CSV import and export for bulk catalog management

Adding three hundred SKUs by hand before a seasonal launch is a mistake you only make once. Mrfqy's CSV import and export runs as background jobs so you can upload a spreadsheet, fix validation errors, and continue managing orders while processing completes. This guide covers column expectations, safe update patterns, and honest limits.

Export your catalog as CSV

From Products → Export, download a CSV snapshot with SKUs, titles (AR/EN), prices, stock, tags, and collection handles. Use exports as backups before bulk edits or migration to Mrfqy from another platform.

Schedule exports before Ramadan and Black Friday campaigns so you have rollback data if bulk price updates go wrong.

Large catalogs export asynchronously — email or in-app notification arrives when the file is ready; do not click export repeatedly.

CSV column format and validation

Required columns typically include SKU, title_ar, price, and product type. Optional columns cover English titles, compare-at price, stock quantity, barcode, weight, and tags separated by semicolons.

Validation runs row-by-row: duplicate SKUs, negative prices, and invalid collection handles fail with line numbers in the job report. Fix CSV locally in Excel or Google Sheets, then re-upload — do not partial-fix inside the admin grid during the same job.

UTF-8 encoding is mandatory for Arabic text. If Excel mangles characters, import via Google Sheets export or LibreOffice with explicit UTF-8.

Async jobs and progress tracking

Imports enqueue as background jobs so browser timeouts do not truncate ten-thousand-row files. Job status shows processed, succeeded, and failed counts with downloadable error CSV for failed rows only.

You can manage orders and edit unrelated products while import runs. Avoid editing the same SKUs concurrently in admin — last write wins and confuses inventory.

Pro plans may offer higher concurrency limits; Starter merchants should split files above 2,000 rows into batches during peak platform hours.

Safe bulk update patterns

Use SKU as stable key for updates — never change SKU on live products; create new SKU instead and retire old stock.

For price sweeps, export first, change price column only, import with update mode. Verify five random SKUs on storefront before announcing sale.

Inventory-only imports help nightly sync from warehouse spreadsheets; automate export from your WMS if API integration is not yet justified.

Migrating from another platform

Map foreign platform columns to Mrfqy template using export → transform → import. Images often require separate bulk upload or URL import if supported — CSV alone may not migrate galleries.

Run trial import with 20 SKUs, validate Arabic RTL on product pages, then full import off-peak. Point domain to Mrfqy only after payment and shipping smoke tests pass.

Meilisearch reindex runs after large imports; search may lag minutes until index completes — normal behavior.

After migration, run a storefront smoke test in Arabic: search five imported product names, open two variant pickers, and complete a COD order. CSV gets data into Mrfqy fast, but broken Arabic encoding or wrong collection handles only surface when a real customer tries to buy.

Putting it into practice on Mrfqy

Download the Mrfqy CSV template from docs and fill twenty SKUs as a pilot: Arabic titles in title_ar, stable SKU codes, EGP prices, and semicolon-separated tags. Export your current catalog snapshot from Products → Export before any bulk edit — Starter runs async import jobs so you can keep fulfilling orders while validation runs.

Upload the pilot CSV, fix any row errors from the job report (duplicate SKUs and UTF-8 issues are the most common), then verify five random products on the live storefront in Arabic RTL. For catalogs above 2,000 rows on Starter, split into batches during off-peak hours; Pro plans offer higher concurrency if you migrate during a seasonal deadline.

Establish a weekly rhythm: export inventory Monday, update stock column only, re-import in update mode. Never change live SKUs — create new codes and retire old ones. Upgrade to Pro when profit dashboards and staff roles make catalog ops a daily team task, not a solo spreadsheet exercise.

Download the CSV template from Mrfqy docs, fill Arabic titles first, run a small test import, then scale. Bulk tools reward disciplined SKU conventions — messy spreadsheets become messy storefronts.