Import Product Variants Tool for BigCommerce
🔧 Quick Info: You can import products variants from a file, that will update.
What it does
This tool updates existing product variants in your BigCommerce store from a spreadsheet. You upload a file, match its columns to the available variant fields, and the tool finds each variant by its Variant SKU and updates the values you provided (price, stock, weight, UPC, and more).
Only variants that already exist are updated. The tool matches each row to a variant using the Variant SKU, so that column is required in your file. Any row whose Variant SKU can’t be found is reported as an error rather than created.
When the import finishes, you get an email letting you know it’s done, along with a downloadable file listing any rows that couldn’t be processed.
When to use it
- You want to bulk-update pricing across many variants at once.
- You need to refresh stock levels, weights, or dimensions for existing variants.
- You’re updating identifiers like UPC, MPN, GTIN, or Bin Picking Number in bulk.
- You’d rather edit a spreadsheet than update variants one at a time in BigCommerce.
Before you start
- Make sure the variants you want to update already exist in BigCommerce. This tool updates; it does not create new variants.
- Prepare your file so that the first row contains the column names (headers).
- Include a “Variant SKU” column. This is how each row is matched to the correct variant.
- Have the file saved in a spreadsheet format you can upload (such as CSV or Excel).
- Confirm you’re working in the correct store before you begin.
Step-by-step
1 Open the Import Product Variants tool from your BigCommerce tools.
2 On the Upload Variants step, read the on-screen note: your file’s first row must contain the column names and must include a “Variant SKU” column.
3 Upload your file.
4 Once the file is uploaded, the Match your file’s columns screen appears. Pick the matching variant field for each column in your file (most are matched automatically). At minimum, map your Variant SKU column to the Variant SKU field.
5 Continue to the Email step and choose whether you’d like a completion notice by email — your account email is prefilled if you turn it on.
6 Start the import. You’ll see a confirmation that the process has started.
7 When it finishes, check your email (if you opted in). If any rows had problems, download the errors file to see what needs fixing.
File / field reference
Your file’s first row must be headers, and a Variant SKU column is required. After uploading, you map each of your columns to one of the fields below.
| Column | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Variant SKU | Yes | Used to find the existing variant to update. Must match a variant already in your store. |
| SKU | No | The product’s SKU. Helps locate the product the variant belongs to. |
| Price | No | Numeric value. |
| Sale Price | No | Numeric value. |
| Retail Price | No | Numeric value. |
| Fixed Cost Shipping Price | No | Numeric value. |
| Cost Price | No | Numeric value. |
| Weight | No | Numeric value. |
| Width | No | Numeric value. |
| Height | No | Numeric value. |
| Depth | No | Numeric value. |
| Purchasable | No | True/false value for whether the variant can be purchased. |
| Image URL | No | Web address of the variant image. |
| UPC | No | Up to 32 characters. |
| MPN | No | Manufacturer Part Number. |
| GTIN | No | Global Trade Item Number. |
| Stock | No | Inventory level (numeric). |
| Low Stock | No | Inventory warning level (numeric). |
| Bin Picking Number | No | Warehouse bin/picking reference. |
You don’t have to include every column. Only map the fields you want to update; anything you leave out stays as it is in BigCommerce.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
My import didn’t change anything / rows were skipped.
Each row is matched by Variant SKU. If a row’s Variant SKU doesn’t match an existing variant in your store, that row is reported as “Variant not found” and skipped. Check the errors file for the affected rows.
The tool says it can’t read my columns.
Make sure the very first row of your file contains the column names, and that one of them is “Variant SKU”. Re-upload after fixing the header row.
Can I create brand-new variants with this tool?
No. This import only updates variants that already exist.
Where do my results go?
You receive an email when the import completes. Any rows that couldn’t be processed are listed in a downloadable errors file.