How to Import WooCommerce Products with Images?

Importing products into WooCommerce involves transferring products and images from an external source, typically during a migration. This article will guide you through importing WooCommerce products with images using our product importer plugin.

As a store owner, you may occasionally need to move or expand your offerings, especially the product lineups. Updating products is not enough; you must also manage related information, such as images, descriptions, categories, etc.

Manually importing them can become overwhelming, especially with large product catalogs. This can lead to errors and missing data. To avoid these pitfalls and reduce risks, specialized import plugins are recommended.

In this article, we will focus on one such tool that can assist you in efficiently importing your WooCommerce products and images: the Product Import Export plugin for WooCommerce. We’ll cover why plugins are the best choice for this task and walk you through the import process. 

So, let’s get started.

Specialized import plugins offer several advantages when importing products and their images into your WooCommerce store. They are valuable additions to your online store that save time, reduce errors, and improve its overall efficiency.

Let’s look at some of the benefits these plugins bring.

• Ease of Use – Plugins simplify the import process and feature user-friendly interfaces that make importing product and image data easier, even if you lack technical knowledge. Importing large quantities of products and images simultaneously takes a few clicks, saving time and effort.
• Reduced Errors – Using plugins significantly reduces errors during the import process. Most plugins come equipped with data validation features that help ensure the data is appropriately formatted and mapped, ensuring data integrity.
• Customization – Plugins offer a wide range of customization options that allow you to adjust the import process to fit your needs. You can align data from custom fields, set import rules, and pull data from various file types, giving you the flexibility to handle imports more efficiently.
• Automation – You can schedule import actions one-time or recurringly, automating the import process and ensuring that your store’s product data always stays up-to-date.
• Compatibility – Most plugins are compatible with different eCommerce platforms, allowing smooth data imports. This eliminates the hassle of moving data back and forth and reduces the risk of data loss or errors during the import process.

Follow the steps below to import WooCommerce products and their images using the plugin. 

Step 1: Install & Activate WooCommerce Product Import Plugin

1. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin.

2. Search Product Import Export for WooCommerce. Install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Select Product as Post Type to Import

Once the plugin is activated, let’s proceed with importing the products.

1. Navigate to – WebToffee Import Export (Basic) > Import.

2. Choose Product as the post type and click Select import method.

Step 3: Select Advanced Import Option

Now, select the method for importing WooCommerce products and images. There are two options: Quick import and Advanced import.

The Quick import option lets you import all the product’s basic/standard fields. It’s best if your input file is exported using our same plugin. However, if you want more control, the Advanced import gives you extra options like filtering and column mapping during the import process.

1. Let’s select Advanced export.

2. Choose a delimiter from the dropdown (comma, semicolon, tab) to separate columns in the CSV file.

3. Click on Map import columns to proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Reorder Product Columns for Import

Here, you can decide which information to import and how to organize it. You can rearrange the product fields, rename the columns, and select specific fields to appear in the output export file.

Since we must import all the products and their corresponding images, it’s best to skip configuring these and move to the next step.

If you only want to import product images from the input file, uncheck all the product fields and select only the Images/Gallery field. It’s that simple!

Next, click the Advanced options/Batch import button to move to the remaining step.

Step 5: Import WooCommerce Products with Images

This is the final step in the import process. Here, you will find several advanced import options that you can apply.

Let’s examine these options in detail:

• Skip import of new products – You can choose whether or not to import new products from the input file.
• Match products by their – Choose between ID or SKU to look up for products
• If products exists in the store – Choose whether or not to update existing products as per the data from the input file.
• Import in batches of – Set the number of records the server will process in each batch during the configured timeout interval.

After selecting the import options, click the Import button to start the process.

When the import is finished, the plugin will display the progress with details about the imported items and their statuses.

Want a closer look? Click on View Log for a detailed report.

Now, let’s explore how to import products with their images using the premium version of our WooCommerce Product Importer plugin. 

The steps are pretty much the same, but the premium version of our plugin offers a bunch of advanced features that give you even more control over the import process.

So, before we begin, make sure you have purchased the plugin.

No, let’s see how to import products with images.

Step:1 Install & Activate WebToffee Product Importer Plugin

1. Navigate to Plugins > Add New Plugin from the WordPress console.

2. Click Upload Plugin and upload the plugin file that you have downloaded.

3. Click on Install Now and then Activate the plugin.

Step 2: Select Product Import Method

Here, you follow the same import configuration steps as with the basic version of the plugin. However, you can configure some additional options when choosing the import method in the pro version.

There are two import options available – Quick and Advanced import. Let’s select Advanced import.

1. Toggle the Import from the dropdown button. You can upload your input file from local, URL, existing files, and FTP.
2. You can also select the date format in the input file before proceeding to the next step.

Step 3: Reorder Columns for Import

This step is similar to the basic version, where you can decide which information to import and how to organize it.

The difference is that there is now a preview column adjacent to the default product fields that shows the content of the input file.

Additionally, you can map and reorder additional product groupings, such as Meta (custom fields) and Hidden Meta.

Step 4: Setup Advanced Product Import Options

There are a few extra options that you can configure before importing.

1. Choose whether to Use SKU to link up-sells, cross-sells and grouped products.

2. Select Delete non-matching products from store to remove products from your store that are not in the input file.

3. Once done, click Import to finish the process.

You can also schedule the import to happen at a later time using WordPress or Server Cron jobs.

When the import is finished, the plugin will display the progress with details about the imported items and their statuses.

The premium version of 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.

You can easily import the products in your store (simple, variable, grouped, affiliate) using file formats like CSV, XML, TSV, and Excel.

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 varying product types (simple, variable, grouped, external, subscription, and custom)
• Import products from multiple file formats – CSV, XML, TSV, and Excel files
• Import custom fields(meta), third-party plugin fields, and hidden meta
• Import corresponding product images along with products
• Map and transform fields and bulk edit or evaluate data during the import
• Use FTP/SFTP for transferring files during import
• Schedule automated import processes using Server Cron
• Export different product types and images

Running an online store means making occasional changes. Imports play a crucial part in that.

That’s where the Product Import Export for WooCommerce plugin ticks the right boxes. It is user-friendly, highly compatible, and comes with a high degree of customization to fit your specific data import requirements.

Whether you handle simple or complex imports, you can complete them quickly and effortlessly with just a few clicks.

This plugin is your go-to solution for all WooCommerce import needs.

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