How to Import Products to BigCommerce (2026 Guide)

Log in to your BigCommerce control panel and navigate to Products. Click the Import button to open the import wizard, then download the Bulk Edit CSV template. This template contains all the required column headers in the correct format. Open the template in Excel or Google Sheets to review the expected columns.

Tip: Using the official template ensures your columns match exactly what BigCommerce expects and avoids field-mapping issues.

Fill in your product details in the CSV template. Every product row must include the mandatory fields: Item Type (set to 'Product'), Product Name, Product Code/SKU, Product Type ('P' for physical or 'D' for digital), and Price. For physical products, Product Weight is also required.

Warning: The maximum file size for CSV import is 20 MB. If your catalog is larger, split it into multiple files.

Enter publicly accessible image URLs in the Product Image URL columns (up to 15 images per product). For categories, use semicolons to separate the hierarchy path. Make sure the categories already exist in your BigCommerce store, or create them before importing.

Tip: Image URLs must be full HTTPS URLs. Relative paths or local file paths will not work.

In the BigCommerce control panel, go to Products and click Import. In the Import Products via CSV section, drag and drop your CSV file or click Browse to select it from your computer. Only CSV file format is accepted.

If your file was created using the Bulk Edit template, select that option and BigCommerce will auto-configure the import details and skip the field matching step. Otherwise, choose the appropriate options for how your data should be handled: adding new products, updating existing products, or both.

If you did not use the Bulk Edit template, BigCommerce will display a field-mapping screen. Match each column in your CSV to the corresponding BigCommerce product field. Verify that critical fields like Product Name, SKU, and Price are mapped correctly before proceeding.

Click Import to begin processing your file. BigCommerce will add all products from the CSV to your store. When the import completes, a summary will appear showing successful imports and any errors. This summary stays available under Products > Import until you start a new import.

Browse your product catalog in the BigCommerce control panel to confirm the imported products look correct. Check that prices, images, stock levels, and category assignments are accurate. Fix any issues either directly in the admin or by re-importing a corrected CSV.