Articles on: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to Set Up XML Product Import in Stock Sync

This guide explains how to set up a product import using XML files in Stock Sync, including cases where product data and images come from separate XML feeds.


1. Create a New Feed

  • Open Stock Sync in your Shopify admin.
  • Click Add New Feed.
  • Choose Add New Products.
  • Select Download URL (or upload file, SFTP, API depending on your source).
  • Paste the XML link.


2. Configure File Settings

  • Set File Type to XML.
  • Use Auto (Recommended) for Parent Node and Variant Node.
  • If auto detection fails, manually select the parent element in your XML (for example, Record, Product, Offer, Item, or Towar depending on supplier).


3. Map Required Fields

Match XML tags to Shopify fields such as:

  • SKU → SKU
  • Name/Title → Title
  • Price → Price
  • Description → Body HTML
  • Stock/Quantity → Inventory Quantity (if feed includes stock)


Product categories

If the XML contains a category node, map that node to Tags to save the category as a Shopify product tag. For example, map <category>Yelek</category> to Tags.


For Shopify product categories, the category value must correspond to the Shopify Standard Product Taxonomy. If a category is not produced, check that the product title and description provide enough information to match that taxonomy. Preview a sample product and verify that the XML category node contains the expected value. If the required category data is not present in the feed, it cannot be imported from that feed.


If you want categories added to product tags, confirm whether the mapping should append new tags while retaining existing tags or replace the existing product tags before running the feed.


Product images

If image URLs are included in the same XML:

  • Map the image URL field to Product Images/Image URL.
  • If the XML contains multiple image fields or nested image nodes, map the individual URL values rather than the whole image container.
  • Verify that URLs include http:// or https://.


If the expected products cannot be found in the XML feed, provide a valid product reference that exists both in the Shopify store and in the supplier feed so the mapping can be checked.


If image URLs are included in the same XML:

  • Map image → Image URL


If your XML contains category information (e.g. Yelek):

  • Map category → Tags to save categories as Shopify product tags.


4. When Images Are in a Separate XML Feed

If you have two XML feeds (product data + images):


  1. Create two separate feeds in Stock Sync:
  • Feed A: Add New Products (product data XML)
  • Feed B: Update Existing Products (image XML)


  1. In both feeds, map the same identifier (for example, SKU or kod). This allows Stock Sync to match images to the correct product.
  2. In the image feed:
  • Map kod → SKU
  • Map gallery/image → Image URL


  1. Run the image feed after the product feed so images attach correctly.


5. Handling Price Modifications (VAT, Margins)

If your XML contains fields like price and VAT and you need custom price rules:

  • Use Price Rules in Stock Sync.
  • You can add VAT by applying formula-based adjustments.
  • You can set margin-based rules using value ranges (for example, 0.01–5 → +100%, 5.01–10 → +75%, etc.).


6. Troubleshooting Auto‑Mapping Issues


If image import fails or stops halfway, ensure that the Images field is mapped to a list of actual image URLs, not an entire nested image container. For XML feeds where images are grouped inside multiple levels, use JMESPath or Liquid mapping to extract the URL fields only.


If fields do not map automatically:

  • Confirm the parent node is correctly selected.
  • For first‑time XML imports, the mapping dropdown will only show values from previously mapped fields or prior feeds. New XML tags may not appear in the dropdown until after the first preview or run.
  • Preview the XML in Stock Sync to verify the structure.
  • Manually map all required fields.


7. Testing and Running the Import


Before importing the complete catalog:


  1. On the Feed Detail page, click Add product.
  2. For testing, enable Only process 3 products (no credits required).
  3. If needed, apply an incoming feed filter for the category or subcategory you want to test.
  4. Run the test import and review the products in Shopify, including titles, descriptions, prices, stock, images, and identifiers.
  5. Correct any mapping, filter, or source-data issue found in the test.
  6. After the test results are correct, remove the limit or run the feed again to import the full catalog.


For an XML hosted at a URL, choose Import from URL (or Download URL) when creating the feed. The URL option is suitable for a supplier feed; file upload is intended for an XML file uploaded directly.


Use an Add Feed to create new products. An Update Feed only updates products that already exist, so it cannot be used for the initial product import.


The product identifier is case-sensitive. Map the identifier to the exact XML field expected by the feed, such as id rather than ID, and use the same identifier consistently when matching products. If the feed processes successfully but adds zero products, verify this mapping first.


After a small test import completes, download the log or review the change log to confirm that the mapped fields will update correctly before rerunning the feed for the full catalog.


Before a large import, export or otherwise back up your existing Shopify product catalog. Stock Sync matches products by the configured identifier and copies mapped values; if supplier and store identifiers do not correspond, existing products may be matched incorrectly and their mapped information can be overwritten.


8. Importing Only Specific Products

If you want to import only selected products:

  • Use Incoming Feed Filter and set rules based on SKU, brand, category, or other fields.


If products are not importing even though they appear in the XML preview:

  • Check whether Skip product(s) with zero quantity is enabled under Feed Settings. When enabled, Stock Sync will exclude any item with quantity 0 from import.
  • If your supplier lists products with stock = 0 and you still want to import them, disable this option and rerun the feed.


9. Credits

Product imports require credits. Stock updates do not.


If you want to test your XML setup without using credits, you can enable "Only process 3 products (no credits required)" on the feed detail page before running the Add Feed.

This setup covers XML imports for single‑feed and multi‑feed XML structures, including product data, stock syncing, and image attachment.

Updated on: 07/08/2026

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