Catalog & Products — How to Add, Edit, and Organize
Audience
Admin, Product Manager, Data Entry Specialist
Prerequisites
Access to Catalog → Products
Status
General Availability
Overview
Learn how to create, organize, and manage your product catalog effectively.
This is the foundation of your product data management system. Each product you add here becomes part of your catalog and can later sync with Shopify once it's active and complete.
💡 Why Product Catalog Management Matters
Your product catalog is the single source of truth for everything your customers see on Shopify. When set up correctly, it powers:
- Organized collections and storefront navigation
- Clean data for merchandising and search
- Stronger SEO and AI-driven discovery
- Automated workflows and reduced manual errors
- Faster publishing and scaling of SKUs
Every product you create in MerchPIM can sync with Shopify once it's active and complete — a clean catalog here equals a clean storefront.
⚙️ How Attributes Work
Field | Example Value | Shopify Impact |
|---|---|---|
Title | Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair | PDP & search title |
SKU | CHAIR-ERG-01 | Internal SKU, sync |
Category | Office Furniture | Filtering and navigation |
Media | 6 Images, Dimensions Diagram | PDP clarity, trust signals |
Variants | Standard, Premium | Upsell options as variants |
SEO Metadata | Ergonomic Office Chair – Adjustable & Breathable | SEO keywords, listing boost |
Meta fields | Material: Mesh · Warranty: 3 Years · Assembly: Required | PDP details, filters, schema SEO |
Steps
1️⃣ Open the Products Page
Go to Catalog → Products.
Expected: Product list displays columns for Name, SKU, Category, and Status.
Click + Add Product to start creating a new item.
2️⃣ Enter Basic Details
Fill in: Title, Description, Category, and Status.
Keep Status = Draft until the record is complete.
3️⃣ Add Media
Upload product images using Drag & Drop or Add from URL.
Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WEBP (max 10 MB each; up to 10 images).
4️⃣ Enter Product Identifiers
Add a unique SKU and, if applicable, a Barcode (UPC/EAN).
5️⃣ Set Pricing
Enter Price and optional Compare at Price for discount logic.
6️⃣ Enable Inventory Tracking
Toggle Track Inventory to sync stock quantities with Shopify.
7️⃣ Add Variants (optional)
Click Add Variant Option, then define Option Name (e.g., Size) and Values (S, M, L).
8️⃣ Add Dimensions & Weight
Enter Weight, Length, Width, Height and select units (e.g., kg, cm).
9️⃣ Configure Pre-Order Option
Enable Pre-Order if customers can purchase out-of-stock items.
🔟 Search Engine Listing
Add Page Title, Meta Description, and edit URL Handle if needed.
11️⃣ Product Metafields
Review and manage:
- PIM Attributes – custom fields from MerchPIM
- Shopify Metafields – synced fields from Shopify
12️⃣ Save and Validate
Click Save.
MerchPIM runs validation checks for required fields and media completeness.
✅ Validate
Final Checklist Before Publishing:
- Title & SKU
- Category
- Images
- Pricing
- Inventory
- Variants
- SEO
- Metafields
- Status: Active
🧩 Troubleshooting
Issue | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Product not saving | Missing required field | Add SKU, Title, Category |
Images fail to upload | File too large / wrong format | Use JPG / PNG / WEBP ≤ 10 MB |
Variants missing | Option values not saved | Re-add variant values |
SEO fields blank | Section skipped | Edit product → fill metadata |
🌟 Best Practices
- Keep titles concise (≤ 70 chars).
- Use consistent SKU patterns.
- Add at least one image before publishing.
- Verify completeness before activation.
📈 Impact
🎯 100% data accuracy on new SKUs
⚡ 40% faster onboarding
✅ 25% fewer post-publish errors
Updated on: 03/11/2025
Thank you!