How to Add Products Using Product Feed

How to Add Products Using Product Feed

Bulk Product Import Guide for Electrical Equipment Sellers

Product Feed allows you to add multiple products to your Electrical Trader store quickly by importing them from an XML file. Instead of manually creating each product one-by-one, you can upload product data in bulk from an external source or inventory management system.

This is particularly useful for sellers with large inventories who want to list many products efficiently, or for sellers who already have product data in another system and want to import it to Electrical Trader.

This guide explains what Product Feed is, when to use it, how to prepare your XML file, and how to upload products using this feature.

Who This Is For

This guide is for Electrical Trader sellers who:

  • Have large inventories to list (50+ products)
  • Maintain product catalogs in other systems
  • Need to import products in bulk
  • Want to save time compared to manual product creation
  • Have technical knowledge or IT support to create XML files

Understanding Product Feed

What is Product Feed?

Product Feed is a bulk import feature that allows you to add multiple products at once by uploading an XML file containing product information.

How it works:

  1. You prepare an XML file with your product data
  2. You host this XML file at a publicly accessible URL
  3. You provide the URL to Electrical Trader
  4. The system reads the XML file and imports products automatically

XML File Structure

An XML (Extensible Markup Language) file is a structured text file that organizes product data in a machine-readable format.

Simple example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Products>
  <Product>
    <ID>
      <![CDATA[ CB-SQD-800A-001 ]]>
    </ID>
    <Product>
      <![CDATA[ Square D 800A Circuit Breaker ]]>
    </Product>
    <SKU>
      <![CDATA[ SQD-800A ]]>
    </SKU>
    <Retail_price>
      <![CDATA[ 4500.00 ]]>
    </Retail_price>
    <Long_description>
      <![CDATA[ Used Square D circuit breaker, 800 amp... ]]>
    </Long_description>
    <Brand>
      <![CDATA[ Square D ]]>
    </Brand>
  </Product>
  <Product>
    <ID>
      <![CDATA[ TX-GE-500KVA-001 ]]>
    </ID>
    <Product>
      <![CDATA[ GE 15kV Transformer ]]>
    </Product>
    <SKU>
      <![CDATA[ GE-TX-500 ]]>
    </SKU>
    <Retail_price>
      <![CDATA[ 12000.00 ]]>
    </Retail_price>
    <Long_description>
      <![CDATA[ Padmount transformer, 500 kVA... ]]>
    </Long_description>
    <Brand>
      <![CDATA[ General Electric ]]>
    </Brand>
  </Product>
</Products>

When to Use Product Feed

Best Use Cases

✅ Use Product Feed when:

Large inventory import

  • Listing 50+ products at once
  • Migrating from another marketplace
  • Adding entire facility liquidation inventory
  • Importing supplier catalogs

Existing data sources

  • Products already in spreadsheet/database
  • Exporting from inventory management system
  • Syncing with external catalog
  • Regular bulk updates needed

Time efficiency

  • One-time import is faster than manual entry
  • Regular catalog updates
  • Multiple similar products with slight variations

When NOT to Use Product Feed

❌ Don't use Product Feed when:

Small quantities

  • Listing fewer than 20 products (manual entry is easier)
  • One-off unique items
  • Custom equipment needing detailed descriptions

No technical knowledge

  • Unable to create or modify XML files
  • No IT support available
  • Uncomfortable with file hosting

Complex products

  • Products requiring extensive custom descriptions
  • Items needing multiple high-quality photos
  • Equipment with complex specifications

Better alternatives:

  • Manual entry - For small quantities or unique items
  • One-at-a-time creation - When each product needs individual attention
  • See guide: How to Add a New Product

Before You Start

Requirements

Before using Product Feed, you need:

  • XML file prepared with product data
  • File hosted online at a publicly accessible URL
  • Feed name to identify this import
  • Products must follow Electrical Trader's guidelines

Technical Requirements

XML File:

  • Valid XML format (proper structure)
  • UTF-8 encoding
  • All required fields included
  • Hosted at stable URL (doesn't change)

Hosting:

  • Publicly accessible web URL
  • No authentication required
  • HTTPS preferred (secure)
  • Reliable uptime

Product Data:

  • Accurate specifications
  • Valid category assignments
  • Proper pricing
  • Equipment located in USA

Preparing Your XML File

Required Product Fields

Minimum required:

  • ID - Unique product identifier
  • Product - Product name/title
  • Retail_price - Product price
  • Long_description - Product description

Recommended fields:

  • SKU - Stock keeping unit code
  • Brand - Manufacturer/brand name
  • Category - Product category
  • Image - Image URL
  • Weight - Product weight (in pounds)
  • Qty - Available quantity
  • Cost_price - Your cost (optional)

1Create Your XML File

Option A: Create Manually

For small quantities (under 50 products):

  1. Open text editor - Windows: Notepad, Mac: TextEdit, Advanced: Notepad++, Sublime Text
  2. Copy XML template (see structure above)
  3. Fill in product data - Replace placeholder text, add one <product> block per item, maintain proper XML structure
  4. Save file - File name: products.xml, Encoding: UTF-8

Option B: Export from Spreadsheet

For large quantities or if you have data in Excel:

Step 1: Organize in Excel

Create spreadsheet with columns: Product ID, Name, Price, Description, Manufacturer, Model, Condition, Image URL, Weight, Quantity, Category

Step 2: Use XML conversion tool

  • Online converter - Search "Excel to XML converter"
  • Excel macros - VBA script to export XML
  • Third-party software - Dedicated conversion tools

Step 3: Verify output

  • Check XML structure is correct
  • Verify all data transferred properly
  • Test with sample before full upload

Option C: Export from System

If you use inventory management software:

  1. Check for XML export option - Most systems support XML export
  2. Configure export settings - Map fields to match template, include all required fields, set encoding to UTF-8
  3. Export file - Save to accessible location, verify file structure
  4. Modify if needed - May need to adjust field names, ensure matches Electrical Trader format

2Host Your XML File Online

Your XML file must be accessible via a public URL.

Hosting Options

Option 1: Website hosting

  • If you have a website, upload to your server
  • URL example: https://yourcompany.com/feeds/products.xml
  • Make sure file is publicly accessible

Option 2: Cloud storage

Dropbox:

  1. Upload XML file
  2. Get shareable link
  3. Change URL from dl=0 to dl=1
  4. Use this direct link

Google Drive:

  1. Upload XML file
  2. Right-click → Get link
  3. Change sharing to "Anyone with the link"
  4. Use direct download link format

Option 3: Free file hosting

  • Services like GitHub Gist (for tech users)
  • Pastebin for XML content
  • Any reliable file hosting service

Important: URL must be:

  • Publicly accessible (no login required)
  • Stable (doesn't change)
  • Direct link to XML file (not download page)

3Access Add Feed Product

Navigate to Products > Add Feed Product

4Complete the Feed Form

Feed Name Field

FEED NAME * (Required)

What to enter:

  • A descriptive name for this product feed
  • Helps you identify the import later

Tips:

  • Include date for reference
  • Mention source or location
  • Keep it descriptive but concise
  • You'll see this name in your products list

Feed URL Field

FEED URL * (Required)

What to enter:

  • The complete URL where your XML file is hosted
  • Must be publicly accessible
  • Must be direct link to XML file

Important requirements:

  • Must start with http:// or https:// (HTTPS preferred)
  • Must end with .xml
  • Must be direct link (not redirect or download page)
  • File must be accessible without login

How to verify URL works:

  1. Copy URL
  2. Paste in web browser
  3. Should download XML file or display XML content
  4. If you see XML code, URL is correct
  5. If you see error or login page, URL is wrong

Click SAVE to submit the feed for processing.

5Feed Processing

What Happens Next

After clicking SAVE:

  1. Validation - System checks if URL is accessible, verifies XML file structure is valid, confirms required fields are present
  2. Parsing - Reads XML file content, extracts product data, maps fields to Electrical Trader format
  3. Import - Creates products in your account, sets status to "Approval Pending", assigns to your seller account
  4. Notification - You'll see success or error message, products appear in Products Listing, Electrical Trader team notified for review

Processing status:

  • During import, you may see "Processing" status
  • Refresh page to check progress
  • Products appear as they're imported

6View Imported Products

Navigate to Products > Products Listing

Product Status Explained

Approval Pending:

  • Products imported successfully
  • Awaiting review by Electrical Trader team
  • Not yet visible to buyers
  • You can edit products while pending

Active:

  • Approved by Electrical Trader team
  • Live on marketplace
  • Buyers can see and purchase

Disabled:

  • Not currently for sale
  • Hidden from buyers
  • Can re-enable when ready

7Edit Imported Products

Important:

Feed imports create basic product listings. You should edit each product to add detailed information.

Click EDIT on Product

From Products Listing, click EDIT (blue pencil icon) for each product.

Add Essential Information

What to add after feed import:

1. More photos

  • Feed only imports one image
  • Add 5-10 additional photos
  • Show different angles
  • Include nameplate close-ups

2. Detailed description

  • Expand basic feed description
  • Add technical specifications
  • Include condition details
  • Mention inspection availability
  • Add freight information

3. Custom fields

  • Feed cannot set custom fields
  • Manually add: Component Type, Transformer Type, Voltage ratings, KVA rating, Amperage, Condition, Manufactured Year, Product Location (state)

4. Collections

  • Verify correct collections assigned
  • Add additional relevant collections
  • Maximum 10 collections per product

5. SEO information

  • Title tag meta field
  • Description tag meta field

6. Shipping details

  • Verify weight is correct
  • Adjust if needed for freight calculations

7. Pricing verification

  • Confirm price is accurate
  • Set "Compare at Price" if applicable

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

"Invalid URL" Error

Problem: URL not accessible

Solutions:

  • Verify URL is correct (copy/paste carefully)
  • Ensure file is publicly accessible
  • Check URL works in web browser
  • Remove any authentication requirements
  • Use direct link, not redirect

"Invalid XML Format" Error

Problem: XML file structure is incorrect

Solutions:

  • Verify XML syntax is valid
  • Use XML validator tool online
  • Check opening/closing tags match
  • Ensure proper nesting
  • Verify UTF-8 encoding

Example of common XML errors:

Wrong:

<product>
  <name>Circuit Breaker
  <price>100.00</price>
</product>

(Missing closing tag for <name>)

Correct:

<product>
  <name>Circuit Breaker</name>
  <price>100.00</price>
</product>

"Missing Required Fields" Error

Problem: XML missing essential product data

Solutions:

  • Verify all required fields present: Product ID, Product Name, Price, Description
  • Check field names match exactly
  • Ensure no empty fields

Products Not Appearing

Problem: Feed saved but no products imported

Possible causes:

  1. Still processing - Wait 5-10 minutes, refresh page
  2. Feed URL changed - Verify URL still accessible
  3. XML file empty - Check file has product data
  4. Permission error - File may require authentication

Wrong Product Information

Problem: Imported data is incorrect

Solutions:

  • Edit products individually - Go to Products Listing, click EDIT
  • Cannot update via feed - Feed is import-only, not sync
  • Delete and reimport - If many errors, delete products and fix XML
  • Manual corrections - Usually faster to edit a few products manually

Images Not Loading

Problem: Product image not displaying

Solutions:

  • Verify image URL is direct link to image file
  • Image URL must be publicly accessible
  • Use HTTPS URLs when possible
  • Supported formats: JPG, PNG
  • Check image file size (under 10MB)

Test image URL:

  1. Copy image URL from XML
  2. Paste in browser
  3. Should display image directly
  4. If not, URL is incorrect

Best Practices

Before Importing

✅ Preparation checklist:

  • Test with small sample first - Create XML with 3-5 products only, verify import works correctly, check product data accuracy, then proceed with full import
  • Standardize data - Use consistent manufacturer names, standard condition values, uniform pricing format, consistent model number format
  • Verify all URLs - Test XML file URL in browser, test all image URLs, ensure long-term accessibility
  • Back up your data - Keep copy of original XML file, save spreadsheet if used, document feed name and date

After Importing

✅ Post-import checklist:

  • Review all products - Check each imported product, verify data accuracy, look for formatting issues, confirm pricing is correct
  • Edit for completeness - Add additional photos, expand descriptions, set custom electrical fields, add SEO metadata
  • Assign proper collections - Verify category assignments, add to relevant collections, follow collection hierarchy
  • Wait for approval - Products need Electrical Trader review (typically 24-48 hours), you'll be notified when approved, products go live automatically

Need Help?

Seller Support

Email: support@electricaltrader.com

Response Time: Within 24-48 hours

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm EST