Importing product options (legacy)

Importing product options can be extremely useful, when you need to add a lot of similar options for products in your catalog – or when you need to update them in bulk. Product options can include, for example, sizes, colors or special text fields.

Options are rather complex properties of products, and the standard Ecwid import tool does not support them. But there are other ways to import product options into your Ecwid store. You can accomplish it using CSV file of the preferred format:

• X-Cart import format
• LiteCommerce import format
• Import via the Bulk Product Editor app

X-Cart import format

You can import product options in the form of dropdowns or text fields through CSV files in X-Cart format. The process consists of two steps:

• Creating a CSV file with the list of product options that should be imported.
• Importing this file using X-Cart format in your Ecwid admin.

Creating a CSV file in X-Cart format

The easiest way to create a CSV file in X-Cart format is to use this template and fill it out with your data on your product options. You can also create such a file from scratch – according to the template – in any text editor or a spreadsheet (e.g. Google Sheets, MS Excel or a similar program) and then save it as CSV.

In general, X-Cart files can contain different data blocks, but for product options import is used only the [PRODUCT_OPTIONS] block. Each column of this block corresponds to a specific “part” of the product option. You can see details in the table below (along with recommendations on how to fill out the columns).

Any floating point value in your file has to be formatted according to your store settings (you can look them up in Settings → General → Regional Settings in your Ecwid admin).

Examples

Example 1. If you want to add "Size" and "Color" options for your product (in the form of drop-down lists) and also want to set price modifiers for sizes, your spreadsheet should look like this (before you save it as CSV file for a further import into Ecwid store):

When this file is imported, products with the designated SKU (here - “Tshirt001”) will have new options ("Size" and "Color"). Price for items with “Medium” size will be equal to initial product price + 1 (in the currency of your store). Price for items with “Large” size will be equal to initial product price + 2 (in the currency of your store).

Example 2. If you want to add "Size" options for your product (in the form of a drop-down list) with the price modifier based on percents, your spreadsheet should look like this:

When this file is imported, products with the designated SKU (here - “straw002”) will have a new option "Size" and a 50% increase in price for the "Small" size.

Example 3. If you want to add a "Gift message" field (in the form of a text field) for your products and want to use import to add this option for many products at the same time, your spreadsheet should look like this:

When this file is imported, all products with SKUs from “CAR001” to “CAR007” will have a new "Gift message" text field.

Example 4. If you want to import options for several above-mentioned products at once, you can just list them all in the same file, one under another:

When this file is imported, all the products with the SKUs from the !PRODUCTCODE column will be updated.

You can find x-cart_import_options1.csv (Example 1), x-cart_import_options2.csv (Example 2), x-cart_import_options3.csv (Example 3) and x-cart_import_options_all.csv (Example 4) files in the attachments and try to modify and import them to see for yourself how CSV import in X-Cart format works.

Importing CSV file in X-Cart format

Once your spreadsheet is ready, you should save it as a CSV file and then import it into your Ecwid store.

To import a CSV file in X-Cart format into your store:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Catalog → Products.
2. Click Import Products.
   

   

3. Go to the XCart tab:
   

   

4. Choose your file (it must be in CSV format) and press Import to upload it.
   
   The type of delimiter in this import dialog should be the same as in your file (tab, semicolon or comma). The easiest way to find out what delimiter between data is used in your CSV file is to open it in any plain text editor.

After the import is complete, options of your products will be updated automatically.

LiteCommerce import format

Through CSV files in LiteCommerce format you can import product options in the form of:

• Drop-down lists
• Radio buttons
• Text fields
• Text areas

Unlike X-Cart format, using LiteCommerce format you cannot set or edit price modifiers.

Creating a CSV file in LiteCommerce format

CSV files in LiteCommerce format used for import have a very simple structure. You can easily create such a file from scratch in any text editor or in a spreadsheet.

Each line in the file represents a record about a certain option of a product with a certain SKU. These records consist of record fields separated by a designated delimiter: you can choose a semicolon, a comma or a tab delimiter for your file.

Let's say you want to import a Cotton Dress product that has SKU 00001 and the color options Red, Blue and Black.

This is how you can add such product options in TextEdit editor to import them in LiteCommerce format as radio-button choices:

And this is how these product options will look in Google Sheets:

Each record field corresponds to a specific “part” of your product option:

• 00001 is product SKU.
• Cotton Dress is product name.
• Color is option class name (you can put any text here, e.g. “Size”, “Print”, “Gift message”, etc).
• Red|Blue|Black are option names (you can list any number of option names here and just separate them by “|”).
• Radio Button is option type (also called “input type”).

LiteCommerce format supports four option types:

1. Radio Button allows you to display your options in the form of radio buttons.
2. SelectBox allows you to display your options in the form of a drop-down list.
3. Text allows you to add options in the form of a text field (if you use this option type then leave the option names field empty).
4. Textarea allows you to add options in the form of a text area – unlike text fields, text areas may contain multiple lines (if you use this option type then leave the option names field empty).

In order to import several product options using one CSV file simply add a new line for each option.

You can read more about import procedure and CSV file format in LiteCommerce.

Examples

Example 1. If you want to add "Size" option (in the form of radio buttons) and "Color" option (in the form of a drop-down list) for your product, then the text of your CSV file should look like this in your text editor:

00011;Cotton Dress;Size;S|M|L;Radio Button
00011;Cotton Dress;Color;Red|Blue|Black|Yellow;SelectBox

When this file is imported, products with the designated SKU will have new options: "Size" and "Color". “Size” will have S, M and L option names in the form of radio buttons. “Color” will have Red, Blue, Black and Yellow option names in the form of a drop-down list.

Example 2. If you want to add a "Gift message" field (in the form of a text field) for your products and want to use import to add this option for many products at the same time, then the text of your CSV file should look like this if you edit it in a plain text editor:

00001;Porcelain dog figurine;Gift message;;Text
00002;Porcelain cat figurine;Gift message;;Text
00003;Porcelain bird figurine;Gift message;;Text
00004;Porcelain fox figurine;Gift message;;Text
00005;Porcelain mouse figurine;Gift message;;Text

When this file is imported, all products with SKUs from “00001” to “00005” will have a new "Gift message" text field.

Example 3. If you want to add a "Gift message" field (in the form of a text field) for one of your products and also want to add a "Poem" field (in the form of a text area) for it, then the text of your CSV file should look like this in your text editor:

00001;Porcelain dog figurine;Gift message;;Text
00001;Porcelain dog figurine;Poem;;Textarea

When this file is imported, products with the designated SKU will have a new "Gift message" text field and a new “Poem” text area:

Example 4. If you want to import options for several above-mentioned products at once, you can just list them all in the same text file, one under another:

00011;Cotton Dress;Size;S|M|L;Radio Button
00011;Cotton Dress;Color;Red|Blue|Black|Yellow;SelectBox
00001;Porcelain dog figurine;Gift message;;Text
00001;Porcelain dog figurine;Poem;;Textarea

This is how your CSV file would look in Google Sheets (before you save it as CSV for a further import into your store):

When the CSV file is imported, all the products with the SKUs from the first column will be updated.

Importing CSV files in LiteCommerce format

Once your CSV file is compiled, all you have to do is import it into your Ecwid store to add options for your products.

To import a CSV file in LiteCommerce format:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Catalog → Products.
2. Click Import Products.
   

   

3. Go to the LiteCommerce tab, then open the 2 step: Product Options tab:
   

   

   Make sure to uncheck all the “Skip column” boxes (there are 4 of them) and ensure that the order of columns and the type of delimiter in your file correspond to the order of columns and the type of delimiter in this import dialog.
4. Choose your file (it must be in CSV format) and press Import to upload it.

After the import is complete, options of your products will be updated automatically.

Bulk Product Editor app

The Bulk Product Editor app from Ecwid’s App Market can be very useful when you need to edit your products in bulk. You can also use it to create or update options for products that are already in your catalog. Bulk Product Editor supports all types of options:

• Drop-down lists
• Radio buttons
• Sizes
• Checkboxes
• Text fields
• Text areas
• Date picker
• File upload

You can also set or edit price modifiers with this app – as well as remove options and option values (or even change/translate their names).

In Bulk Product Editor you can either apply all the changes completely manually or import options and option values (in the app they are called “choices”) through CSV files.

Installing the app

To install Bulk Product Editor app:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Apps → App Market.
2. Find the Bulk Product Editor app.
3. Click Add payment method and buy under the app name and pricing.

After the payment is complete the app will be available in Catalog in your Ecwid admin.

Adding or updating product options manually

Bulk Product Editor allows you to choose products and set options for them in bulk. It means that all the chosen products will get the exact same options after the changes are applied.

To set product options manually:

1. In your Ecwid admin, go to Catalog → Bulk product editor.
2. Find and select products for which you want to add or update product options (you can either press the pictures of products or use filters to choose the products you need).
   Example:
   

   

   The number of products you chose will appear on the Products selected for modification tab.
3. Press Proceed to change these products!
4. Find and press (+) next to Options and Choices to expand the menu.
   

   

5. In the Options and Choices menu add, remove, rename or translate product options and choices for them (you can also set price modifiers in the Choices section). Just enter all the necessary data into the fields and press + rule button to store it.
   

   

   You can create as many “rules” as you need to describe all your options and choices. Each “rule” describes one option (in the Options section) or one option choice (in the Choices section).
6. After you are done setting up options and choices, press APPLY CHANGES NOW at the bottom of the page. The changes will be applied to all the products you chose.

You can always track if the changes were applied successfully in the Processing Status section (below the APPLY CHANGES NOW button).

Adding or updating product options with CSV files

Along with a completely manual setup of product options, in Bulk Product Editor you can upload CSV files with data on your options and choices.

There are several reasons to use CSV files instead of manual setup:

• You can generate similar (repetitive) options and choices using formulas in a spreadsheet (MS Excel or a similar program) and then just export them into a CSV file.
• You can import options and choices in the exact same order as you listed them in your CSV file: when importing options and choices, the order is preserved.
• You can save yourself a considerable amount of time if you need to create many options and choices.

In Bulk Product Editor there are two separate CSV files: one for options and one for choices. To download templates of these files simply press the Import from file button in the corresponding section (Options or Choices) and click the blue “download our model file” link:

These model files give you an overview of inputs that you can use in your CSVs to describe options and choices. They completely “duplicate” the settings that you can enter in the Bulk Product Editor app manually.

This is how the Options model file looks like in Google Sheets:

Columns in this CSV file describe your product option and the action that needs to be performed:

• operation defines the type of action that you want to perform. You can add or remove options.
• name stands for option class name (you can put any text here, e.g. “Size”, “Print”, “Gift message”, etc).
• type defines option type (also called “input type”): you can choose from “drop-down-list”, “size”, “radio-buttons”, “checkboxes”, “text-field”, “text-area”, “date-picker” and “upload files” here. Make sure to write them exactly as they are written in the model file.
• required defines whether this is a mandatory parameter or not. To make your parameter mandatory, put “true”, otherwise put “false” or leave the column empty.
  
  The required column is case-sensitive, so make sure that you do not use capital letters when you put “true”. If you write “TRUE” the column will be read as empty.
• default-choice-index defines the choice that will be pre-selected by default. It is an optional column: if you leave it empty, by default, the first choice will be pre-selected.
  
  Pay attention to the fact that the count starts with “0”, not with “1”: to pre-select the third option in the choices list you have to put “2”).

And this is how the Choices model file looks like in Google Sheets:

Columns in this CSV file describe choices (or “option names”) for your product options, connect these choices to a specific “parent” option and specify the action that needs to be performed:

• operation defines the type of action that you want to perform. You can add or remove choices.
• parent-option binds a choice to a specific product option.
• name stands for the name of your choice.
• price-modifier-type (optional) defines the type of price modifier. It can be a percentage or a fixed “numeric” value.
• price-modifier (optional) sets the size of your modifier.

Using CSV files for Options and Choices you can fully describe your product options and put them in the desired order.

Example 1. You want to add two options for your products: “Color” (in the form of a drop-down list) and “Size” (in the form of radio buttons). The first one is mandatory, the second one is not. You also want to pre-select the third choice for “Size”. In this case the text of your CSV file should look like this if you edit it in a spreadsheet:

Example 2. You want to add choices for your “Color” and “Size” options – 3 choices for each. You also want to set price modifiers: percentages for “Color” and fixed values for “Size”. In this case the text of your CSV file should look like this if you edit it in a spreadsheet:

Example 3. You want to remove the choice “Blue” from your “Color” option. In this case the text of your CSV file should look like this if you edit it in a spreadsheet:

When you are done editing your CSV file(s), just upload it/them into Bulk Product Editor:

1. Press the Import from file button in the Options and/or Choices section of the Options and Choices menu:
   

   

2. Choose your file (it can be in CSV or in .txt format) and press Import to upload it:
   

   

After that you can either further edit options and/or choices for your products in the menu or press the APPLY CHANGES NOW button right away.