How to Make Your osCommerce CSV Import Problems Disappear

osCommerce is a free open-source shopping cart software that was developed in 2000 and became one of the pioneer e-commerce platforms. It can be easily configured and offers you many features such as multiple products, multiple payment methods, discounts, special promotions and many other.

On the other hand, osCommerce lacks many valuable features. Due to the fact that this shopping cart is one of the good oldies on the market, it is really slow when it comes to improving the functionality. Often vital features are lacking and are to be compensated by different extensions. Let’s consider one of the most important features - product import. How can you perform osCommerce csv import, if there is no import tool within the admin panel?

There are different ways to move your data to osCommerce store. Speaking about writing a script, for a great number of merchants, coding appears to be a real problem as they don't have sufficient programming skills, if any. Feel you might belong to this category? Let’s see what you can do.

You can try to import your data using phpMyAdmin. You just create a csv with the corresponding structure (make sure the delimiters and encoding are right) and upload it via phpMyAdmin.

Such a way to import data is not that difficult and tedious, but also not that safe, quite unexpected results may occur, so make sure you backed up your database before experimenting.

An important thing about osCommerce CSV import is to pick right names for a csv file fields. By default it is required to have two fields: products and products_description. It is also possible to add product images, categories, their descriptions by naming fields: products_images, categories and categories_descriptions. If your file columns are named differently from the fields in the admin, you are sure to have adventures on the way.

How Much Easier It Can Get

File2Cart solves a number of the above mentioned and not mentioned but still existing osCommerce import problems.

1) You don’t have to rename all the columns and rearrange the structure the way your store admin requires it. Make sure the required fields are provided and that’s it. You will be able to map the fields from your data file with the corresponding columns in your admin on the step of Field Mapping

2) It doesn’t have to be CSV. If you get your suppliers’ feeds in any other format, just make sure it meets the general requirements and provide it for the import. No converting needed. Provide your XML, Excel or TXT file or feed and File2Cart will import data to your store.

3) Best of all - you can forget about additional coding, extra modules. Why should you waste time or money or both if there’s a chance to make this routine task absolutely automated. You don’t even have to start a new import every time your product catalogue needs an update. Just choose a suitable monthly plan and create the schedule that will be most comfortable for you. That’s it! One setup - and you can stop bothering about product import for good!

The coolest part is that nobody makes you buy a pig in a poke. Give it a try first! Register and perform Free Demo Import to your osCommerce store right now!