If you’re moving your store to Shopify and prefer full control over your data, manually importing your products is a smart option.
Although it’s more hands-on than using an app, manual import ensures you can fine-tune each detail exactly how you want.

This guide will walk you through how to manually import products into Shopify step-by-step.

Why Manually Import?

Sometimes manual import is the better choice, especially when:

• Your WooCommerce data is messy or inconsistent.
  
• You want to start fresh with updated product information.
  
• You’re importing a small numb22er of products.
  
• You want precise customization during the import.
  

Step-by-Step: Manual Import to Shopify

Step 1: Prepare Your Product Data

Before anything, get your products organized.

If exporting from WooCommerce:

• Go to WooCommerce → Products → Export.
  
• Choose all columns.
  
• Save the file as a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file.
  

Or, if starting from scratch:

• Create a new CSV file with product details.
  

A basic Shopify CSV requires:

Step 2: Format Your CSV for Shopify

Shopify expects data in a specific format.
Important tips:

• Handle must be unique for each product.
  
• Images must be online (hosted publicly).
  
• HTML is allowed in the description field.
  
• Inventory quantities must be numbers.
  

You can use Google Sheets, Excel, or any spreadsheet editor.

👉 Official Shopify CSV format guide

Step 3: Import Your CSV into Shopify

Once your file is ready:

1. In Shopify admin, go to Products → Import.
   
2. Click Add file, upload your CSV.
   
3. Click Upload and continue.
   
4. Review the product preview carefully.
   
5. Click Import products.
   

Step 4: Review and Fix Any Errors

After the import finishes:

• Open a few products to check formatting.
  
• Verify that images display correctly.
  
• Double-check prices, stock quantities, and variants.
  

If errors exist:

• Download the Error Report from Shopify.
  
• Fix the CSV based on errors.
  
• Re-upload the corrected CSV.
  

Best Practices for Manual Import

✅ Always backup your CSV files.
✅ Use correct column headers.
✅ Host images on a fast, reliable server.
✅ For larger catalogs, split the upload into smaller batches (Shopify allows 50MB max file size).
✅ Test a small batch first before bulk upload.

Bonus: Sample Starter CSV

Here’s a mini example of a basic CSV you can copy:

Final Thoughts

Manually importing your products into Shopify gives you maximum flexibility and full control over your data.
While it takes a bit more time upfront, the result is a clean, professional store set up exactly how you want it.

If you’re ready to manually import: 👉 Start in your Shopify admin under Products → Import

Quick Recap

✅ Export or create your product CSV
✅ Format carefully according to Shopify rules
✅ Upload CSV to Shopify
✅ Check for errors and fix if needed
✅ Launch your new product catalog!

Need help with Migration? 

If you need help with the migration, setup, or choosing the right platform for your business

📞 Contact us anytime:
🌐 https://webw.us/contact/

We offer expert WooCommerce and Shopify consulting and can guide you through the migration process from start to finish.