Import the spreadsheets vendors actually send.

Import the messy reality, not the ideal

Vendor catalogs come in every shape. Some have one row per variant, some have one row per product. Some use semicolons to separate image URLs, some use pipes. Some have option columns named "Size" and "Color," some name them "S" and "C," some don’t name them at all. Vendee Pro’s import is built for the spreadsheets you actually receive, not the spreadsheets you wish vendors sent.

Smart field mapping

The import flow opens with a column-mapping screen. Vendee Pro suggests likely matches based on header names, sample values, and a learned set of patterns from prior imports. You confirm, override where needed, and proceed. Mappings can be saved as templates so the next file from the same vendor maps in one click.

Variant grouping by handle

For files with one row per variant, Vendee Pro groups rows by handle (a product identifier shared across variants). Shared product fields (name, description, vendor, category) repeat on the first row only and are inherited by subsequent variant rows. This is the Shopify-style format, and it imports cleanly.

Image URL fetching

If the catalog has image URLs, Vendee Pro fetches each image, stores it, and attaches it to the right variant. Images can be separated by semicolons or pipes, ordered or unordered. Failed fetches are logged per row so you can fix individual issues without re-running the whole import.

SKU dedup and update logic

If a SKU already exists in your catalog, Vendee Pro can update the existing record, skip it, or treat it as a duplicate (your choice). The dedup runs at the variant level so partial overlaps with existing products are handled cleanly.

Per-row error reporting

Imports succeed at the row level, not all-or-nothing. If 8 rows out of 200 fail (because of a missing required field, a malformed price, or an image URL that returned 404), the other 192 land successfully and the 8 failed rows are reported with the specific reason. Fix those rows, re-upload only the failed slice, and you’re done.

Templates that match real-world catalogs

Vendee Pro ships with downloadable templates that match the format vendors most often send:

• Default template. Generic structure with sample rows for variant and simple products.
• Vendee Pro template. Richer example using all the optional fields (image URLs, multi-axis variants, tags, notes).

For exports, Vendee Pro produces files in the same import format so a catalog you build in Vendee Pro can be re-imported into another account or moved to a connected system.

Background processing

Imports run as background jobs. Upload your file, get a progress bar, and continue working. The system polls for status and emails you when complete. Large catalogs (thousands of rows) finish in minutes rather than holding the browser tab.

Frequently asked questions