Frequently Asked Questions- WooCommerce Product Import Export
Q1.Why are some of the products getting “Failed to import products” error?
Ans: The error occurs when you have the unidentified character “�” in the CSV. Ensure that the CSV is UTF-8 encoded to avoid this issue.
Q2.Why are some products getting “post is not a product” error?
Ans: WordPress considers everything as posts. For example, a product is a post, an image is another post etc.
Thus if the importing product IDs already exist in your site, the new products cannot be inserted to the same ID, thus the error.
Q3.How to import multiple images?
Ans: Product Import Export plugin lets you import product information and images to your WooCommerce store effortlessly. You can import multiple images using this plugin without any hassles. You must ensure that all the image URLs are in the same column separated by ” | “.
For Example: URL/image1.jpg|URL/image2.jpg|URL/image3.jpg
Q4.How to set a featured image?
Ans: The first image URL in the images column is set as the featured image.
Q5.How to import a custom field or metadata from another plugin?
Ans: Perform an Export from your site with “Include hidden metadata” checkbox ticked, and you will be able to find the corresponding column header with the metadata from the external plugins. You can use the same column header and follow same data format to import the metadata back.
Q6.I have installed the plugin in a multisite. I am getting an error “You are not allowed to view this page” when trying to import. Please help?
Ans: Please ensure that the plugin and WooCommerce are not network activated. Activate both on the site level only.
Comments (56)
Kelly
April 30, 2021
Hi there, I am trying out the import export before buying the pro version. I exported just fine. When importing, I upload file, then go to import mapping just fine. when I start import, it hangs and hangs, even for 1 product. I have waited up to 15 min for 1 product, which seems way too long. I don’t know what is wrong. Any help is great!
Alan
May 8, 2021
Hi,
Can you please check if there are any errors in the fatal error log(Woocommerce>status>logs>fatal-error). Please share the error log via support so that we can check it.
Riccardo
February 22, 2021
I have a schedulate task, with yours plugin, to import the products every hours reading a csv file from FTP.
The csv file was loaded from another service in the background. When this file is loaded the fields on the mapping profile will be set to “Do not import” for a specific times. In your plugin settings I have checked this field “Check to delete existing products that are not present in the CSV” and when the mappy profile will be set to “Do not import” the schedulate task delete all my products. I don’t understand why the plugin remove the mapping profile fields, I think this is a problem.
Mark
February 24, 2021
Hi,
Please ensure that the delimiter selected in the settings is correct and the column header names match the headers used in the mapping profile. If the issue persists please share your importing file via support.
nikki nuckols
February 6, 2021
I keep getting the same error when uploading. It says the upload is successful but then it shows that all products were failed or skipped and says the following:
Content, title, and excerpt are empty.
I’m matching the columns that I want to appear and all columns that are in the spreadsheets i’m uploading have something in them. What am I doing wrong?
Mark
February 12, 2021
Hi,
Kindly make sure that you have chosen the correct delimiter during import and the columns contain data in them. If the issue persists please reach us via support and share your importing file.
khalid KANOUF
February 5, 2021
Hi, the Import Export for WooCommerce button doesn’t appear in the woocommerce sub-menu, I can just get the settings from the plugins page. I can’t use it. Thanks for help.
khalid KANOUF
February 5, 2021
Sorry, I solved the problem, it was due to a menu management extension.
But now that I can access your extension, the export procedure stops at step 3.
I click to go to step 4 but nothing happens
Thanks for your help.
Mark
February 8, 2021
Hi,
Could you please reach us via support.
Mark
February 8, 2021
Hi,
You can access the Import Export plugin from either under the Woocommerce menu on the dashboard. Or else you can access it from Tools>Import>. if you still have the same issue please reach us via support.
Shree
January 11, 2021
I have a query about license activation. Suppose today I purchase a license for 25 sites, and if I get client after 3 months. So when this activation will start ?
Mark
January 11, 2021
Hi Shree,
The validity of the license starts from the date of purchase whether you activate it or not. ie, If you activate after 3 months of purchase, you will have the license valid for the rest of the 9 months.
Qichao Wang
December 8, 2020
I have approx. 4 lac products and multifile auto import(Csvs from folder) runs very slowly. Any suggestions?
Mark
December 8, 2020
Hi,
Please make sure that you have mapped only the necessary fields for importing. If there are any unnecessary fields then please delete it from the CSV or unmap it. If the image files are already present in the /wp-content/uploads/ directory then please specify only the image name in the CSV file instead of specifying the image URL.
Qichao Wang
December 9, 2020
Anything as batch import or faster way. As first time we don’t have images, all third party url’s.
vinay singh
November 29, 2020
I am trying to some specific columns like Product Description. I want to keep Product description blank. But after running import, I am exporting CSV but values are still there and same with other columns.
How to solve it?
Mark
November 30, 2020
Please enable the Merge empty cell option while importing inorder to make a field blank while importing. If this option is not enabled then blank data will not be updated from the CSV file.
Louis Houde
May 28, 2020
Hello! When exporting, i got a non-utf8 file. So, words with french accent look like this : Québec instead of Québec.
Suggestion?
Thanks
Alan
May 28, 2020
Hi,
Our plugin exports the CSV file in UTF-8 encoded format. Could you please share with us your exported CSV file so that we can check it. You may please send it to us via support.
Hasib
April 25, 2020
Hi. I have imported all of my products. but the problem is in variable product it is showing “This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.”. How can I solve this problem.
Pavel
March 15, 2020
I’m testing the plugin (v1.7.5 basic version). I have a starnge issue with image import via csv.
Import status shows that all is fine. images are loaded. But, for some reason, all images have a same picture (csv have diferent picture url for each product)
Is there any logs execpt import status? How can I debug that?
Alan
March 16, 2020
Hi,
You can find the import log from Woocommerce>Status>Logs>csv-import.
The issue you are facing with the image import seems to be strange. Please share with us the CSV file you are importing and the import log via support.
Trey
March 5, 2020
I am having issues with the CSV File importing. I proceed to upload and it shows it being successful, then I go to view the product and it is not there.
Alan
March 6, 2020
Hi,
Could you please reach us via support with the importing CSV file so that we can check it.
McCoy
February 10, 2020
Hello, I’ve tried uploading multiple products using a CSV file. The product information uploaded but not the images. I’m using the free version. Do I need to purchase the the premium version to upload product images using the URL?
Thanks
Alan
February 11, 2020
Hi,
You can import product images from URL using both the basic and premium version of the plugin. Please make sure that the image URL present in the CSV file is publically accessible and points directly to the images.
You can also go through the documentation on how to import product images.
John
February 4, 2020
HI,
I was testing the plugin today and for some unknown reason the import process create the orders fine but do not create users even though i have enabled the option to CREATE USER if missing, this is how i mapped the field https://i.imgur.com/DZH176j.png
Did i do somethign wrong?
Alan
February 4, 2020
Hi,
In order to create the users using the Order import-export plugin, the user email address has to be present in the cutomer_email column. Please make sure that you have provided the user’s email address in the customer_email column.
Thomas Löwe
November 4, 2019
Hallo, gibt es eigentlich ein Limit an Kundendaten, die ich exportieren kann? Bei ist bei 29.000 Datensätzen Schluss.
Alan
November 5, 2019
Hi,
If you are having a very large number of users to be exported then we will suggest you export them in batches by setting offset and limit as there are chances of server timeout when exporting large data. You can go through the documentation to know more about setting offset and limit while exporting.
Sergio Leone
October 10, 2019
I set the import via ftp but nothing happens and not so if there is an error and which one
Alan
October 11, 2019
Hi,
Please make sure that you have provided the correct FTP details and CSV file path including the file name in the FTP import settings. If the issue still persists please reach us via support.
Sergio Leone
October 11, 2019
does not even export and no email arrives. I’m sure it’s a setup problem, I’d like to figure out where the error is because there’s no signal.
Sergio Leone
October 14, 2019
everything ok it was just an error due to the path of the ftp folder. Now it works beautifully
Kishore
September 25, 2019
Hi,
I am trying to upload csv file from your Product Import Export for WooCommerce plugin but i am getting an error message has ” Failed to import Product”. I tried using several methods and several times but i am unable to upload the file. Please Help!
Alan
September 25, 2019
Hi,
The ” Failed to import Product” error can occur due to several reasons. Kindly make sure that you have included the product name in the CSV file and is mapped during import. Also please make sure that the CSV file is saved as UTF-8 encoded. You can go through the documentation on How to save CSV / Excel File as UTF-8 Encoded.
If the issue still persists please reach us via support.
Mark
June 13, 2019
When uploading inventory via FTP, do the retails have to come from the vendor? How do I change retails manually?
Alan
June 14, 2019
Hi,
When importing inventory details from FTP server the data is fetched from the CSV file. You may please provide the updated data in the CSV file.
Adam Wiggins
May 18, 2019
hi,
Really hoping you can help. I’ve followed the steps i believe but it’s only copied over the sttributes and so not the variations?
Alan
May 20, 2019
Hi,
The issue you are facing might be because the CSV file with which you are importing variable products is not having the necessary data in it. In order to import variable products please make sure that the CSV contains either Parent SKU-Child SKU or Parent ID-Child ID combination. You may please go through the documentation on how to import variable products.
If you still find any issues with importing products please reach us via support.
ubaid
April 22, 2019
I have two question can you guide me on it.
1. how can I update the production variation description via csv ?
2. Can I upload custom fields in variation through CSV ?
Alan
April 22, 2019
Hi,
1. Yes, you can update the description of product variations by providing the description data in the meta:_variation_description
column.
2. By default, Woocommerce does not support adding custom data fields to the products. If you have created them using any third party plugins then it
will be stored as metadata. You may please export the product with the option include hidden metadata checked and the custom
metadata fields will be included in the exported CSV. Later on, you can use the same exported CSV to import data back.
Morozlion
April 20, 2019
Hi, I’m testing your plugin and it’s better defined than WP All Import. But one problem arises. After importing products, WP does not see the fields written by this plugin, for example, AJAX search does not see the product name, the filter does not see the price by price, etc. But if in the admin panel to open and re-save the product without changing anything, everything becomes available.
Alan
April 22, 2019
Hi,
It seems like the issue you are facing might be because the transients is not getting updated. Please reach us via support.
Roy Swanson
April 16, 2019
Can I just import a spreadsheet with Categories and Subcategories, just to set up my 500 categories first? No products, yet.
Alan
April 16, 2019
Hi,
Currently, there is no option to import categories and subcategories alone. Importing of the category is supported only along with the product data.
Anup
April 4, 2019
hi I am trying upload a fe product but it says the product is already there.
and when we check its uploaded just then.
just to retry we also deleted the product and tried to reupload the same issue repeats.
“Failed to import product”
this is the error message we get
Alan
April 4, 2019
Hi,
The “Failed to import product” error occurs when either the post_title column is not present in the CSV file or the CSV is not UTF-8 encoded. Kindly make sure that the CSV contains post_title column in it and is mapped against the Product Title field while importing. Also, make sure that the CSV is UTF-8 encoded. You can go through the documentation on How to save CSV / Excel File as UTF-8 Encoded.
If the issue still persists please share us the CSV file via support.
Jason Robie
March 6, 2019
i’ve tried the encoding, tried the import 5 times now. 1st issue is that the date is wrong for the last 3 orders. 2nd issue is I can’t click on any of the orders. so infuriating to use a plugin that straight-up breaks my site.
Alan
March 8, 2019
Hi,
Could you please mention whether you are having an issue with the Product import export plugin or the Order import export plugin. By default, the Order import export plugin accepts a date with format YYYY-MM-DD. If you are still facing any issues with the plugin please reach us via premium support.
Our support team will follow you up from there.
Jacqui
February 19, 2019
Great plugin! Thank you!
Just one problem. I can’t seem to import sub categories. I’ve got the following categories listed as this: Furnishing Your Dollhouse > 1:6 Scale > Bedrooms and it’s only importing Bedrooms. Followed all instructions and made sure the excel spreadsheet was saved in right format. Any suggestions?
Alan
February 20, 2019
Hi,
Following the format Dollhouse > 1:6 Scale > Bedrooms will import the product under the Bedrooms category only. If you are required to import the product under all the three categories then you may please specify the category as Dollhouse| Dollhouse > 1:6 Scale| Dollhouse > 1:6 Scale > Bedrooms. You may please use the pipe symbol( | ) to import a product under multiple categories.
Jacob
January 16, 2019
Hello ,
I’m currently testing the plugin , upload was successfully : https://imgur.com/a/M38bb21
I mapped : sku , regular_price , product title , product description .
after upload , this error is showing : https://imgur.com/a/Am2tQgg
Kindly advice
Alan
January 17, 2019
Hi Jacob,
It seems like the issue you are facing might be because the CSV file is not saved as UTF-8 encoded. Kindly make sure that CSV file is UTF-8 encoded. You can go through the documentation on How to save CSV / Excel File as UTF-8 Encoded. If the issue still persists you may please share us the CSV via support.
Bob Woolnough
December 6, 2018
Hi, I have installed an extension to allow me to insert the product EAN but, this field does not appear in ‘WooCommerce product field name’. Could you please advise as to why this is?
Mark
December 7, 2018
Hi,
If you are using any third party plugin to set up EAN code to products then it will be stored as metadata. Using the premium version of the plugin you can export the EAN code stored with the products by enabling the option Include Hidden Metadata during export. Later on, you can use the same CSV to import the data back.