Overview
Vendably accepts product data through two primary methods: direct integration with your ecommerce platform via OAuth, or file-based import using CSV, XML, or JSON formats. Each method serves different workflows. Platform connections provide ongoing synchronisation so that changes on your store automatically flow into Vendably. File imports give you control over timing and allow you to bring in data from systems that lack a native integration.
This article explains how each method works, what happens to your data once imported, and how to verify that everything arrived correctly.
Platform connections: OAuth and real-time sync
Vendably integrates directly with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. When you connect your store via OAuth, Vendably gains permission to read your product catalogue and monitor changes in real time.
What platform connections do
A platform connection performs three functions:
- Initial import. Vendably fetches your entire product catalogue from your store at the moment you complete the connection.
- Real-time updates via webhooks. After the initial import, Vendably listens for changes on your store. When you update a product price, change stock levels, add a new product, or modify any product field, that change is sent to Vendably automatically via webhook. You do not need to re-import or manually trigger a sync.
- Bidirectional field mapping. Vendably maps your store's product fields onto its standard schema. If your store uses custom fields or non-standard naming, you can adjust the mapping so data lands in the right place.
Webhook updates mean your Vendably product data stays in sync with your store without manual intervention. This is essential if you manage inventory across multiple channels and need Vendably to reflect current stock and pricing instantly.
Setting up a platform connection
To connect Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce:
- In Vendably, navigate to DataHub and select Sources.
- Choose your platform from the list of available integrations.
- You will be directed to your platform's OAuth consent screen. Approve the permissions requested.
- Return to Vendably. The connection is now active and your product catalogue is being imported.
- Monitor the import progress in the Sources view. Once complete, verify field mapping and check that products appear in the Product Hub.
Permissions required: only Owner or Admin roles can create or edit a source.
File-based import: CSV, XML, and JSON
If your products live in a system without a native Vendably integration, or if you need to import a subset of your catalogue, use file-based import.
Supported formats
Vendably accepts three file formats:
| Format | Use case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | Spreadsheet data, bulk exports from legacy systems | Plain text, comma or tab separated. Include a header row with field names. |
| XML | Structured data from feeds or enterprise systems | Must be well-formed XML. Root element wraps individual product records. |
| JSON | API outputs, modern ecommerce platforms, custom systems | Array of product objects or newline-delimited JSON (one object per line). |
Import methods
You can import a file in two ways:
Manual upload. Navigate to DataHub > Sources, create a new file source, and upload your file directly. This is useful for one-off imports or testing.
Scheduled FTP pull. Provide FTP credentials and a file path. Vendably will automatically pull the file on a schedule you define (hourly, daily, weekly). This suits ongoing workflows where you export your product data regularly and want Vendably to stay in sync without manual steps.
Permissions required: Owner or Admin can create or edit a source. Editor and above can trigger a manual import immediately.
Field mapping
Regardless of import method, your source data must be mapped onto Vendably's standard product schema. Vendably attempts automatic field detection: it examines your source data and matches common field names (title, description, price, sku, image_link, gtin, mpn, condition, availability, brand, product_type, google_product_category, item_group_id, and others) to Vendably fields.
Automatic detection works well for standard fields but may fail if your source uses non-standard names or custom fields. After import, always review the field mapping:
- In Sources, select your imported source.
- View the Field Mapping section.
- For each source field, confirm it maps to the correct Vendably field. If a field is mapped incorrectly, click the field and select the correct Vendably target.
- If a source field should not be imported, set it to 'Ignore'.
- Save your mapping.
Incorrect field mapping leads to missing or misplaced data in your product listings. For example, if your source's 'cost' field maps to 'price' instead of being ignored, your listings will show cost instead of selling price. Verify mapping before proceeding.
The import pipeline
Once Vendably receives your product data (whether from a platform webhook, a manual file upload, or a scheduled FTP pull), it processes the data through several stages:
Fetch. Vendably retrieves your data from the source. For platform connections, this happens continuously as webhooks arrive. For file imports, this happens when you upload the file or when the scheduled pull runs.
Import. Raw source data is parsed and validated. Vendably checks for required fields, data types, and format compliance. Malformed records are flagged and may be skipped.
Post-process. Data is normalised. Whitespace is trimmed, field values are cleaned, and any transformations defined in your source settings are applied.
Analyse. Vendably examines the imported data and identifies issues: missing required fields, invalid values, image links that are broken, or SKUs that are duplicated. An analysis report is generated and available in the import log.
Apply supplement overlays. If you have defined supplement rules or content overlays in Vendably, they are applied now. This allows you to enrich or override source data with information from your content library or rules engine.
Complete. Processed products are written to the Product Hub. They are now available for export, listing creation, and channel distribution.
The entire pipeline typically completes within minutes for small catalogues and up to an hour for large ones, depending on file size and complexity.
Accessing imports and monitoring status
All imports, whether from platform connections or file uploads, are managed in DataHub > Sources.
For each source, you can:
- View the last import timestamp and status (success, in progress, or failed).
- Download the import log, which lists any errors or warnings encountered during processing.
- Review field mapping and adjust it if needed.
- Trigger a manual re-import at any time (Editor and above).
- View a preview of imported products.
After import, navigate to the Product Hub to verify that your products have arrived with correct data. Check a sample of products to confirm that titles, descriptions, prices, images, and SKUs are present and correct.
Permissions and access control
The following permissions apply to data import:
| Role | Can create/edit source | Can trigger manual import | Can view imported data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Editor | No | Yes | Yes |
| Viewer | No | No | Yes |
Viewers can browse and search imported products in the Product Hub but cannot manage sources or trigger imports.
Practical guidance: ensuring successful imports
Before importing
- Validate your file. If importing manually, open your CSV, XML, or JSON file in a text editor and check for obvious errors: missing headers, mismatched quotes, or truncated records.
- Include required fields. Vendably requires at least a product identifier (id or sku) and a title. Without these, products will be rejected or appear incomplete.
- Check field names. Use standard field names where possible. Vendably recognises: id, sku, title, description, price, currency, brand, condition, availability, gtin, mpn, image_link, link, product_type, google_product_category, item_group_id. If your source uses different names (e.g., 'product_name' instead of 'title'), note this so you can adjust the mapping after import.
- Ensure image URLs are valid. Image links must be publicly accessible and return a valid image file. Broken links will cause image import to fail. See product-image-hosting-and-channel-compliance-via-the-cdn for guidance on image hosting and CDN integration.
During import
- Monitor the import log. After uploading or triggering an import, watch the import progress in Sources. Once complete, download and review the log for warnings or errors.
- Check the analysis report. The analysis stage identifies missing fields, invalid values, and data quality issues. Address these before exporting to channels.
After import
- Verify field mapping. Review the Field Mapping section and confirm each source field maps correctly.
- Spot-check products. Open the Product Hub and search for a few products from your import. Confirm that titles, descriptions, prices, and images are present and correct.
- Test a channel export. Before distributing your full catalogue to sales channels, export a small batch of products to verify they meet channel requirements. Different channels have different field requirements and validation rules.
Ongoing maintenance
If you are using a platform connection (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce), your data will stay in sync automatically via webhooks. No further action is needed.
If you are using file import with scheduled FTP, monitor the import logs regularly to catch any recurring errors (e.g., new fields appearing in your exports that are not mapped, or validation failures). Adjust your source settings or mapping if needed.
What success looks like
A successful import has these characteristics:
- Source connected or file imported. In DataHub > Sources, your source shows a status of 'Connected' (for platform integrations) or 'Last imported: [timestamp]' (for file imports).
- Field mapping verified. You have reviewed the Field Mapping section and confirmed that each source field maps to the correct Vendably field. No critical fields are missing or misplaced.
- Product data in Product Hub. Your products appear in the Product Hub with complete, accurate data. You can search for products by title or SKU, view their details, and confirm that fields like price, description, brand, and images are populated correctly.
- No critical errors in import log. The import log may contain warnings (e.g., missing optional fields), but no critical errors that prevent products from being imported.
- Ready for export. Your products are ready to be exported to sales channels via feed rules and export profiles. See feed-rules-filtering-and-transforming-products-at-export for guidance on preparing products for channel distribution.
Summary
Vendably supports two complementary methods for bringing product data in: direct platform connection for real-time sync, and file-based import for flexibility and control. Platform connections (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce) automatically fetch your catalogue and listen for changes via webhooks, keeping your Vendably data in sync without manual intervention. File imports (CSV, XML, JSON) can be uploaded manually or pulled on a schedule via FTP, giving you control over when and how data arrives.
Regardless of method, field mapping is essential. Vendably attempts automatic detection but you must verify that source fields map correctly to Vendably's standard schema. After import, monitor the import log for errors, review the analysis report for data quality issues, and spot-check products in the Product Hub to confirm everything arrived as expected.
Once your product data is imported and verified, you are ready to create listings, apply content overlays, and export to your sales channels.