To create product catalogs for gifting, you must first import the products that creators can choose from. You can use a CSV (comma-separated values) file to import products and their details into your Aspire account.

Note: You can only use one import method. If you import products using a CSV file, the option to import from Shopify will no longer be available (and vice versa).

How to Import Products Using a CSV File

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

Before uploading your file, ensure it meets these requirements:

Only CSV files are supported.
File size must be under 10MB.
If a product has multiple variants, include one row per variant.
Your CSV must include the following columns:
- Collection ID
- Collection Name
- Product ID
- Product Handle
- Product Title
- Variant ID
- Variant SKU
- Variant Title
- Variant Price
(Recommended) Add a column for Variant Cost so you can track product costs in Aspire.

💡 Need help getting started? Download our sample product CSV file to use as a template.

The sample file contains one example product with two variants. If you use the sample file to create your own import file, make sure to remove the sample product data.

Learn more about the columns shown in the sample product CSV file.

Below is an explanation of each column available in the sample CSV. Required fields are noted with an asterisk (*).

Column	Description
Collection ID*	The unique identifier for each collection.
Collection Name*	The name of the collection that you want to add the product to.
Product ID*	The unique identifier for each product.
Product Handle*	The handle is used in the URL of the product page. A valid URL handle can contain letters, dashes, and numbers, but it can't contain any spaces.
Product Title*	The product name that you want to display to your creators. For example, `Women's Snowboard`.
Variant ID*	The unique identifier for each variant.
Variant SKU*	The Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) of a variant.
Variant Title*	The variant name that you want to display to your creators. For example, `Women's Snowboard - Teal`.
Collection Image	Enter the URL for the collection image.
Product Description	The description of the product, which provides details about what the product is.
Product Vendor	The name of the origin or source of the products that you sell. If you make the product yourself, then the value of the vendor column would be your company name.
Product Category	A label that describes the type of product.
Product Type	A label that describes the product if you need a custom category to keep your products organized, in addition to Shopify's standard category. For example, if the product category is `Bed Sheets`, a helpful product type could be `Cooling sheets`.
Product Tags	Add keywords to group and filter products: Use letters, numbers, and hyphens Separate tags in the same cell with commas. For example, `Fall-2023\|casual\|vintage` Add a maximum of 250 tags to each product Avoid accented characters and symbols
Product Status	Indicates whether the product is available to your customers. If this column is present, then it needs a value. If the column isn't present, then the product status is automatically uploaded as `active`. Valid values are: `active` (default): product is ready to be sold `draft`: product isn't yet ready to be sold `archived`: product is no longer available to sell Note: All products—regardless of status—will be available for creators to select.
Product Image Src	Enter the URL for the product image. This column is not specific to variants. Use the variant image column to add variant images.
Variant Price*	The price of the product or variant. Only include the monetary value without a currency symbol. For example, `9.99`. The default value is `0.00` if no value is entered.
Variant Compare At Price	The original price of the variant if the price has been reduced and you want to display the price comparison. Only include the monetary value without a currency symbol. For example, `9.99`.
Variant Inventory Quantity	The number of items you have available in stock of the product or variant. The default value is `0` if no value is entered.
Variant Image Src	Enter the URL for the variant images. Ensure added URLs are functioning image URLs. Use the delimiter `\|` to separate multiple image URLs.
Variant Cost	How much it costs you to make or acquire the product or variant. Only include the monetary value without a currency symbol. For example, `9.99`.
Option1 Name	Create variants for a product that has more than one option, such as size or color, by entering its name. Each combination of option name values for a product can be a variant of that product, such as `Size` or `Color`. A product can have up to 4 options. If a product has only one option, then this value should be `Default Title`.
Option1 Value	If a product has more than one option, such as size or color, then enter its value. For example, a value for a color option could be `Black`. A product can have up to 4 options.

Learn how to prepare your images.

Because CSV files can only contain text, all image references must be publicly accessible URLs. Image URLs must use an https:// protocol and not require login or password access.

Depending on the location of your image file, take one of following actions:

If the files are only on your computer, then you must upload them to an image hosting service, such as GoDaddy, OneDrive, Dropbox, or BucketLynx, and then obtain their URL.
If your products have images on your website, then you can copy the current image URLs and use them in the CSV file.

Step 2: Upload a CSV file.

Go to Settings > Product Fulfillment > Products.
Click Import Products and select Upload CSV.
Drag and drop your CSV file or click Upload file.

Step 3: Review Import

Use the CSV Field Mapping tool to match Aspire's headings to your CSV column headers. Unassigned fields will not be imported.
Click Next when finished.

Step 4: Review & Confirm

Use the Preview screen to verify that your data is correctly mapped. If everything looks correct, click Start Import.
After processing, you’ll see the number of successfully imported records and any invalid records that could not be imported.
Click Close to finish. Your products and collections will now appear in the Products tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are products with Active, Draft, or Archived statuses shown to creators?

Yes. All imported products are treated as Active and can be selected by creators when added to a catalog.

Will inventory be deducted when creators select products?

No. Inventory tracking is not supported for CSV imports, and Variant Inventory Quantity will not decrease.

Can we update previously imported products?

Yes. Re-importing a CSV with updated product data will update existing products.
We use Product ID as the unique identifier.

Will importing a file with existing products create duplicates?

No. Aspire checks the Product ID to avoid duplicates.

How do we upload Collection, Product, and Variant images?

All images must be added as publicly accessible URLs.

Can we upload multiple images for one product or variant?

Yes, use the delimiter | to separate multiple image URLs.

Is there a limit to product options?

You may include up to 4 options per product or variant.

Can I delete products that were imported by mistake?

Yes. Products can be deleted directly from the Products tab. Deleting them does not affect future imports — the same Product ID can be re-imported later if needed.

Is there a maximum limit for tags?

No, there is currently no maximum limit for product tags.

Next: How to Create Product Catalogs

Next: How to Send Product Catalogs

How to Import Products via CSV Upload