Marketplace Listing Guide for Shopify

Compress images to under 20 MB and ensure resolution does not exceed 4472 x 4472 pixels. Use JPEG format for photographs (typically smaller file sizes) and PNG for graphics with transparency. Tools like TinyPNG or Shopify's built-in image optimization can help reduce file sizes without visible quality loss. Verify image URLs are accessible if using external image sources via the API.

Download a fresh CSV template by exporting your current products from Shopify Admin (Products > Export). Use this as the base template for your import file. Ensure column headers match Shopify's expected format exactly (case-sensitive). Common issues include incorrect variant formatting, missing 'Handle' column values for grouping variants, and encoding problems with special characters. Save CSV files in UTF-8 encoding to support international characters.

Restructure products that require more than 100 variant combinations. Consider splitting into multiple products with overlapping tags for collection grouping, using the Combined Listings app for high-variant products, or utilizing metafields and line item properties for customization options that don't need separate inventory tracking. Evaluate whether all variant combinations actually need unique inventory tracking or if some can be handled through order notes.

Shopify requires unique URL handles for each product. If your import contains products with handles that already exist in the store, Shopify will either reject the import or append a number to the handle. Before importing, export your current products to check for handle conflicts. Use your PIM system to generate unique handles based on a consistent naming convention. When updating existing products via CSV, use the 'Handle' column to match products correctly.

Check that products have the correct product type, tags, and vendor values that match your automated collection conditions. Verify that the product status is set to 'Active' (not 'Draft' or 'Archived'). Ensure the product is published to the relevant sales channels (Online Store, Point of Sale, Google, Facebook, etc.) in the product's availability settings. For multi-channel issues, verify that the product meets the requirements of each specific sales channel (e.g., Google Shopping requires a valid GTIN and product category).

Ensure that metafield values match the defined type in your metafield definition (e.g., a 'number_integer' type field will reject decimal values). Create metafield definitions in Shopify Admin under Settings > Custom Data before importing metafield values. Use the correct namespace and key format (namespace.key) when setting values via API. For JSON-type metafields, validate the JSON structure before submission.

When importing inventory via CSV, ensure you specify the correct inventory location names in the import file. Each location must be set up in Shopify Admin under Settings > Locations before import. When using the API, use the inventorySetQuantities mutation (GraphQL) or the Inventory Level API (REST) to set stock at specific locations. Verify that inventory tracking is enabled on the product/variant level and that the fulfillment service is correctly assigned.

Ensure your Shopify theme properly renders the product description field with the appropriate Liquid filter ({{ product.description }}). If importing descriptions via CSV, use properly escaped HTML and avoid broken tags. Test descriptions in the Shopify Admin rich text editor before publishing. For complex layouts, consider using metafields with dedicated theme sections rather than embedding complex HTML in the description field, as theme updates may affect HTML rendering.