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How to Bulk Upload Products in WooCommerce (with Variations, Images & SKUs)

Your Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide — by Friendly Marketer

Running an online store is exciting. But adding hundreds of products one-by-one? That’s exhausting 😩.

If you’re selling:

  • T-shirts in different sizes and colors
  • Digital products like eBooks or software
  • Physical goods like electronics, supplements, books, etc.

…then this guide will show you how to upload everything at once using WooCommerce’s bulk product upload system.

Even if you’ve never used Excel or don’t know what a CSV is, you’ll be able to follow this guide easily.

Let’s dive in. And yes — I’ve included free templates, examples, and pro tips I’ve used with over 200+ clients.

What is a CSV and Why Do You Need It?

CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values. It’s just a fancy way to say “spreadsheet you can open with Excel or Google Sheets.”

Each row = 1 product
Each column = product detail (like Name, Price, SKU, etc.)

WooCommerce lets you upload this CSV file to create all your products in one shot.

Step 1: Download the Bulk Product Upload Template

 

Here’s what the file looks like:

Name SKU Type Description Regular price Sale price Images Categories Stock Attributes
Men’s T-Shirt TSHIRT-001 variable 100% Cotton Tee https://yoursite.com/images/tshirt1.jpg T-Shirts, Men Size, Color
Men’s T-Shirt S TSHIRT-001-S variation Size Small 499 399 https://yoursite.com/images/tshirt1-s.jpg 50 Size=S, Color=Black
Men’s T-Shirt M TSHIRT-001-M variation Size Medium 499 399 https://yoursite.com/images/tshirt1-m.jpg 50 Size=M, Color=Black

We’ll explain each of these in a moment.

Step 2: Understand the Key Columns in the CSV

Here are the most important columns (and what they mean):

Column What it Means
Name Product title (e.g., “iPhone 15 Pro Max”)
SKU Stock Keeping Unit. Unique code for tracking inventory.
Type Use simple, variable, or variation
Description The full product description
Regular price Normal selling price
Sale price Discounted price (optional)
Images Link to product image (use full URLs). You can add multiple images too.
Categories Which category the product belongs to
Stock Quantity available
Attributes Only used in variations (e.g., “Size=S, Color=Red”)

🛍 Step 3: Uploading Simple Products (Straightforward Case)

Let’s say you’re uploading a digital product, like an eBook.

Name SKU Type Description Regular price Images Categories Stock
Yoga eBook EBOOK101 simple Learn yoga in 7 days 299 https://yoursite.com/img/yoga-ebook.jpg Health, eBook 9999

Pro Tip:

Make sure the image URL is publicly accessible and ends in .jpg, .png, or .webp.

Step 4: Uploading Variable Products (Sizes, Colors, etc.)

Now the real deal: Variable Products!

Let’s say you’re selling a T-shirt in 3 sizes: S, M, and L.

a. Create the Parent Product

Name SKU Type Description Attributes
Men’s Tee TSHIRT001 variable 100% Cotton T-Shirt Size, Color
  • This parent product has no price or stock
  • You must list all the attributes you’ll use in the variations

b. Create the Variations Below It

Name SKU Type Regular price Stock Attributes Images
Men’s Tee – S Black TSHIRT001-S-BK variation 499 50 Size=S, Color=Black https://yoursite.com/img/tee-s-black.jpg
Men’s Tee – M Black TSHIRT001-M-BK variation 499 60 Size=M, Color=Black https://yoursite.com/img/tee-m-black.jpg
Men’s Tee – L Red TSHIRT001-L-RD variation 499 40 Size=L, Color=Red https://yoursite.com/img/tee-l-red.jpg

✅ All SKUs must be unique
✅ The “Type” for variations must be variation
✅ The parent product MUST come first in the CSV

Step 5: Adding Multiple Images

Want to show more than 1 image per product?

Use comma-separated image URLs like this:

https://yoursite.com/img/main.jpg,https://yoursite.com/img/side.jpg,https://yoursite.com/img/back.jpg

Add this to the Images column. WooCommerce will automatically assign the first image as the main image, and the rest as gallery images.

Step 6: Uploading the CSV to WooCommerce

  1. Login to WordPress → Dashboard
  2. Go to Products > All Products
  3. Click on Import
  4. Choose your completed CSV file
  5. Click Continue
  6. Map each column (usually WooCommerce auto-maps it for you)
  7. Click Run the Importer
  8. Wait a few seconds… and done! 🎉

You’ll now see all your products neatly listed.

Step 7: Updating Products in Bulk (Prices, Stock, Images)

If you want to edit existing products:

  1. Go to Products > All Products
  2. Click Export
  3. Make your changes in Excel (price, stock, etc.)
  4. Go back to Import, upload the edited file
  5. Important: Tick the box “Update existing products” during import

Common Errors to Avoid

Mistake How to Fix It
Image not showing Make sure URL is public and ends in .jpg/.png
Wrong variation structure Always put parent product first with type = variable
Duplicate SKU error Ensure each variation has a unique SKU
Categories not appearing Use existing categories or ensure exact spelling in CSV
Attribute mismatch Don’t write “Size=S,Color=Red” without defining the attribute in parent row

Tools to Make Life Easier

  • Google Sheets – Open CSV and edit online
  • Bulk Image Hosters – Use sites like Imgur or your own WordPress Media Library
  • WP All Import (Pro) – Great for more advanced users who want drag-and-drop CSV import

Need Help Uploading 100+ Products?

If this still feels overwhelming, don’t worry. I can do it for you.

📞 Book a Free Call

Send a mail to – Kaushik@friendly-marketer.com

💡 Final Thoughts from Friendly Marketer

Bulk uploading saves time. A lot of time.
Once you master this, you’ll wonder why you ever did it manually.

Whether you’re launching a 10-product boutique or a 10000-product catalog, WooCommerce can handle it — and you don’t need to be tech-savvy.

If you’re stuck, I’m just a message away. Let’s build your store, your way — with less effort and more results.

 

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