📌 What You Can Do With the CSV
Using the Catalog CSV:
✅ Create new products with variations
✅ Add or update variation combinations
✅ Modify prices, inventory, and attributes
✅ Link variation SKUs to parent products
✅ Bulk import large lists of products
🧩 CSV Format for Variations
The Catalog CSV supports variation products using a structured format. The key concept is:
Parent SKU: The main product
Child SKUs: Individual variations tied to the parent
Variation Type / Value: Defines the variation attribute and its value
📥 Download the CSV Template
Use the official import template to ensure your file is formatted correctly.
The file includes column structure, formatting examples, and instructions.
📋 Main Columns Used for Variations
Column | Description |
SKU* | Unique identifier for the product or variation (required) |
Parent SKU | Links child variation to the parent product |
Variation Type | Attribute like “Color”, “Size”, etc. |
Variation Value | Value for the attribute (e.g., Red, XL) |
Product Title* | Title used for the parent or variation |
Description* | Product description |
Additional fields (optional) | Price, Inventory, Tags, Attributes |
*Fields marked with * are required.
🏗 Creating a Parent Product
The parent product represents the variation group.
✔ SKU must be unique
✔ “Parent SKU” should be empty
✔ “Variation Type” and “Variation Value” fields must be empty
Example Parent Row
SKU | Parent SKU | Variation Type | Variation Value | Product Title | Description |
Towel_Family |
|
|
| Linen Towel Collection | Full description |
🧩 Adding Child Variation SKUs
To create variations:
✔ Use a unique SKU for each variation
✔ Enter the Parent SKU exactly as written in the parent row
✔ Define the variation type(s)
✔ Define the matching variation value(s)
If using multiple variation types (such as Size and Color), list them in the same order in both the Variation Type and Variation Value columns.
Example – Single Variation Type (Color)
SKU | Parent SKU | Variation Type | Variation Value |
Var001 | Towel_Family | Color | Red |
Var002 | Towel_Family | Color | Blue |
Example – Multiple Variation Types (Color + Size)
SKU | Parent SKU | Variation Type | Variation Value |
Var003 | Towel_Family | Color, Size | Red, XL |
Var004 | Towel_Family | Color, Size | Red, L |
📌 Important:
Separate variation types with commas.
The order must match between type and value.
“Color, Size” must align with “Red, XL”.
📤 Uploading the CSV
Once your CSV is ready:
Go to Products Catalog
Click Import / Export
Choose Import New Products for creating new products
Map the columns (if required)
Start the import
Review the import log for errors
The system will:
✔ Create or update parent products
✔ Create or update all variation SKUs
✔ Assign variation values correctly
🔄 Updating Existing Variations via CSV
To update products or variations:
Keep the same SKU
Modify only the fields you want to change
Re-upload the CSV file
You can update:
Price
Inventory
Titles
Descriptions
Tags
Attributes
❗ Do NOT change the SKU when updating.
Changing the SKU will create a new product instead of updating the existing one.
📏 Handling Multiple Variation Types
For products with multiple variation dimensions:
Variation Type | Variation Value |
Size, Color | XL, Red |
✔ The number of variation types must match the number of values
✔ The order must be consistent
Incorrect formatting will cause import errors.
💡 Best Practices
✔ Ensure every SKU is unique
✔ Parent SKU must match exactly (case-sensitive)
✔ Keep naming consistent (Color vs Colour)
✔ Standardize variation values (e.g., always use “XL”)
✔ Always validate required fields before uploading
🛠 Common Import Errors
❌ Missing Parent SKU
The variation row references a parent SKU that does not exist.
Solution:
Ensure the parent row is included in the file or already exists in the Catalog.
❌ Mismatched Variation Types and Values
Example error:
Variation Type | Variation Value |
Size, Color | M |
This fails because there are two types but only one value.
Correct format:
Variation Type | Variation Value |
Size, Color | M, Blue |