Download BigCommerce Product Import Template (CSV) - Free
Download a free BigCommerce product import CSV template with example data. Includes a column-by-column guide to help you bulk import products into BigCommerce.
Download BigCommerce Product Import Template (CSV)
Looking for a BigCommerce product CSV template that works with BigCommerce's built-in product importer? The format is tricky - BigCommerce uses a unique system with Product and Variant row types, a special options syntax, and semicolon-separated categories that aren't obvious from the documentation.
We've built a free BigCommerce product import CSV template based on the exact format BigCommerce expects. It includes 3 example products with real data - including multi-variant products, custom fields, SEO fields, and images - so you can see exactly how every column should be filled in.
Download it, replace the examples with your own products, and import directly into your BigCommerce store.
What's in the BigCommerce CSV template?
The BigCommerce product import template includes all 50 columns BigCommerce expects, pre-filled with 3 example products:
- A multi-variant product (Organic Cotton T-Shirt) with Size and Colour options, custom fields, and variant rows
- A product with a sale price (Bluetooth Speaker) with colour variants, featured flag, and full SEO fields
- A product with scent variants (Soy Candle) with inventory tracking and multiple variant images
Delete the example rows, replace them with your own products, and import directly into BigCommerce.
BigCommerce CSV column guide: every field explained
Here's what every column in the BigCommerce product import CSV template does and how to fill it in correctly:
Row type & product identity
| Column | Required? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Item | Yes | The row type - must be Product for the main product row, or Variant for variant rows. |
| ID | Auto (export) | BigCommerce's internal product/variant ID. Leave blank on import - BigCommerce assigns IDs automatically. |
| Name | Yes (Product rows) | The product title displayed on your store. Only needed on Product rows - leave blank on Variant rows. |
| Type | Yes | The product type - physical for shippable items or digital for downloads. |
| SKU | Recommended | A unique stock-keeping unit identifier. Required for inventory tracking. Variant rows get their own SKU. |
Options & variants
BigCommerce uses a special syntax for the Options column. On Product rows, you define which options exist and their possible values. On Variant rows, you specify which combination applies:
| Row type | Options format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | [OptionName]=[Value1],[OptionName]=[Value2] | [Size]=[S],[Size]=[M],[Size]=[L],[Colour]=[White],[Colour]=[Black] |
| Variant | [S]OptionName=Value[S]OptionName=Value | [S]Size=M[S]Colour=Black |
The [S] prefix on variant rows stands for Swatch option type. BigCommerce also supports [RT] (Radio/Text), [RB] (Radio Buttons), and other types.
Pricing
| Column | Format | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Number | The selling price (e.g. 29.99). No currency symbol - BigCommerce uses your store's currency. |
| Cost Price | Number | Your cost for profit tracking. Not shown to customers. |
| Retail Price | Number | The MSRP/RRP. Shown as a comparison price if your theme supports it. |
| Sale Price | Number | A reduced price. When set, BigCommerce shows this as the current price with the regular price crossed out. |
Inventory
| Column | Values | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory Tracking | none, product, or variant | none disables tracking. product tracks at product level. variant tracks per variant. |
| Current Stock | Number | Starting stock quantity. Only used when inventory tracking is enabled. |
| Low Stock | Number | Stock threshold that triggers a low-stock notification. |
Content & categorisation
| Column | Format | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Description | HTML | The full product description. Supports HTML tags for formatting. |
| Categories | IDs separated by ; | Category IDs this product belongs to (e.g. 23;18). Find IDs in your BigCommerce admin under Product Categories. |
| Brand ID | Number | The ID of the brand. Create brands in your BigCommerce admin first, then use their numeric ID. |
| Custom Fields | Special format | Custom fields using the format [FieldName]=[Value], comma-separated. Displayed on the product page. |
| Channels | Number | The sales channel ID. 1 is your default storefront. |
Shipping & dimensions
| Column | Format | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Number | Product weight in your store's weight unit. Used for shipping rate calculations. |
| Width / Height / Depth | Numbers | Product dimensions. Used for dimensional weight shipping calculations. |
| Free Shipping | TRUE / FALSE | Whether this product qualifies for free shipping. |
| Fixed Shipping Cost | Number | A fixed shipping cost override. Set to 0.00 for default shipping. |
SEO & visibility
| Column | What it does |
|---|---|
| Page Title | The SEO title shown in search results. Falls back to the product Name if blank. |
| Product URL | The URL slug for the product page (e.g. /organic-cotton-crew-t-shirt/). |
| Meta Description | The meta description shown in search results. |
| Search Keywords | Additional keywords to help customers find the product via on-site search. |
| Is Visible | TRUE or FALSE. Controls whether the product is visible on the storefront. |
| Is Featured | TRUE or FALSE. Marks the product as featured for homepage or collection displays. |
Images & media
| Column | Format | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Image URL (Import) | URL | Full URL to a product image. Use this column when importing - BigCommerce downloads the image. |
| Image Description | Text | Alt text for the image. Important for SEO and accessibility. |
| Image is Thumbnail | TRUE / FALSE | Whether this image is the main thumbnail for the product. |
| Image Sort Order | Number | The display order of images. 0 is first. |
| Variant Image URL | URL | The image shown when a specific variant is selected. |
Other fields
| Column | What it does |
|---|---|
| Product Condition | New, Refurbished, or Used. Shown to customers if enabled. |
| Show Product Condition | TRUE or FALSE. Whether to display the condition on the product page. |
| Warranty | Text describing the product warranty. |
| Tax Class | The tax class (e.g. Default). Must match a class set up in your BigCommerce tax settings. |
| UPC/EAN | The Universal Product Code or European Article Number barcode. |
| Manufacturer Part Number | The manufacturer's part number for product identification. |
| Sort Order | A number controlling the product's display order in category pages (0 = default). |
How to import products into BigCommerce using a CSV file
Once you've filled in the template, follow these steps to import your products into BigCommerce:
- Log in to your BigCommerce control panel.
- Go to Products in the left sidebar.
- Click Import at the top of the page.
- Select Upload a file and choose your completed CSV file.
- Map the columns if BigCommerce doesn't recognise them automatically.
- Review the preview to check product count and any warnings.
- Click Import and wait for the process to finish.
- Review your products in the Products list to verify everything imported correctly.
Tips for a successful BigCommerce product CSV import
- Item type matters: Every row must be either
ProductorVariant. Getting this wrong will cause the import to fail. - Options syntax is strict: On Product rows, use
[OptionName]=[Value]. On Variant rows, use[S]OptionName=Value. No spaces around the equals sign. - Category IDs, not names: BigCommerce expects numeric category IDs separated by semicolons, not category names. Find them in Products > Product Categories in your admin.
- Brand ID too: Like categories, brands use numeric IDs. Create your brands first in Products > Brands, then reference their IDs.
- Variant rows follow their Product row: Keep variant rows directly below their parent Product row in the CSV.
- UTF-8 encoding: Save your CSV as UTF-8 to avoid character issues with accents and special characters.
- Set Is Visible to FALSE first: Import with visibility off, review your products, then make them visible once you're satisfied.
Skip the spreadsheet - use Product Upload instead
CSV imports work, but they're tedious and error-prone - especially with BigCommerce's strict options syntax. Every time you want to add a product, you're fighting with spreadsheet formatting instead of running your business.
Product Upload lets you import products directly from any supplier website into BigCommerce - no CSV files needed. Visit a product page, click import, and Product Upload pulls in the title, description, images, variants, and pricing automatically.
It's faster than spreadsheets, more accurate than manual entry, and you can customise every detail with AI-powered tools before publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I download a BigCommerce product CSV template?
You can download a free BigCommerce product CSV import template from this page. It includes all 50 columns BigCommerce expects, pre-filled with 3 example products and variants so you can see exactly how to format your data.
What format does BigCommerce use for product CSV imports?
BigCommerce uses a CSV format with columns like Item, Name, Type, SKU, Options, Price, Categories, Description, Custom Fields, and more. Our free template has the exact format ready to use.
How do I import a CSV file into BigCommerce?
In your BigCommerce control panel, go to Products, click Import, upload your CSV file, map the columns if needed, and click Import. BigCommerce will create all products and variants from the file.
How do BigCommerce CSV variants work?
BigCommerce uses separate rows with Item set to 'Variant'. Each variant row references the parent product and uses the Options column with a special format like [S]Size=M[S]Colour=Black to define variant attributes.
Is the BigCommerce CSV import template free to download?
Yes. Our BigCommerce product import CSV template is completely free to download and use. No signup or credit card required.