How to Ensure SKUs Are Properly Synced Between Your Feed and Store

Keeping your SKUs aligned between your feed and your store is essential for accurate updates. Here are the key points to verify when troubleshooting SKU sync issues.

1. Confirm the SKU Exists in Both the Feed and the Store

If a SKU is missing from the feed, it will not update in the store.

• Update feeds only modify products when the SKU appears in the feed file.
• A SKU that exists in your store but not in the feed will be ignored.
• If the system shows Not found in feed, first search the feed file directly for the SKU and confirm the correct column is mapped as the product identifier. Also ensure no filters are excluding the SKU.

If you expect the SKU to be in the feed, double-check the feed file and ensure the correct sheet, column, or section is being read.

2. Verify the Product Identifier Mapping

Make sure the correct column (SKU, Vendor SKU, Stock Code, etc.) is mapped as the "Product Identifier".

• If SKUs are duplicated or reused, consider using another unique identifier from your file.
• If the same SKU appears multiple times across suppliers, match using the appropriate unique field.

3. Re‑add Image or Data Mappings if Needed

If an image or field stops updating, verify the mapping still exists. Missing mappings prevent updates from being pushed to the store.

4. Add Missing SKUs Using an Import (Add) Feed

If a SKU exists in the feed but not in the store:

• Run an Add (Import) feed to create or merge the missing product/variant.

5. Handle Duplicate SKUs Carefully

Feed files that contain repeated SKUs can cause:

• Stalled or stuck Add feeds
• Variants failing to be created
• "0 products added" results when all SKUs already exist

If your supplier uses identical SKUs across many items:

• Clarify whether this is intentional
• Switch to a unique field like Stock Code or Vendor SKU

6. Check File Structure and Encoding If Matches Fail

Incorrect or changing row separators, encoding, or sheet names can cause the system to fail reading SKUs properly.
If the feed suddenly stops matching:

• Verify the file’s separator did not change
• Confirm the feed source is still accessible
• Ensure the correct sheet name is being read (for Google Sheets)

7. When a Product Appears in the Store but Not in the Feed

If you expect it to update but it does not:

• Confirm the SKU formatting matches exactly (no extra spaces or variants). Supplier and store identifiers must match character‑for‑character. Even differences such as hyphens, added size codes (e.g., -50, -QN), or missing letters prevent matching.
• If your store SKUs contain size or variant codes that do not appear in the supplier feed, adjust your store SKUs or switch to a different identifier (such as barcode or a combination of fields) to ensure accurate matching.
• Make sure there are no hidden prefixes such as apostrophes (') in the SKU. If present, remove them using SKU smart settings so they match your store’s SKUs.
• Ensure filters or conditions are not excluding it
• Check the feed’s status conditions (e.g., only "available" products included)

8. Large Feeds and Limits

Feeds exceeding 10,000 SKUs may require:

• Higher plans
• Proper filtering

If the feed stalls or runs slowly, incorrect SKU structure or too many variants per SKU may also be the cause.

Additional Cases

• If a SKU exists in your store but does not sync, verify whether it actually exists in the supplier’s feed. Missing SKUs in the source file cannot be updated.
• If a feed column contains hidden BOM characters (such as  before the header), use column index mapping instead of column name to restore matching.
• If products use variant options inconsistently (sizes in Option 1 vs Option 2), create a secondary update feed mapped to the correct option for those products.
• If supplier SKUs are blank or do not match your store SKUs, you cannot use SKU as the product identifier. Use Handle + Option or another consistent field instead.
• If the supplier SKU and your store SKU differ, the app cannot detect that the products are unrelated and may add duplicate data during import. Before importing, ensure both SKUs match exactly to avoid unintended updates.

Summary

To ensure successful SKU syncing:

• Confirm the SKU exists in both the store and feed
• Confirm the SKU exists in both the store and feed
• Use a correct and unique product identifier mapping
• Re‑enable any missing mappings
• Use Add feeds for missing SKUs
• Avoid duplicate SKUs or switch to another unique identifier
• Check feed file encoding, separators, and sheet names

Following these checks resolves most SKU mismatch or sync issues.

Updated on: 17/07/2026