Prepare product data before moving it into a new store

Moving a catalogue is easier when you separate data preparation from the actual import. A file that looks tidy in a spreadsheet can still contain duplicate references, inconsistent units and image links that the new store cannot use.

Prepare a controlled copy first. Do not edit the only source of truth while experimenting with a new format, and do not include customer records in a product import simply because they were present in the same export.

Identify the source you can trust

Choose the current catalogue record, not the newest-looking file in a downloads folder. Check who maintains it and whether it reflects the products you actually offer.

Keep the original export unchanged and record when it was taken. Use a working copy for cleaning and mapping. If the business continues receiving orders during preparation, note which fields may change before the final move.

A catalogue export is not automatically a complete backup of the business. Orders, customer records, media, settings and policies may be stored separately.

List the fields the destination really accepts

Read the current import specification for the tool you will use. Do not assume it accepts a competitor's column names, variant structure or image format.

Create a mapping from each source field to its destination. Mark fields that have no supported equivalent instead of silently dropping them.

For a basic product move, the mapping might cover names, descriptions, stable references, options, prices, units, availability and media. The exact requirements depend on your actual platform; this guide does not promise a particular oBizee importer.

Resolve identifiers and units first

Give every sellable choice a consistent reference where your system supports one. Check duplicates before bringing quantities across.

Confirm what each quantity means: individual pieces, pairs, packs or sets. A stock value of ten is meaningless without the unit it counts.

Keep product identifiers separate from row numbers. Sorting a spreadsheet should not change which item an order or photograph refers to.

Clean content without inventing missing facts

Remove obsolete promotional dates, copied placeholders and descriptions that belong to another product. Correct spelling while preserving the meaning of verified product information.

Where a material, size or care detail is missing, ask the responsible person or measure the product as appropriate. Do not fill the blank with an AI guess or a supplier claim from a similar item.

Preserve deliberate distinctions such as made-to-order versus ready-made. A neat uniform file is not an improvement if it erases information customers need.

Check media access and ownership

Make sure the images refer to the correct products and that you have permission to use them. A public URL is not proof of usage rights.

Test whether the destination can obtain the media through the supported import process. Temporary links, private account URLs and local file paths may not remain usable after the move.

Keep an association between each image and its product or variant. A folder of correctly named products is not enough if the importer attaches photographs by a different rule.

Build a representative test set

Before a full import, prepare a small authorised test containing different product shapes: a simple item, a variant product, a set, an unavailable item and a made-to-order item where relevant.

Include inconvenient cases such as punctuation, long descriptions and missing optional images. The easiest product is not a sufficient test of the whole catalogue.

Do not run an experimental import against a live store without the appropriate authority and recovery plan. Know whether the tool creates new records, updates existing ones or can do both.

Record the handover package

Keep the original export, cleaned working copy, field mapping, exception list and test results together in an appropriately protected location.

A useful exception list identifies the product, missing or conflicting field, responsible person and resolution. Do not label the catalogue ready while unresolved exceptions can change what the customer orders.

Before the actual move, recheck fields that may have changed during preparation, especially availability and prices. Coordinate the cutover rather than assuming an old export is still current.

Use the catalogue checklist for customer-facing completeness and the stock guide for quantity definitions. Preparation succeeds when every important field has a known meaning and destination—not merely when the file uploads without an error.