How to Copy Products in Shopify Within or Between Two Stores
To copy products in Shopify, use the Duplicate action on a product page for a quick copy within the same store. To copy products to another Shopify store, export them as a CSV and import the file into the new store, or use a product copier app or bulk import and export tool that connects the two stores.
Copying saves time when you add similar products, launch a second store or set up a staging store for testing. The method you choose decides how much comes across, since images, metafields, inventory and collections don’t always transfer the same way.
How to Duplicate a Product in the Same Store
Shopify’s Duplicate action creates a copy of a single product, which works well for similar items such as a new color, size range or bundle. You can choose which details to bring along and keep the copy hidden while you edit it.
- Open the product. In the Shopify admin, go to Products and click the product you want to copy.
- Choose Duplicate. Open the more actions menu on the product page and select Duplicate.
- Name the copy. Enter a title for the new product.
- Pick what to copy. Choose whether to include details such as images, SKUs, barcodes and inventory quantities.
- Set the status. Keep the copy unpublished or in draft so customers don’t see it before it’s ready.
- Edit and publish. Update the details that differ, then make the product available on your sales channels.
Check a few things on every duplicate. Give each variant a unique SKU and barcode if the products are different items, update the URL handle and SEO fields so the new product doesn’t compete with the original, and review inventory before publishing.
The Duplicate action copies one product at a time. To copy many products within a store, export them to a CSV, change the handles and titles in the file and import it as new products.
How to Copy Products to Another Shopify Store
Shopify doesn’t have a built-in action that copies products between stores, but several methods do the job. The right one depends on how many products you’re copying and whether you need to keep stores in step afterward.
| Method | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSV export and import | Export products from one store and import the file into the other | One-time copies at no extra cost | Manual steps and limits on what the file includes |
| Product copier apps | Connect stores and copy selected products with chosen fields | Copying selected products regularly between your stores | Field coverage and plan limits vary by app |
| Store copy and staging apps | Copy a whole store, including products and other content, to another store | Launching a new store or building a staging copy | Usually higher monthly costs |
| Bulk import and export tools | Export products, adjust them with field mapping and import them into another store | Large catalogs and copies that need changes along the way | A short learning curve |
| Multi-store sync apps | Link products across stores and keep inventory and details aligned | Stores that keep sharing products after the copy | Ongoing subscription for continuous syncing |
Copy products with a CSV file
The CSV method uses Shopify’s own export and import tools, so it costs nothing extra. It works best for a one-time copy of a catalog you don’t need to keep in sync.
- Export from the source store. Go to Products, select Export, choose all products or the ones you need and export as a CSV for Excel, Numbers or other spreadsheet programs.
- Prepare the target store. Create any product metafield definitions you use, and set up locations if you’ll import stock levels.
- Review the file. Check handles, SKUs, prices and image URLs, and remove products you don’t want to copy.
- Import into the target store. Go to Products, select Import, upload the file and review the preview before importing.
- Check the results. Open a sample of products, including ones with many variants, and compare them with the originals.
Product CSV files must be UTF-8 encoded and no larger than 15 MB, so split large catalogs into several files. Images are imported from the image URLs in the file, so they need to stay publicly accessible until the import finishes.
Product copier apps
Copier apps connect your stores and let you pick which products and fields to copy. MPC: Meetanshi Products Copier, for example, copies products from a connected partner store, lets you choose attributes and options such as status, tags, inventory tracking and location, and checks for duplicates, with a free plan and a $4.99 Pro plan for all attributes and unlimited store connections.
Other apps take different approaches. Kopy, from Versus Labs, is rated 4.2 from 93 reviews, while Clonely can clone a single product, a collection or a whole store, though its developer notes it doesn’t copy metafields, so check each app’s field coverage before you rely on it.
Store copy and staging apps
When you’re copying a whole store rather than selected products, store copy apps cover more ground. Tools such as Duplify, Rewind Staging and Simple Sync copy products along with other content such as collections, pages, blogs and files, and some keep the copy updated over time.
These apps cost more than simple copiers, but they save rebuilding everything else around your products. They suit new store launches, regional stores and staging copies for testing.
Bulk import and export tools
Bulk data tools sit between the native CSV method and dedicated copier apps. They export products from one store and import them into another, often with options to change data on the way, such as adjusting prices, renaming fields or mapping columns for a different setup.
Bulkflow supports bulk import, export, field mapping and scheduled data updates for Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix, so you can export selected store data from one store, import product data into another and update existing records later. That also helps when you’re copying a catalog between different platforms, not just between Shopify stores.
What Transfers When You Copy Products
Not every detail moves the same way, and knowing the gaps in advance saves cleanup later. This table covers the most common elements:
| Element | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Titles, descriptions, vendors, types and tags | Transfer with the CSV method and most apps |
| Variants, SKUs, barcodes and prices | Transfer with the CSV method and most apps |
| Images | Imported from image URLs in a CSV, or copied directly by apps |
| Product metafields | Included in product CSV files when a definition exists, but variant metafields aren’t, and some apps don’t copy metafields |
| Inventory | Needs matching locations in the target store, and some methods skip stock levels |
| Collections | Automated collections must be recreated with their rules, while manual collection assignments vary by method |
| SEO titles and descriptions | Transfer with the CSV method and many apps |
| Reviews and app data | Usually stored by apps, so they need the app’s own export or migration tools |
| Product IDs | Always new in the target store, so links or integrations that use IDs need updating |
Only Copy Products You Have the Right to Use
Some apps can copy products from any public Shopify store, but that doesn’t make every copy acceptable. Product photos and descriptions belong to whoever created them, so copying another brand’s content without permission can infringe their rights and get listings removed.
Stick to copying between your own stores, or from suppliers that permit it. Even then, rewrite descriptions for each store where it makes sense, since identical content across several stores can weaken their search visibility.
Tips After Copying Products
Copied products rarely need a full rebuild, but they do need a check. A quick review catches the problems that are easy to miss in a large batch:
- Check variants and options. Confirm every variant, option value and image assignment came across correctly.
- Review prices and currencies. Adjust prices for the new store’s market, currency and pricing strategy.
- Set up inventory. Confirm stock levels and locations, or connect a sync app if the stores share stock.
- Rebuild collections. Recreate automated collections and check manual collection assignments.
- Update SEO fields. Adjust titles, descriptions and handles where stores target different audiences.
- Publish deliberately. Keep copied products in draft until they’re reviewed, then make them available on the right sales channels.
Conclusion
Whether you copy products within one Shopify store or across several, the right method depends on how many items you’re moving and what needs to come with them. Duplicate single products in the admin, use CSV files or bulk tools for larger catalogs, and choose copier or sync apps when stores need to stay connected. We hope this guide helps you copy products in Shopify quickly and accurately. If you’re moving or updating product data in bulk, you can explore Bulkflow.
