How to import XML products into WooCommerce

Open the XML and identify the repeating product element. Check whether each product has a stable SKU, name, description, price, stock quantity, category, image URL and product type.

Do not assume the feed matches WooCommerce. Supplier fields may use different names, prices may include tax, and stock values may be text such as available rather than a quantity.

For a small, one-off catalogue, convert the XML into a UTF-8 CSV that follows WooCommerce's product schema, then go to Products > All Products > Import. WooCommerce's built-in tool imports CSV or TXT files; it does not directly process a supplier XML feed.

For direct XML, FTP retrieval, recurring imports or complex mappings, you need an XML import plugin or a custom script using the WooCommerce REST API. The API can create, update and batch products, but building the conversion, matching and scheduling logic is development work.

Back up the store or use staging, then import five to ten products before processing the full feed. Use a product identifier such as SKU to match later updates. Never use the product title as the only matching key because suppliers can rename products.

Set imported products to draft if you need to review descriptions, tax settings, categories or images before customers can see them.

Map the XML product name to the product title, description fields to the long and short descriptions, the supplier SKU to SKU, prices to regular or sale price, and supplier stock to quantity and stock status. Map categories and attributes separately instead of putting all source text into the description.

Use the correct product type. Simple products can normally be imported as individual records. Variable products need a parent product, attributes and child variations; the parent must exist before its variations are linked. WooCommerce's variation documentation also relies on SKUs and correctly formatted attribute values for the relationship.

Test every image URL in a browser before importing. The URL must return the actual image file, not a login page, cloud-storage preview or blocked request. Multiple images are commonly separated with a pipe character, with the first image used as the main product image in supported importers.

When updating products, match by SKU or another permanent identifier. Check the importer setting for products that disappeared from the feed: deleting them can remove products temporarily missing because the supplier feed failed.

Run the small import, then check product titles, prices, tax, categories, stock, images, variation selectors and the shop page. Look for duplicate SKUs, empty descriptions, broken images and products assigned to the wrong category before running the full file.

For a feed hosted by FTP or a URL, configure scheduled imports and decide whether each run updates price and stock only or also replaces descriptions and images. A WordPress cron schedule depends on site visits, so a low-traffic shop can run late unless the hosting system cron is configured to trigger it.

Fast way: use the Dropshipping XML WooCommerce PRO FTP addon when the supplier provides a recurring XML feed. It is suited to FTP retrieval, field mapping, scheduled imports and inventory updates, so you do not have to convert every supplier file by hand.