PRACTICAL IMPORT NOTES

Fix Shopify CSV variant errors

Most variant problems begin with product grouping or repeated option combinations. Use the source file to resolve them before importing.

1. Check product handles

Rows belonging to one product share a handle. Different products need different handles. Do not merge rows just because their titles look similar.

2. Find duplicate option combinations

Within a product, each colour-and-size combination must be unique. Two rows with Black / Medium may be an accidental duplicate, or a missing third option.

3. Keep option names consistent

A product should not switch between Colour and Color in different variant rows. Check that option values belong to the right option names.

4. Protect existing products

The RowReady pilot only prepares new draft products. Updating existing variants needs a separate backup and migration process.

5. Make a two-column diagnosis

Keep the exact Shopify error message beside the affected product or row number. Then describe the intended result in plain language: for example, one shirt with two colours and three sizes. This separates a technical error from uncertainty about the source catalogue. Work on a copy and change one cause at a time.

6. Look for combinations that appear twice

Imagine two rows both say Sage / Medium for the same parent product, but have different SKUs. Do not delete one immediately. One may be a pack size, material or other option the supplier omitted from the headings. Ask which distinction the customer should select. If both records describe the same item, agree which source record is authoritative before removing a duplicate.

7. Check whitespace and naming changes

Compare option values as well as headings. Medium and Medium followed by a space can look identical in a sheet. M and Medium may mean the same size, but do not standardise them without checking the supplier convention. Keep an explicit before-and-after mapping for approved changes so the final file can be audited.

8. Re-test the whole product group

After a repair, import one complete affected product as a draft and count its variants. Check each option combination against its SKU and price. If the issue only appears in an existing product, investigate that store’s current data before importing again; the free checker cannot inspect the store or predict how an update will interact with it.

Check the current Shopify product CSV documentation for the full supported format.

Continue with your import

Reviewed 5 October 2026. By RowReady, an independent catalogue preparation service.