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Product Import/Export

Data management and qualityAdvanced Level

Product import/export is moving product data into a system from files or other platforms, and out again to webshops, marketplaces and feeds.

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What is Product Import/Export?

Product import/export is moving product data into a system, such as a PIM or webshop, from files and other platforms, and moving it out again to channels. Product import platforms are the tools that read those files or connections, map the fields and write them to the right products. A typical import takes a supplier CSV, an ERP export or a product page URL, matches each row on SKU or GTIN and updates or creates the product. Export does the reverse: it writes the finished data to a CSV file, a feed or a webshop connection in the format that channel expects. Import and export differ from a live sync, which pushes changes automatically after each save. See how product import works with CSV files, URLs and scheduled imports.

Why Product Import/Export matters for e-commerce

Every catalog starts with an import and ends in an export. If the import is slow or error-prone, new products go live late and with gaps. If the export does not match a channel's format, listings are rejected or show wrong data. Reliable import and export also make it possible to work with many suppliers and channels at once. Field mapping that you set up once, matching on stable identifiers and scheduled runs replace the manual copy and paste that causes most catalog errors.

Examples of Product Import/Export

  • 1Import: Supplier price list (CSV), Match on: SKU, Updates: price and stock, Schedule: daily
  • 2Import: Manufacturer product page (URL), Match on: GTIN, Updates: description, specs and images
  • 3Import: Existing Shopify store, Match on: handle and SKU, Updates: full catalog during onboarding
  • 4Export: Google Merchant Center, Format: product feed, Contains: title, price, GTIN, availability and image link
  • 5Export: CSV for a marketplace, Format: the marketplace's column template, Contains: category-specific attributes
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How WISEPIM Helps

  • Import CSV files, product page URLs and existing stores, and map the columns to your own attributes.
  • Schedule imports and exports with automations that run hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
  • Export to CSV or through platform connections; auto-sync is opt-in and pushes a saved product about 30 seconds later to supported platforms.
  • Undo a faulty import with Rollback Import.
  • Check Channel Readiness before export to see which products still miss required data.

Common mistakes with Product Import/Export

  • Matching rows on product name instead of SKU or GTIN, which creates duplicates.
  • Importing without a test run on a small sample first.
  • Ignoring encoding and separators, so accents and decimals break.
  • Overwriting enriched content with thinner supplier data on every import.
  • Exporting one generic file to every channel instead of the format each one needs.

Tips for Product Import/Export

  • Pick one identifier per product and use it in every import and export.
  • Save a field mapping per supplier so the next import is quick to set up.
  • Decide per field whether an import may overwrite existing values.
  • Run new imports on a few products first and check them before the full run.
  • Keep a copy of the source file so you can trace where a value came from.

Trends around Product Import/Export

  • AI-assisted column mapping for unfamiliar supplier files.
  • Importing directly from product page URLs.
  • Scheduled imports and exports instead of manual uploads.
  • Update-only imports that change selected fields and leave the rest alone.
  • Channel-specific exports generated from one master record.

Tools for Product Import/Export

  • WISEPIM: a PIM with CSV and URL import, scheduled imports and exports, platform connections and Rollback Import.
  • Shopify: offers a CSV import and export for products and variants.
  • WooCommerce: includes a built-in product CSV importer and exporter.
  • Akeneo: a PIM with import and export profiles for files and connectors.
  • Channable: a feed tool that transforms product data into channel-specific exports.

Related Terms

Access Control (PIM)Attribute Dependency ManagementAttribute InheritanceAttribute ManagementAttribute mappingAttribute Scoping

Also Known As

Product data import and exportPIM import exportBulk product uploadProduct data migrationCatalog import

Frequently Asked Questions

They are tools that load product data into a store or PIM from files, URLs or other systems. Good ones let you map columns, match on SKU or GTIN, preview the result and undo a bad import.

You import data from suppliers and existing systems into the PIM, enrich and check it there, and export it to webshops, marketplaces and feeds. Each channel gets the format it expects from the same master record.

Ask suppliers for a fixed file or URL, save the field mapping once and run the import on a schedule. Add validation rules so incomplete products are flagged instead of published.

An export writes data to a file or channel when you run it or on a schedule. A sync pushes changes to a connected platform automatically after you save a product.

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