Import Shopify Products from Spreadsheet (Product Rows and Variant Rows Explained)

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Import Shopify Products from Spreadsheet

eCommix – Google Sheets Sync lets you create and update Shopify products from a spreadsheet, which is much faster than manual entry when you are importing catalogs, supplier data, or batch changes.

The most important part is understanding row structure:

  • A product row (top row) carries product-level data
  • Additional rows can carry variant data for the same product

Real use case: Migrating a supplier catalog with multiple variants per product

A merchant gets a supplier spreadsheet with product data, sizes, colors, and prices, and needs to import everything into Shopify in a structured way. With eCommix – Google Sheets Sync, the team can format product rows and variant rows in Google Sheets, validate row structure first, and then import products with fewer mistakes.

This is especially valuable when you need to repeat the same import format every week or month.

  • Operations team maps supplier columns to eCommix columns
  • Merchandising reviews handles, titles, and options before import
  • QA validates row structure and identifiers before pushing changes

Use eCommix – Google Sheets Sync to export Shopify products to Google Sheets, bulk edit safely, validate changes, and import updates back to Shopify.

Learn more on ecommix.io

Install eCommix – Google Sheets Sync on Shopify

When this workflow is useful

  • New product catalog imports
  • Supplier sheet cleanup before publishing
  • Bulk updates to product + variant fields together
  • Adding variants to existing products

[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER]
inventory spreadsheet with grouped rows for one product

Core columns you should know

You will commonly work with these columns:

  • Handle (Product)
  • Id (Product) (required for updates to existing products)
  • Title (Product)
  • Option 1 Name (Product), Option 2 Name (Product), Option 3 Name (Product)
  • Option 1 Value (Variant), Option 2 Value (Variant), Option 3 Value (Variant)
  • Variant columns such as SKU (Variant), Price (Variant), Cost Per Item (Variant)

If you export from Shopify first, eCommix – Google Sheets Sync will also include a helper marker:

  • Top Row (Product) = TRUE on the row that contains product-level data

Product row vs variant row (how to define them)

Use this mental model:

  • Product row = first row for a product group, includes product fields and often the first variant
  • Variant row = additional row with the same product handle (and usually product ID), used for another variant

Example structure (multi-variant product)

Row type Handle (Product) Title (Product) Option 1 Name (Product) Option 1 Value (Variant) SKU (Variant) Price (Variant)
Product row (top row) classic-tee Classic Tee Size M TEE-M-BLK 29.00
Variant row classic-tee Size L TEE-L-BLK 29.00
Variant row classic-tee Size XL TEE-XL-BLK 31.00

Option names on variant rows (Mixtable-style repeated option names)

The repeated option-name style is a good pattern for readability, especially with large catalogs.

In eCommix – Google Sheets Sync:

  • The top product row usually defines option names, for example Size / Color
  • Additional variant rows can repeat Option 1 Name (Product) (Mixtable-style), which is often clearer for humans
  • Variant rows must have the variant option values (Option 1 Value (Variant), etc.) so Shopify can identify/create the correct variant

If your sheet is generated from an export, the top row pattern is already set up for you.

[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER]
close-up of option name/value columns for multi-variant product rows

Recommended import workflow (safe)

  1. Start with an export from Shopify (or a small test sheet).
  2. Choose a preset such as Product Fields, Variant Fields, or a focused preset.
  3. Fill or edit rows.
  4. Run Validate.
  5. Review the STATUS column.
  6. Run Import.

[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER]
STATUS column after validation showing which rows will be created or updated

Create vs update (important)

  • For new products, you usually provide product fields like Handle (Product) and Title (Product)
  • For updates, export first so you have Id (Product) and Id (Variant) values

Using IDs is the safest way to update existing Shopify data without mismatches.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Forgetting to repeat Handle (Product) on additional variant rows
  • Editing variant fields without Id (Variant) when updating existing variants
  • Using product option names but leaving variant option values blank
  • Importing without validating first

Final tip

If you are importing supplier catalogs, first normalize the supplier columns in a separate tab, then map into the exact eCommix – Google Sheets Sync columns. This keeps your import tab clean and repeatable.

Related Shopify Spreadsheet Guides

Continue with these related tutorials to build a complete bulk-edit workflow in Shopify:

Install eCommix – Google Sheets Sync

If you want to manage Shopify data in spreadsheets and import changes back with validation, install eCommix – Google Sheets Sync and start with a small test batch first.

Install eCommix – Google Sheets Sync

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