[Skip to main content](#vessel-content) # Importing products with variants/characteristics ## - **[SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile")** - [![SHG's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/core/svg/person.svg)](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile") Topic Author - [ Offline](/forum/user/32472-shg) Less More - Posts: 2 - Thank you received: 0 - - 12 years 2 months ago [\#167370](#167370) by [SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile") *[Importing products with variants/characteristics](/forum/37-import-export-csv-xls/870359-importing-products-with-variants-characteristics#167370 "-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.2 -- Joomla version -- : 3.3.3 -- PHP version -- : 5.4.30 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Safari 7.0.4 My apologies, I am new to Hikashop and am trying to determine the proper method for importing a client's products. The shop will be the web front for a brick and mortar beauty supply shop. I have used Hikashop in the past for smaller projects and was impressed, so I figured I would give it a try for a larger one. My issues is as follows: Client has many products and many variations of each product. For example a line of Nail polish may have 100 colors and another line may have another completely different set of 100 colors. Is it possible to configure a CSV import to create the product, product brand, product category, product parent category, and all 100+ color variations tied to the main product automatically? The end-user should be able to select the product, and chose the color, size etc from drop downs. I have not been able to make this work successfully in HikaShop yet. Is this beyond it's capability? I have attached a sample csv of the best I have been able to come up with yet. You will see it creates the following: Categories: Nail Care (Sub Categories - Gel Polish and Acrylic Powder) Skin Care (Sub Categories - Hand Lotion and Eye Creme) In the Gel Polish sub-category I have 1 main product with 4 variants Also in the Acrylic Powder sub category 1 have 1 main product with 4 different variants The Skin Care category currently has no products. When this csv is uploaded it creates the categories and subcategories fine (the brand/manufacturers have be pre-created in Hikashop) It does generate some errors This is where I run into my main concern: The main product and 4 variants for Gel Polish are created in the proper category each as a separate product, however on the product page the variants are not listed. I attached screenshots showing the product listing and the main product page in the Hikashop backend. Am I way off base on how this should be done? Is this something that should be handled by the options setting instead of variants or characteristics? My apologies for the long inquiry but I wanted to make sure that I properly explained what I was seeing in the hopes of recieving and equally proper response. I appreciate any guidance anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and efforts in the making of and support of this product. -Ryan")* was created by *[SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile")* -- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.2 -- Joomla version -- : 3.3.3 -- PHP version -- : 5.4.30 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Safari 7.0.4 My apologies, I am new to Hikashop and am trying to determine the proper method for importing a client's products. The shop will be the web front for a brick and mortar beauty supply shop. I have used Hikashop in the past for smaller projects and was impressed, so I figured I would give it a try for a larger one. My issues is as follows: Client has many products and many variations of each product. For example a line of Nail polish may have 100 colors and another line may have another completely different set of 100 colors. Is it possible to configure a CSV import to create the product, product brand, product category, product parent category, and all 100+ color variations tied to the main product automatically? The end-user should be able to select the product, and chose the color, size etc from drop downs. I have not been able to make this work successfully in HikaShop yet. Is this beyond it's capability? I have attached a sample csv of the best I have been able to come up with yet. You will see it creates the following: Categories: Nail Care (Sub Categories - Gel Polish and Acrylic Powder) Skin Care (Sub Categories - Hand Lotion and Eye Creme) In the Gel Polish sub-category I have 1 main product with 4 variants Also in the Acrylic Powder sub category 1 have 1 main product with 4 different variants The Skin Care category currently has no products. When this csv is uploaded it creates the categories and subcategories fine (the brand/manufacturers have be pre-created in Hikashop) It does generate some errors This is where I run into my main concern: The main product and 4 variants for Gel Polish are created in the proper category each as a separate product, however on the product page the variants are not listed. I attached screenshots showing the product listing and the main product page in the Hikashop backend. Am I way off base on how this should be done? Is this something that should be handled by the options setting instead of variants or characteristics? My apologies for the long inquiry but I wanted to make sure that I properly explained what I was seeing in the hopes of recieving and equally proper response. I appreciate any guidance anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and efforts in the making of and support of this product. -Ryan - [ ![Screen_Shot_2014-08-14_at_1_20_12_AM.png](/forum/attachment/18970) ](/forum/attachment/18970 "...1_20_12_AM.png") [ ](/forum/attachment/18970?download=1 "...1_20_12_AM.png") - [ ![Screen_Shot_2014-08-14_at_1_19_57_AM.png](/forum/attachment/18971) ](/forum/attachment/18971 "...1_19_57_AM.png") [ ](/forum/attachment/18971?download=1 "...1_19_57_AM.png") Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzM3LWltcG9ydC1leHBvcnQtY3N2LXhscy84NzAzNTktaW1wb3J0aW5nLXByb2R1Y3RzLXdpdGgtdmFyaWFudHMtY2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWNzP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")** - [![nicolas's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/avatars/resized/size144/users/avatar63.png)](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") - [ Away](/forum/user/63-nicolas) Less More - Posts: 86292 - Thank you received: 14269 - - 12 years 2 months ago [\#167488](#167488) by [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") Replied by *[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")* on topic *[Importing products with variants/characteristics](/forum/37-import-export-csv-xls/870359-importing-products-with-variants-characteristics#167488 "-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.2 -- Joomla version -- : 3.3.3 -- PHP version -- : 5.4.30 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Safari 7.0.4 My apologies, I am new to Hikashop and am trying to determine the proper method for importing a client's products. The shop will be the web front for a brick and mortar beauty supply shop. I have used Hikashop in the past for smaller projects and was impressed, so I figured I would give it a try for a larger one. My issues is as follows: Client has many products and many variations of each product. For example a line of Nail polish may have 100 colors and another line may have another completely different set of 100 colors. Is it possible to configure a CSV import to create the product, product brand, product category, product parent category, and all 100+ color variations tied to the main product automatically? The end-user should be able to select the product, and chose the color, size etc from drop downs. I have not been able to make this work successfully in HikaShop yet. Is this beyond it's capability? I have attached a sample csv of the best I have been able to come up with yet. You will see it creates the following: Categories: Nail Care (Sub Categories - Gel Polish and Acrylic Powder) Skin Care (Sub Categories - Hand Lotion and Eye Creme) In the Gel Polish sub-category I have 1 main product with 4 variants Also in the Acrylic Powder sub category 1 have 1 main product with 4 different variants The Skin Care category currently has no products. When this csv is uploaded it creates the categories and subcategories fine (the brand/manufacturers have be pre-created in Hikashop) It does generate some errors This is where I run into my main concern: The main product and 4 variants for Gel Polish are created in the proper category each as a separate product, however on the product page the variants are not listed. I attached screenshots showing the product listing and the main product page in the Hikashop backend. Am I way off base on how this should be done? Is this something that should be handled by the options setting instead of variants or characteristics? My apologies for the long inquiry but I wanted to make sure that I properly explained what I was seeing in the hopes of recieving and equally proper response. I appreciate any guidance anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and efforts in the making of and support of this product. -Ryan")* HI, 1. Yes, this can be imported automatically. 2. Which means that the problem lies in your CSV format. You're actually pretty close of the solution. You're just missing the default value of the characteristic for the main product rows in your CSV. Specify it and after you import the CSV, you'll see that the characteristics do display for the product on the product page. 3. Of course, you can use options instead of characteristics, or a mix of both based on your needs and options can also be imported automatically. The following user(s) said Thank You: [SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile") Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzM3LWltcG9ydC1leHBvcnQtY3N2LXhscy84NzAzNTktaW1wb3J0aW5nLXByb2R1Y3RzLXdpdGgtdmFyaWFudHMtY2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWNzP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile")** - [![SHG's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/core/svg/person.svg)](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile") Topic Author - [ Offline](/forum/user/32472-shg) Less More - Posts: 2 - Thank you received: 0 - - 12 years 2 months ago [\#167489](#167489) by [SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile") Replied by *[SHG](/forum/user/32472-shg "View SHG's Profile")* on topic *[Importing products with variants/characteristics](/forum/37-import-export-csv-xls/870359-importing-products-with-variants-characteristics#167489 "-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.2 -- Joomla version -- : 3.3.3 -- PHP version -- : 5.4.30 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Safari 7.0.4 My apologies, I am new to Hikashop and am trying to determine the proper method for importing a client's products. The shop will be the web front for a brick and mortar beauty supply shop. I have used Hikashop in the past for smaller projects and was impressed, so I figured I would give it a try for a larger one. My issues is as follows: Client has many products and many variations of each product. For example a line of Nail polish may have 100 colors and another line may have another completely different set of 100 colors. Is it possible to configure a CSV import to create the product, product brand, product category, product parent category, and all 100+ color variations tied to the main product automatically? The end-user should be able to select the product, and chose the color, size etc from drop downs. I have not been able to make this work successfully in HikaShop yet. Is this beyond it's capability? I have attached a sample csv of the best I have been able to come up with yet. You will see it creates the following: Categories: Nail Care (Sub Categories - Gel Polish and Acrylic Powder) Skin Care (Sub Categories - Hand Lotion and Eye Creme) In the Gel Polish sub-category I have 1 main product with 4 variants Also in the Acrylic Powder sub category 1 have 1 main product with 4 different variants The Skin Care category currently has no products. When this csv is uploaded it creates the categories and subcategories fine (the brand/manufacturers have be pre-created in Hikashop) It does generate some errors This is where I run into my main concern: The main product and 4 variants for Gel Polish are created in the proper category each as a separate product, however on the product page the variants are not listed. I attached screenshots showing the product listing and the main product page in the Hikashop backend. Am I way off base on how this should be done? Is this something that should be handled by the options setting instead of variants or characteristics? My apologies for the long inquiry but I wanted to make sure that I properly explained what I was seeing in the hopes of recieving and equally proper response. I appreciate any guidance anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and efforts in the making of and support of this product. -Ryan")* Thank you for your prompt response. I'm glad to know that I am close to the solution! I think I understand your advice. However, what would I use as a default value? Choose one of the colors? or is there some other option I should use? Thanks! Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzM3LWltcG9ydC1leHBvcnQtY3N2LXhscy84NzAzNTktaW1wb3J0aW5nLXByb2R1Y3RzLXdpdGgtdmFyaWFudHMtY2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWNzP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")** - [![nicolas's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/avatars/resized/size144/users/avatar63.png)](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") - [ Away](/forum/user/63-nicolas) Less More - Posts: 86292 - Thank you received: 14269 - - 12 years 2 months ago [\#167522](#167522) by [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") Replied by *[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")* on topic *[Importing products with variants/characteristics](/forum/37-import-export-csv-xls/870359-importing-products-with-variants-characteristics#167522 "-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.2 -- Joomla version -- : 3.3.3 -- PHP version -- : 5.4.30 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Safari 7.0.4 My apologies, I am new to Hikashop and am trying to determine the proper method for importing a client's products. The shop will be the web front for a brick and mortar beauty supply shop. I have used Hikashop in the past for smaller projects and was impressed, so I figured I would give it a try for a larger one. My issues is as follows: Client has many products and many variations of each product. For example a line of Nail polish may have 100 colors and another line may have another completely different set of 100 colors. Is it possible to configure a CSV import to create the product, product brand, product category, product parent category, and all 100+ color variations tied to the main product automatically? The end-user should be able to select the product, and chose the color, size etc from drop downs. I have not been able to make this work successfully in HikaShop yet. Is this beyond it's capability? I have attached a sample csv of the best I have been able to come up with yet. You will see it creates the following: Categories: Nail Care (Sub Categories - Gel Polish and Acrylic Powder) Skin Care (Sub Categories - Hand Lotion and Eye Creme) In the Gel Polish sub-category I have 1 main product with 4 variants Also in the Acrylic Powder sub category 1 have 1 main product with 4 different variants The Skin Care category currently has no products. When this csv is uploaded it creates the categories and subcategories fine (the brand/manufacturers have be pre-created in Hikashop) It does generate some errors This is where I run into my main concern: The main product and 4 variants for Gel Polish are created in the proper category each as a separate product, however on the product page the variants are not listed. I attached screenshots showing the product listing and the main product page in the Hikashop backend. Am I way off base on how this should be done? Is this something that should be handled by the options setting instead of variants or characteristics? My apologies for the long inquiry but I wanted to make sure that I properly explained what I was seeing in the hopes of recieving and equally proper response. I appreciate any guidance anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and efforts in the making of and support of this product. -Ryan")* Hi, Yes, you need to choose one of the colors. The one you want to see pre selected in the characteristic dropdown on the product page. Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzM3LWltcG9ydC1leHBvcnQtY3N2LXhscy84NzAzNTktaW1wb3J0aW5nLXByb2R1Y3RzLXdpdGgtdmFyaWFudHMtY2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWNzP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. Board Categories HikaShop- Install & Update- Product & Category Display- Content Creation- Sales and Orders- - Orders management- - Reports & Statistics- Customers- Checkout- Payment Methods- Shipping Methods- Import & Export (CSV, XLS…)- Specific Features- - Affilation- - Taxes- - Wishlist- - Vote- - Carousel & Slider- - Mass Actions- - Filters & Search- - Discount & Coupon- - Feature Request- Integrations- Showcase- General Talk about HikaShop- Development- - HikaShop 3.0 Beta- Translation- Commercial Jobs HikaShop Components- HikaMarket- - Market: Feature requests- - Market: How to?- - Market: Bug Report- HikaSerial- - General talk about HikaSerial- - Serial: Bug Report- - Serial: How to?- - Support en Français de HikaSerial (French Support)- - HikaSubscription- HikaAuction- - Auction: Feature requests- - Auction: How to?- - Auction: Bug report Hikashop around the world- Support en Français (French Support)- Russian- - FAQ. Курс выживания с Hikashop. Частые вопросы и о- - Расширения Hikashop- - Наши сайты на Hikashop- 日本語版サポート(Japanese Support)- Thai- German Archives- Bug Report- How to? [](/forum/topics/feed/mode-topics?format=feed&type=rss) Time to create page: 0.150 seconds [Powered by](/forum/credits) [Kunena Forum](https://www.kunena.org) [](#top)