, it can get the job done. However, it has limitations when it comes to handling more advanced needs, such as variable products, bulk updates, scheduled imports, or FTP file downloads.

That’s where a dedicated plugin can make a big difference. With the right tool, you can automate processes, handle complex product data, and significantly reduce the risk of errors, especially when working with large or frequently updated catalogs.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through both approaches so you can choose the one that works best for your store.

Want to skip the guesswork and start with a ready-to-use file? Download our sample CSV template below. It’s the quickest way to understand how WooCommerce product data should be structured.

↓ Download:

Pre-filled with 10 example products covering all essential fields.

This sample file is designed to give you a clear, practical reference before you begin your import. Here’s what’s included:

• All key columns required for WooCommerce imports, such as product name, SKU, price, stock status, descriptions, categories, images, and more
• Multiple product types, including simple and variable products, so you can see how variations are structured
• Image URL format, showing how to link externally hosted product images (you can replace these with your own URLs)
• Category and tag syntax, demonstrating how to assign products to categories using the correct format (e.g., Clothing > T-Shirts)
• Attributes and variations setup, helping you understand how to define things like size, color, and variation pricing

You can use this file as a template. Just replace the sample data with your own product information, and you’ll have a properly formatted CSV ready for import.

If you have a clean CSV file with basic product data, WooCommerce’s native importer is the quickest way to get started, no additional tools required.

Step 1: Go to the Import Tool

• From your WordPress dashboard, go to Products > All Products > Import

This opens the WooCommerce product import wizard.

Step 2: Upload Your CSV File

• Click Choose File and select your CSV file
• Optionally check: Update existing products (if matching by SKU or ID)
• Click Continue

Step 3: Column Mapping

WooCommerce will attempt to automatically map your CSV columns to product fields.

You’ll see a screen where:

• Each CSV column is listed on the left
• Each WooCommerce field is matched on the right via dropdowns

If everything is formatted correctly, most fields will be auto-mapped. If not, you can manually adjust them.

What to look for:

• Ensure SKU → SKU, Name → Name, Regular Price → Regular Price, etc.
• Unmapped fields can be ignored or manually assigned
• Incorrect mapping can lead to missing or misplaced data

Step 4: Run the Import

• Click Run the Importer.

WooCommerce will process the file and display progress. Once complete, you’ll see a success message with the number of products imported.

Limitations of the Native Importer

While convenient, the built-in importer has several important limitations:

• Best suited for simple products: Handling variable products and complex attributes is limited and often error-prone
• No scheduling or automation: Imports must be run manually each time
• No FTP or external file support: You must upload the CSV manually. No fetching from URLs or servers
• Limited file format support: Only supports CSV (no XML, TSV, or Excel files)
• Basic update capabilities: Bulk updates can be restrictive compared to advanced tools

When Should You Use It?

Use the native importer if:

• You’re uploading a small catalog
• Your products are simple and straightforward
• You only need a one-time import

What’s Next?

If you need to import variable products, handle bulk updates, or automate recurring imports, the built-in tool may not be enough.’

In the next section, we’ll walk through how to use a plugin to handle these advanced scenarios more efficiently using the free WooCommerce product import export plugin.

If you need more control over your imports, especially for variable products, bulk updates, or recurring imports, the free WebToffee Product Import Export plugin is a much better fit than WooCommerce’s native tool.

What this method adds:

• Advanced column remapping for better control over your data
• Batch import control to handle large files efficiently
• Reusable import templates so you don’t have to repeat configurations
• Better handling of complex product types and attributes

Step 1: Install & Activate WebToffee Product Importer Plugin

• From your WordPress dashboard side panel, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin.
• In the search bar, enter “Product Import Export for WooCommerce.”
• Click Install. Once done, Activate the plugin on your WordPress dashboard.

Step 2: Select Product as Post Type

Now that the plugin is active, a new menu, WebToffee Import Export (Basic), will appear on your admin panel’s sidebar.

So, let’s look at how to import products to your store. For this:

• Go to – WebToffee Import Export (Basic) > Import in the admin side panel.
• Select the post type as Product and click Select import method.

Step 3: Choose an Import Method

Next, select the method for importing your products. There are two options: Quick import and Advanced import.

You can use the Quick import option if you have used the same plugin to export the input file. Here, let’s focus on the Advanced import method, which has advanced options that give you more control over the import process.

• Now, drag and drop or upload the input CSV file.
• From the Delimiter drop-down, select a character (e.g., comma, semi-colon, tab) to separate columns in the CSV file.
• Then click the Map import columns button to proceed.

Step 4: Reorder Columns of Products CSV File

Now, you need to map the import column headers of the input CSV file to match the WooCommerce product fields.

Columns are matched automatically if a matching header name is found in the input CSV file. If the input file header lacks an exact name or if you need to change any mapping, you can do so by:

• Clicking the file columns and choosing a header name from the drop-down.
• Once done, click on Advanced options/Batch import.

You can also fix and update a particular mapping field for your products. To learn more, check out our documentation.

Step 5: Advanced Options for Importing Products to WooCommerce

Next, there are a range of options that you can decide on:

• Update the existing products in your store.
• Import new products from the input file.
• Set the number of products to import in a single batch.

You can choose to skip these and proceed to the next step. You can also save the steps that you used to import products as a template.

• Click Save template to save your import configuration for future use. This way, you can reuse the template without setting it up manually the next time.
• Once done, click Import to import your WooCommerce products from a CSV file.

That’s it. After the import is completed, a pop-up will appear showing the import status, such as the number of successful imports and any failed imports.

Why Use This Method?

Compared to the native WooCommerce importer, this plugin gives you:

• More accuracy with complex product data
• More efficiency for large catalogs
• More flexibility for repeated or scheduled imports

This method is ideal if you’re managing a growing store or frequently updating product data.

Even with a well-prepared CSV file, import issues can still happen. Most errors stem from formatting issues, server limits, or mismatched data. Here’s how to quickly identify and fix the most common problems.

1. Images are missing after import

If your products import successfully but images don’t show up, it usually means WooCommerce couldn’t access or download the image URLs during import.

This typically happens when image links are not publicly accessible, use redirects (e.g., shortened or CDN-protected URLs), or when your server blocks external requests.

How to fix it:

• Use direct image URLs that open in a browser without login
• Avoid redirected links. Paste the final image URL
• Make sure your hosting allows external image fetching
• Test a few URLs in your browser before importing to confirm they load correctly

2. Only some products are imported (e.g., stops at 10)

If your import runs but only a small number of products get imported, your server is likely hitting resource limits during processing.

This usually happens due to low PHP memory, execution timeouts, or processing large files in one go.

How to fix it:

• Increase server limits like memory_limit and max_execution_time
• Reduce the batch size in plugin settings (try 10–20 per batch)
• If needed, ask your hosting provider to raise these limits

3. Product attributes aren’t showing or mapping correctly

If your products import but attributes (like size, color) are missing or incorrect, it’s usually a formatting issue in your CSV.

WooCommerce expects a very specific structure, and even small differences can break mapping.

How to fix it:

Use the correct column format:

• Attribute 1 Name → Size
• Attribute 1 Value(s) → S | M | L

• Always separate multiple values with a pipe (|), not commas
• Make sure attribute names match any existing global attributes exactly

3. Featured products are not marked as featured

If your products are imported but aren’t marked as featured, the visibility field is likely not set correctly.

How to fix it:

Use the correct column and value:

• Column: tax:product_visibility
• Value: featured

This ensures WooCommerce recognizes the product as featured during import.

4. Duplicate products created on re-import

If running the import again creates duplicate products instead of updating existing ones, WooCommerce isn’t able to match them properly.

This usually happens when SKUs are missing or import settings are incorrect.

How to fix it:

• Ensure every product has a unique SKU
• Enable “Update existing products” during import
• Avoid settings that always create new products unless intended
• Use SKU as the primary matching field

5. Text looks broken or shows strange characters

If product names or descriptions appear with garbled or incorrect characters, it’s likely an encoding issue.

This commonly happens with CSV files saved from Excel.

How to fix it:

• Save your file using UTF-8 encoding
• In Excel, use “Save As > CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)”
• Avoid copying content from sources that add hidden formatting

Opting for the pro version of the WooCommerce Product Import Export plugin unlocks more advanced features for exporting your product data than those offered in the free version.

Although the steps for the import process remain the same, the premium version gives you more control over product import with features like:

• Support for importing variable and subscription products
• Import custom fields (meta), third-party plugin fields, and hidden meta
• Ability to import files from Excel, CSV, XML, and TSV formats
• Advanced filtering and customization options
• Support for product import via FTP/SFTP
• Schedule automatic imports using WordPress/Server Cron

When moving to another platform, you must import products and all their particulars into your online store. If you have a large product catalog, these import migrations can be laborious and time-consuming.

That’s where the right plugin makes all the difference. Our Product Import Export Plugin for WooCommerce is built to simplify this task, making your product import smoother and quick.

We hope this article has provided you with a clear understanding of the steps involved in importing your products. We also encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation.

You can refer to our detailed documentation for more information.