The Bulk Image Uploader tool allows you to upload multiple product images to your BigCommerce store at once using a ZIP file.
There are a few different ways to use the Bulk Image Uploader Tool and which one you choose is solely based on your preferences.
- Simple Upload By SKU: This method is the simplest and just involves uploading a ZIP file with images named identically to your item’s SKU and does not require the use of a supplemental file to add ALT tags and/or set thumbnails.
- Simple Upload By SKU with Supplemental File: Similar to the method above, this option involves uploading a ZIP file with images named identically to your item’s SKU and requires the use of a supplemental file to add ALT tags and/or set thumbnails.
- Advanced Upload: For store owners who do not have images named by SKU, or for those who want their images to have SEO-friendly file names, this option allows you to upload a ZIP file with your images along with a supplemental file which maps the images to the item’s SKU and allows your to add ALT tags and/or set thumbnails.
Each one of these options are described in detail in this article. It’s important to note that:
- Both parent and variant images can be uploaded using this tool.
- This tool does not delete any images. Any new images added to products using this tool are simply added to the collection of images already set on the item.
- Except for setting one image as the item’s thumbnail, you cannot set the order the images display on the product detail page.
- The maximum size allowed for your ZIP file is 250MB and each individual image file must be below 8MB in size.
- The maximum size allowed for your supplemental CSV file is 250MB.
- Supported file types include: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, and WEBP.
Simple Upload By SKU
Step 2: Launch Tool & Select File
To begin, launch the Bulk Image Uploader from the tile on the Your Store Tools dashboard.
For this method, you will NOT be uploading a supplemental file, so only upload your ZIP file and click Next.
Step 3: Select Your Notification Type and Submit
By default, Your Store Tools will provide a notification on the dashboard as well as a notification via email when the job is complete. If you choose not to receive a notification via email, you can turn this option off on this screen, or change the email address it will be sent to.
Once your selection is made, click Submit to finish.
Additional Tool Features
By accessing the stacked menu in the upper right corner of the tool's tile from the dashboard, you can access the following:
- History - a list of the last 7 days of processing history for this tool.
- Help - a link to this support document.
Simple Upload By SKU with Supplemental File
Step 2: Create Your Supplemental File
This method requires a supplemental file which maps your images to the SKU and also sets ALT tags and which image should be used at the thumbnail.
It's important to note that, BigCommerce does not support ALT tags on variant images. If you include ALT tags for variant images, they are simply ignored.
To create your supplemental file, create a CSV file with a header row containing the following fields:
- SKU
- image_name: The name of the image in your ZIP file.
- ALT: Text for the image's ALT tag.
- thumb: Determines the thumbnail setting for the image:
- TRUE will set the image as the thumbnail
- FALSE will not set the image as the thumbnail
Step 3: Launch Tool & Select Files
To begin, launch the Bulk Image Uploader from the tile on the Your Store Tools dashboard.
For this method, upload both a ZIP and a CSV supplemental file and click Next.
Step 4: Map Your Fields
Map the columns in your CSV file to the appropriate fields, then click Next.
Step 5: Select Your Notification Type and Submit
By default, Your Store Tools will provide a notification on the dashboard as well as a notification via email when the job is complete. If you choose not to receive a notification via email, you can turn this option off on this screen, or change the email address it will be sent to.
Once your selection is made, click Submit to finish.
Additional Tool Features
By accessing the stacked menu in the upper right corner of the tool's tile from the dashboard, you can access the following:
- History - a list of the last 7 days of processing history for this tool.
- Help - a link to this support document.
Advanced Upload
Step 2: Create Your Supplemental File
This method requires a supplemental file which maps your images to the SKU and also sets ALT tags and which image should be used at the thumbnail.
It's important to note that, BigCommerce does not support ALT tags on variant images. If you include ALT tags for variant images, they are simply ignored.
To create your supplemental file, create a CSV file with a header row containing the following fields:
- SKU
- image_name: The name of the image in your ZIP file.
- ALT: Text for the image's ALT tag.
- thumb: Determines the thumbnail setting for the image:
- TRUE will set the image as the thumbnail
- FALSE will not set the image as the thumbnail
Step 3: Launch Tool & Select Files
To begin, launch the Bulk Image Uploader from the tile on the Your Store Tools dashboard.
For this method, upload both a ZIP and a CSV supplemental file and click Next.
Step 4: Map Your Fields
Map the columns in your CSV file to the appropriate fields, then click Next.
Step 5: Select Your Notification Type and Submit
By default, Your Store Tools will provide a notification on the dashboard as well as a notification via email when the job is complete. If you choose not to receive a notification via email, you can turn this option off on this screen, or change the email address it will be sent to.
Once your selection is made, click Submit to finish.
Additional Tool Features
By accessing the stacked menu in the upper right corner of the tool's tile from the dashboard, you can access the following:
- History - a list of the last 7 days of processing history for this tool.
- Help - a link to this support document.
Additional Options for Premium Plan Subscribers
Scheduling a Tool to Run at a Later Day and Time
Premium subscribers have access to schedule tools to run in advance. This option will be displayed after you set your notification type.
By default, the scheduling option is set to No. If you do not want to schedule the tool, click Submit.
If you want to schedule the tool to run at a later time, click Yes.
From here you can select to schedule the tool to run at a specific date and time:
The scheduled start time is the time the tool will run, not complete.
Once you set the day and time for the tool to run, click Submit.
Scheduling a Tool to Run on a Recurring Schedule
Premium subscribers have access to schedule tools to run in advance. This option will be displayed after you set your notification type.
By default, the scheduling option is set to No. If you do not want to schedule the tool, click Submit.
If you want to schedule the tool to run at a later time, click Yes.
From here you can select to run the tool on a recurring basis:
Options for recurring jobs include:
- Schedule Start Date and Time: The day and time the first instance will run.
- Repeat: The recurring schedule for this tool, which can be:
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Specify Hour: The hour of the day the tool will run.
- Times are based on the time zone set up in your Company Profile.
- Recurring runs can only be schedule at the top of the hour.
- Ends: When the recurring job should stop. Options include:
- Never
- After a set number of runs have completed
- On a specific date and time
The scheduled start time is the time the tool will run, not complete.
Once your recurring options are set, click Submit.
Scheduling the Update Guest Order Tool to Automatically Check Historical Orders
In addition to the regular scheduling option available on all tools with the premium plan, the Update Guest Order tool allows store owners an additional scheduling option for checking historical orders on a regular, recurring basis.
This additional schedule, allows you to do the following:
- Schedule a daily run to check and associate orders from the previous day.
- Schedule a weekly run to check and associate orders from the previous day, week, two weeks, or three weeks.
- Schedule a monthly run to check and associate orders from the previous day, week, two weeks, three weeks, month, two months, or three months.
In order to use this method for scheduling, you must set the schedule by going to the tool's tile in the Your Store Tools dashboard and select Create Schedule from the stacked menu:
From there you can schedule the tool to run on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Did you find an error or need additional support? Contact us at support@yourstorewizards.com to let us know!: