Import / Export to Add / Change / Remove Listings & Images in bulk

This release will only contain the upgrade for bulk image upload, and not contain the bulk loading under custom store category.  Custom store category will be implemented shortly after this initial release).  Please use the instructions on the top right now.

Below are instructions for bulk importing of item listings and images.  Silkfair's import function supports "Add / Change / Remove" of listings and images via a CSV formatted file (Comma Separated Value - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values ).  

Listings (not images) can also be exported into CSV formatted file.

Where can I find the import ?
To import Item listings and images, login to Silkfair, and go to My Store / Products.  The function is on the upper right hand side of the listing view page.

How do I begin import?

1 ) You need to first get a template for import. To get the initial template, first make sure you have at least 1 item listing in your store. If you don't have any items in your store, please first properly set up your store profile with the appropriate shipping instructions, tax profiles, etc.... and create your first listing.

2 ) Once you have the first listing, then go to My Store / Products page (the listing view), and click on “Export” button to download the export file, which will serve as your template for importing. Save the .csv file as the template.

3 ) Update it with new listings following the syntax and rules detailed below. Once the new import file is updated with the listings you wish, you can then click on “Import” button in My Store / Products page and select the new import file you saved earlier to begin the submission.

4 ) Once the import file is submitted, the import will be scheduled on the system. You will be notified automatically by a system generated email when the import completes, or if there are any errors with the import.

What are these errors noted in the email notification?
Any items that have errors will be skipped over, and you will need to update / fix that particular record to get that listing added/deleted/updated.

How do I import images?
There are 2 ways to use the import facility to manage your images.  

1 ) For small amount of images (total no more than 100MB), you can have new images bulk uploaded into the system by preparing a ZIP file with all your images and the import file specifying the name of the images in the zip file.  All images in the ZIP file must not be stored in any folders or sub-folders.  The CSV import file must be bundled inside the ZIP file.  Image file names can only contain alphanumeric and underscore "_" characters.  Blank spaces or any symbols other than "." (period) denoting file extension are not accepted.  Once the ZIP file is prepared with the image files and the CSV import file, then submit the ZIP file by using the Import function in My Store / Products (the listing view).  If you are having problems uploading the ZIP file due to size or speed issue where the transfer is timing out, please then use the 2nd method listed next.

2) This is the preferred method if you have a large quantity of images.  You can have your images hosted on a publicly accessible web server to be fetched by the import facility, and prepare an import file specifying the url of the images associating them to the listings.  The url must be specified in full (i.e. http://www.myserver_with_images.com/image1.jpg).  No ZIP file is required for this method.

All image file names and URL are case-sensitive, so you must have the exact same name noted inside the CSV file.

You can create new items and bulk load images using either methods.  There are 4 fields labeled Image1, Image2, Image3 and Image4 inside the template file, which you can use to specify the location/name of the file.

Valid image formats are .JPG, .JPEG, .GIF and .PNG

You can also use the import facility to modify and delete images used in existing listings.

Create new listing & upload new images (Action = Add ; place new image file name and/or url of image file in the appropriate columns)

Modify listing & leave existing images alone (Action = Change; leave image fields blank)

Modify listing & replace images (Action = Change; place new image file name and / or url of image file in the appropriate columns)

Modify listing & delete images (Action = Change; place the text "delete" in the image field that you want the image to be deleted)

Modify listing & add new images (Action = Change; place new image file name and / or url of image file in the appropriate columns)

Delete listing & images (Action = Remove; place the text "delete" in the image field that you want the images to be deleted)




Below lists all the fields supported for import, and the rules/limitations that applies for each field.

Field Name : rules / limitations

Title : less than 250 characters
ItemID : ItemID numbers help identify current product listings.  Must keep the item numbers if ‘Action’ field = “Change” or “Remove” (see Action field below).  If ‘Action’ field = “Add,” this field must be left empty so it does not override any existing listing information.
Action : Add / Change / Remove (use 1 of these 3 words only for this field to instruct to add, or change, or remove listing(s))
Description : less than 60000 characters
TagsKeywords : comma delimited
MaterialTags : comma delimited
ItemCondition : New / Used / Refurbished
Category : name, must be existing Silkfair category
SubCategory : name, must be existing Silkfair subcategory
Currency : USD / EURO
Price : 0 to less than 1000000 (up to 2 decimal positions) / default (which use default pricing profile)
Quantity : integer 0 to 999999
Attribute :
AttributeDescription :
ShipFrom : default (which use default shipping profile).  if shipping profile is set, it is suggested to select ShipFrom information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
ShipFromState : if shipping profile is set, it is suggested to select ShipFromState information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
ShipTo : if shipping profile is set, it is suggested to select ShipTo information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
ShipToState : if shipping profile is set, it is suggested to select ShipToState information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
ShippingCost : less than 999999
ShippingCostDescription : must provide shipping cost description (less than 60000 characters)
ShippingInstruction : must provide shipping instruction (less than 60000 characters)
Cashier'sCheck : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
MoneyOrder : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
PersonalCheck : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
AmericanExpress : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options) (Authorize.net only)
Visa : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options) (Authorize.net only)
MasterCard : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options) (Authorize.net only)
Discover : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options) (Authorize.net only)
Paypal : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
Google : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
RevolutionMoneyExchange : YES / NO / default (which use default payment options)
PaymentInstruction : must provide payment instruction information (less than 60000 characters)
TaxLocationCountry : if tax profile is set, it is suggested to select TaxLocationCountry information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
TaxLocationState : if tax profile is set, it is suggested to select TaxLocationState information from Silkfair data, instead of typing state/country freeform to handle spelling, case-sensitive letters, and/or spaces
Tax% : integer percent, from 1 to 99
TaxNotes : less than 250 characters
ReturnAccepted : 1 / 0
ReturnDays : number, from 1 to 10000
ReturnPolicy : must provide return policy description (less than 60000 characters)
RefundAccepted : true / false
RefundPolicy : must provide refund policy description (less than 60000 characters)
DurationOfListing : number of days
SKUReferenceID :
Supplier :
SupplierSKUReferenceID :
Image1 : either url of image location or image file name inside ZIP file.  This is the primary image, and will be scanned by the system to detect the primary color of the product/image.  This image will also be used for thumnail photo representing the listing.  If using image location, then it's a url like this - http://www.xxx.COM/picname1.jpg
Image2 : either url of image location or image file name inside ZIP file.  
Image3 : either url of image location or image file name inside ZIP file.
Image4 : either url of image location or image file name inside ZIP file.
EbayID: this is the item's ebay id number. Accept blank value if the item has no ebay id.
EtsyID : this is the item's etsy id number.  Accept blank value if the item has no etsy id.
Active: Indicates if item is active or not. The keyword "false" will create the item as inactive; blank or any other word different to "false" will create the item as active.
Handmade : true / false
Vintage : true / false
Production Quantity : blank, Mass Produced, Limited Edition, One of a Kind
ISSN : less than 250 characters
ISBN : less than 250 characters
MPN : less than 250 characters
UPC : less than 250 characters
MetaTitle : less than 250 characters - this is for Meta Name Title when you want the Title of listing to be different than the Title field defined in the listing.
ProductCost : 0 to less than 1000000 (up to 2 decimal positions)
MAP : Minimum Advertised Price - 0 to less than 1000000 (up to 2 decimal positions)
MSRP : manufacturer's suggested retail price - 0 to less than 1000000 (up to 2 decimal positions)
ShowMSRP : true / false
Wholesale : true / false
Brand/Manufacturer : less than 250 characters
MetaDescription : less than 250 characters
MetaKeywords : less than 250 characters
Length : number, from 1 to 10000
Height : number, from 1 to 10000
Width : number, from 1 to 10000
DimensionUnit : in / cm
Weight : number, from 1 to 10000
WeightUnit : lb / kg


* Handling special characters - many special characters such as 'bullets' or other graphical characters don't work properly with imports. It's best to try to strip out as many of the special characters as possible to ensure proper importing.

** Single quotation mark or double quotation marks should be ok to use. So, to show an item having the height of 6 feet 5 inches, the value can be set as 6'5"