Automating Wine eCommerce Product Imports / Updates - Seeking callin.io Solutions

Hello,

I am managing one of the largest wine eCommerce stores on Shopify, which includes over 25,000 wine products.

My goal is to find the most effective method for importing multiple product lists from various wine producers and resellers.

Challenges with Dropshipping

This situation requires me to consistently handle diverse Excel files from different suppliers, each with its unique format, layout, column structure, and row arrangement.

These files frequently contain empty columns and rows, extraneous text, or inconsistent formatting. This is primarily because wine producers usually do not provide clean, standardized CSV files or adhere to our import guidelines.

I aim to fully automate the import and update procedures.

Current Manual Processes & Difficulties

Our primary challenge is the significant manual effort involved in managing this high volume of products.

Here is a summary of the tasks we currently perform manually:

1. Adjusting Supplier Lists for Import

Every time I receive a new list, I must manually edit and format it to ensure correct product imports into Shopify.

2. Filling in Missing Product Details

Post-import, we manually add missing fields directly within Shopify for each product, such as:

Product descriptions

Product images

Metafields for filtering

SEO information

SKU

Barcode

Most wine lists do not include these details; they typically only provide pricing, product variants, titles, vendors, and types. Currently, we search for this missing information online and input it manually for every new product.

3. Updating Existing Products from New Supplier Lists

When a vendor, after a certain period, sends an updated (but still unformatted) list, I need to reformat it in Excel before importing it into Shopify.

Ideally, I use the SKU, Handle URL, or product title to match and update existing products.

If the SKU or Handle has been altered, Shopify creates a duplicate product instead of updating the existing one—forcing us back to step 2.

This can also occur with new products.

My Vision for Process Automation

I envision an integration that can:

✅ Automatically clean and format Excel files from suppliers

✅ Automatically map columns and rows to the appropriate fields

✅ Import new products without issues

✅ Enhance product data by fetching missing details (e.g., images and descriptions) from online sources

✅ Correctly update existing products, preventing duplicate entries

Do you have a clear strategy for automating this process?

If so, please get in touch—this project could be yours!

Thank you for your time.

Have a great day!

Best regards,

Dario