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Keeping your Shopify store up-to-date shouldn’t be a hassle. Whether you’re updating prices, stock levels, or product descriptions, there’s a faster way to do it with a bulk update of products in Shopify, so you don’t have to edit each item one by one.
Running a growing Shopify store means you’ve got to keep your product details like prices, stock levels, and descriptions constantly updated. But let’s face it: manually updating every single product can be a real drag. It’s time-consuming, repetitive, and can lead to mistakes, especially if your catalog is extensive.
That’s where bulk updates with CSV files come to the rescue. They allow you to update multiple products all at once, saving you both time and effort.
To make this process even easier, the StoreRobo app is here to help. It’s an excellent tool that lets you import and update your Shopify product data with just a few clicks. In this article, we’ll show you how to bulk update your existing products in your Shopify store using CSV files, with StoreRobo making everything quick and hassle-free.
Key Takeaways:
- Managing product details like price, stock, and descriptions one by one can slow you down, especially with an extensive catalog.
- CSV files let you update multiple products at once, making it faster and more efficient to keep your store data accurate.
- With just a few clicks, StoreRobo helps you import, map, and update your Shopify products, so no technical skills are needed.
Here’s why using CSV files is a smart move for updating your Shopify store:
- Save Time: Update prices, stock levels, descriptions, and more for hundreds of products simultaneously, without editing each item individually.
- Improve Accuracy: Working in a spreadsheet helps reduce manual errors and ensures your data is clean and consistent.
- Scale Easily: Whether you’re managing 50 products or 5,000, CSV updates make handling large inventories simple and stress-free.
- Stay Organized: Everything is in one file, making it easy to track, review, and revise your product data before importing.
Before you can start updating your products in bulk, you’ll need to prepare a CSV file with all the product data you want to update. Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Export Existing Products from Shopify
To make things easier and ensure accuracy, start by exporting your current product list from Shopify. This gives you a structured file with all your existing data, including product handles, SKUs, and more.
You can refer to our detailed documentation to Export Shopify Products using our StoreRobo app.
2. Edit & Save the CSV File
Once you have your file, open it in any spreadsheet editor like Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Use spreadsheet software – Tools like Excel or Google Sheets make it easier to view and manage large data sets.
- Ensure correct formatting – The CSV must use UTF-8 encoding and be saved in comma-separated format. Most modern spreadsheet tools handle this automatically.
- Keep required fields intact – Don’t remove or rename essential fields like Handle, Title, and Variant SKU. These are used to match products during import.
- Update the fields you want to change – For example, you can update:
- Price: Adjust product or variant pricing.
- Inventory Quantity: Reflect current stock levels.
- Body (HTML): Revise or add product descriptions.
Tags, Vendor, Images, and more, depending on what needs editing.
Once you’re done editing, save the file as CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited). Make sure the values are comma-separated and the structure stays intact.
Updating multiple products in your Shopify store doesn’t have to be a manual, time-consuming task. With the StoreRobo Import Export App, you can efficiently bulk update product data such as prices, stock levels, descriptions, and more using CSV files.
Step 1: Install & Access StoreRobo Import Export App
Start by installing and activating the StoreRobo app in your Shopify store. For a step-by-step walkthrough, you can check out the installation guide.
Once installation is complete, navigate to Apps > StoreRobo > Home from your Shopify admin dashboard.
Step 2: Choose the Import File Location
StoreRobo offers flexibility when selecting the source of your CSV file. Under the Import option, you can choose the import file location.
- Local: Upload the file directly from your computer.
- URL: Provide a link to a file hosted online.
- FTP/SFTP Server: Import files from your FTP/SFTP server.
- WooCommerce API: Import data directly from a WooCommerce store.
Next, select the correct delimiter (e.g., comma, semicolon) that matches your CSV file format.
You can use the preview option to confirm that the data is properly separated and displayed.
Then choose Products under the “Select data type” section. If importing from local storage, click Upload to continue.
Step 3: Select Import Options
After uploading your file, StoreRobo will attempt to detect the import template automatically. You can also manually select the template by clicking the drop-down arrow:
- Shopify CSV
- WooCommerce CSV
- Custom CSV
If using a custom CSV, you must map your CSV columns to the corresponding Shopify product fields. This ensures that the data is imported correctly.
- To update existing products, ensure you check the option “Update if products already exist in the store“. This tells StoreRobo to match products based on their ID or Handle and update their information accordingly.
Step 4: Import Shopify Products
- Once everything is set up, click the Import button to start the import process.
- Alternatively, if you wish to schedule the import for a later time, click on “Schedule” and set your desired date and time.
After the import finishes, your product data will be successfully updated. StoreRobo will display a summary showing how many products were updated and highlight any errors during the process.
Best Practices for Bulk Shopify Product Updates
Bulk updating products can save time, but only if done right. Here are some proven tips to ensure your updates go smoothly and safely:
1. Always Back Up Before You Begin
Before making any changes, always create a backup of your existing product data. This way, if anything goes wrong during the import, like incorrect mappings or formatting issues, you can easily revert to the original version without losing valuable information.
2. Test with a Sample First
Instead of updating your entire product catalog at once, start with a small batch of products. This helps you confirm that your CSV formatting is correct, the data is being appropriately mapped, and the update works as expected.
Once everything checks out, you can proceed with the full import.
3. Schedule Regular Updates
Keeping your product details up to date, like stock, prices, and descriptions, is essential for a smooth shopping experience. Set up a regular update routine (daily, weekly, etc.) using StoreRobo’s scheduling options to ensure your store always reflects the latest information.
4. Use Templates for Consistency
If you’re updating products regularly, create and reuse import templates. They help ensure your data is always mapped correctly and consistently across every bulk update.
5. Double-Check Field Mapping
When importing custom CSVs, always review your column mappings. Incorrect mappings can lead to overwriting the wrong data or skipping fields altogether.
6. Review Import Summaries
After each update, check the import summary for details like the number of products updated and any errors. This helps you catch issues early and keep your data clean.
Conclusion
Bulk updating your Shopify products with CSV files is a smart and efficient strategy for managing a growing product catalog. It saves you time, minimizes manual errors, and helps keep your store’s information accurate and up to date. With tools like the StoreRobo app, bulk update of products in Shopify becomes even more streamlined, whether you’re adjusting prices, stock levels, descriptions, or more.
From importing files and mapping fields to scheduling updates and reviewing summaries, StoreRobo simplifies every step of the way. By combining the versatility of CSV files with the powerful features of StoreRobo, you can take control of your product management and dedicate more time to growing your store.
