How to bulk upload products in Bigcommerce : Comprehensive Guide

Learn how to efficiently bulk upload products in BigCommerce with this comprehensive guide. Streamline your process and enhance your store today!

Adding multiple products one by one can be a time-consuming task, especially when you are launching an online store with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of items. It is not just time-consuming; it also increases the chances of import errors and delays.

Fortunately, BigCommerce offers a powerful and efficient solution- the Import feature for bulk product uploads. This upload allows you to add or update your entire catalog at once, saving you countless hours and ensuring consistency across your product lines.

By using a simple CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file, you can import all your product data in a single, streamlined operation.

In this guide, you will learn how to prepare your CSV file and use BigCommerce's import tool to upload products quickly and accurately.

This will help you manage your products faster, more easily, and effectively for your business.

How to Bulk Upload Products in BigCommerce Using the Import process?

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

A properly formatted CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file is the key to a successful upload.

Key Rules to Remember:

A. Start with a Template

The safest way to begin is by exporting your existing products to use as a template.

1. In your BigCommerce control panel, go to Products, click the Export section.
2. Choose to export a few simple products you have already added.
3. Select CSV as the file format, then click Export Products.
4. Open the downloaded .csv file using a spreadsheet program like Google Sheets or Excel.
   

B. Understand the Key Columns

Your CSV file needs to have certain column headers. Here are the most important ones:

• Product Name
• Product Code/SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) to identify the product.
• Price
• Category ID or category path(separated by a symbol like /).
• Product Weight
• Product Description
• Item Type (Set this to physical for physical products or digital for digital products. Required for base products and is kept blank for product variants).
• Brand Name
• Track Inventory
• Images

The Item field is case-sensitive. So use the fields as specified in your export sheet to avoid import errors. The product ID field is left blank for new products. Once you have completed entering your product's details in the CSV file, save your changes.

Step 2: Upload and Import the CSV File

Before you upload your entire catalog, we recommend doing a test run with a single, simple product (one without variants or images). This helps you familiarize yourself with the process and confirm your file format is correct without any risk. Saving a backup of your current product data before importing can help protect you from mistakes or data loss.

Once you are confident and your CSV file is ready, follow these steps to upload it.

1. Log in to your BigCommerce admin dashboard, navigate to the Products section via the left-hand menu, then click the Import button. When the Import section opens, click Choose File under Import Products via CSV, then select your updated CSV file to upload.
   
2. Make sure the following checkboxes are selected before importing your CSV file:
   • File was exported using the 'Bulk Edit' template
   • Overwrite existing products
   
3. These settings ensure that the CSV file is compatible with BigCommerce and that any existing products are updated rather than duplicated.
4. Click Next to go to the Link Import Fields section.
5. BigCommerce will show you a preview. Carefully review the Field Mappings to ensure the columns from your file are correctly matched to BigCommerce fields. This usually happens automatically if you use the standard headers.
   
6. After confirming the field mappings, click Next.
7. Then, click Start Import to begin importing your products into BigCommerce.
   
8. A pop-up window on the same page will display the import progress.
   
9. You can monitor your import status here and wait for it to complete.

Step 3: Review the Import Summary

After the import process runs, BigCommerce will display a summary. This summary shows the number of products successfully imported and highlights any errors that need correction.

Always check this summary carefully. The error messages provided will tell you exactly which rows had problems and why. This is crucial for fixing errors.

Common Errors in CSV Import and How to Fix Them

Even if you prepare carefully, errors can still happen. Here are some of the most common mistakes seen during CSV import:

1. Image URL is not valid: The image URL in your CSV is broken, points to a local file on your computer, or is not publicly accessible. Double-check every URL.
2. SKU already exists: You are trying to import a product with an SKU that is already used in your store. Ensure all SKUs in your import file are unique or that you intend to update an existing product.
3. Required field is missing: You have left a required column (like name, sku, or category) blank for one or more products.
4. Category does not exist: If you specify a category that does not match an existing category in your store, BigCommerce will automatically create it for you without any warning. This helps set up new category structures, but be careful with typos, as they will create unintended categories.
5. Incorrect Column Headers: Column names do not match BigCommerce’s required format.
6. File size too large: CSV file exceeds BigCommerce upload size limits.

Pro Tips for a Smooth Bulk Upload

Always Back Up First: Export your current products before a large import. This gives you a rollback point if something goes wrong.

Test with a Small File: Before importing 10,000 products, try importing 5. This helps you verify your CSV format is correct.

Use "Update Existing Products": When you need to update prices or inventory, you can import a CSV with just the Product ID, SKU and the field you want to change (e.g., price). In the import screen, select the option to Update Existing Products.

Keep Your CSV File Clean: Avoid formulas, merged cells, or extra formatting in your spreadsheet. Plain data is best.

Use High-Quality Data: For a well-organized catalog, double-check that your product names and options are clear and correct.

Conclusion

Uploading bulk product import in BigCommerce changes the way you run your online store. What starts as a quick way to upload many products becomes a smart way to keep your product listings accurate, improve search rankings, and help more customers make purchases.

The easy-to-use interface and a properly formatted CSV file make managing your entire catalog straightforward. By paying attention to relevant details like category name consistency, proper handling of special characters, and understanding when to ignore blank values, you can avoid common errors.

Whether you are updating existing ones or adding new categories, the bulk import feature helps you to grow your business efficiently while maintaining the quality and consistency that sets successful stores apart.