Add & Map Products using Vendor Store Sync
The Vendor Store Sync (Channel Connect) feature allows merchants to sync products directly from a vendor’s external store (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.) into the marketplace.
Using this feature, products can either be:
- Added to the merchant store (new products), or
- Mapped to existing merchant products (to avoid duplicates)
This article explains where to find the feature, how Add & Map works, bulk mapping using CSV, and best practices.
Where to Find Add & Map Products
Depending on who is performing the action, navigation differs slightly:
For Merchants
Left side bar> Channels
This section shows all products available on each connected vendor’s store.
For Vendors
Left side bar> Channels
This section shows the vendor’s own store products and their sync status with the merchant store.
Both merchants and vendors can perform Add and Map actions (subject to permissions set by the merchant).
What Does “Add” vs “Map” Mean?
Add Product
- Creates a new product in the merchant store
- Used when the product does not already exist on the merchant store
Map Product
- Links a vendor product to an existing merchant product
- Prevents duplicate listings
- Enables inventory, price, and order sync
Adding Products (One-by-One or Bulk)
Add a Single Product
- Go to Connected Vendor Store / Vendor Website Sync
- Locate the vendor product
- Click Add to Merchant Store
- Product goes for merchant approval (if enabled)
- Once approved, the product is live (or Draft, based on settings)
Bulk Add Products
- Select multiple vendor products using checkboxes
- Click Bulk Actions → Add to Merchant Store
- Products are added together and follow the same approval flow
Mapping Products (Very Important Section)
Mapping is used only when the product already exists in the merchant store.
Mapping One-by-One (UI Method)
- Go to Connected Vendor Store / Vendor Website Sync
- Find the vendor product you want to map
- Click the Mapping icon
- A popup opens showing:
- Vendor product details
- A search bar to search merchant products
- Search and select the correct merchant product
- Click Map
The vendor product is now linked to the merchant product.
What Happens After Mapping?
- Inventory sync starts immediately
- Price updates (if enabled) sync automatically
- Orders placed on merchant store sync to vendor
Bulk Mapping Using CSV (Merchant & Vendor Supported)
Bulk mapping is recommended when you have many products to map.
Who Can Use Bulk Mapping?
- Merchants
- Vendors
Step 1: Export the CSV File
- Go to Connected Vendor Store / Vendor Website Sync
- Select (check) the vendor products you want to map
- Click Export CSV
Step 2: Understand the CSV File Structure
The exported CSV contains three tabs:
1️. Instructions Tab
- Explains how mapping works
- Should not be edited
2️. Vendor Shop Products Tab
- Contains only the selected vendor products
- This is the tab where mapping is done
3️. Merchant Shop Products Tab
- Contains all existing merchant products for that vendor
- Used only for reference
Step 3: How to Map Using CSV (Key Step)
In the Vendor Shop Products tab, you will see empty columns for merchant product details.
From the Merchant Shop Products tab, copy the following values:
- Merchant ST Unique ID
- Merchant Product Title
- Merchant SKU Product Code*
Paste these values into the corresponding row of the vendor product you want to map.
This tells Shipturtle:
“This vendor product should be linked to this exact merchant product.”
Step 4: Upload the CSV
- Save the CSV file
- Upload it back into Shipturtle
- Mapping is processed automatically
All mapped products will now sync correctly.
Mapping Rules (Important Configuration)
Merchants can control how variants are matched.
Navigation
Settings → Multivendor Settings → Vendor Shop Sync Settings → Variant Sync Settings
Available Rules
Unique SKU Mapping (Recommended)
- Vendor SKU must exactly match merchant SKU
- Best for clean, structured catalogs
Title-Based Mapping
- Matches products using product titles
- Useful when SKUs differ
- Requires clean, consistent titles
Using Ship AI to Keep Listings Uniform
Shipturtle provides Ship AI (Listing Genie) to standardize product content across vendors.
What Ship AI Does
- Rewrites product titles
- Standardizes descriptions
- Maintains consistent tone & format
Example
Vendor A title: “Red Shirt Cotton”
Vendor B title: “Brick Red Tee”
After Ship AI:
“Cotton T-Shirt – Red Color | Premium Fabric”
Learn more
https://www.shipturtle.com/kb/products/ship-AI
Best Practices
- Prefer mapping over adding duplicates
- Use Unique SKU mapping whenever possible
- Use Bulk CSV mapping for large catalogs
- Always test mapping with a small batch first
- Use Ship AI for marketplace consistency
FAQs
Can vendors map products themselves?
Yes, if the merchant has enabled vendor permissions.
What happens if I map the wrong product?
You can unmap it and remap correctly. Inventory sync stops immediately on unmap.
Does mapping affect existing orders?
No. Mapping only affects future inventory, price, and order sync.
Can I remap products after syncing?
Yes. Use UI or CSV to remap, then resync products if needed.
What if vendor deletes a mapped product?
Based on merchant settings, the product can be archived or deleted from the merchant store.
Do I need technical knowledge to use CSV mapping?
No. You only need to copy-paste values from one tab to another.