Product Management
The Products page is your central hub for managing items in ShopDot. All products from your connected eCommerce store sync here automatically.
A clean, well-managed product list avoids distractions, prevents oversells, and ensures your Brand Profile goes live with at least one Published product.
Tip: Think of your Products page as your daily operational dashboard for product health.
Table of Contents
- Products Page & Tabs
- Understanding the fields on your Products Table
- Using Filters to Isolate Data
- Keeping Products Synced
- Updating & Publishing Products
- Product Details
- Variants
- Inventory Rules
- Ongoing Maintenance
- FAQ
Review our Product Management video for step-by-step guidance.
1. Products Page & Tabs
ShopDot organizes the product screen by tabs so you can act quickly without sorting through your entire catalog. Each tab highlights a different workflow, simplifying your time spent managing products.
| Tab | Purpose | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| All | Review your full catalog and apply combined filters (e.g., Published + Out of Stock). | One view to cross-check product health. |
| Published | Monitor active products, confirm details, and track performance. | Confidence that live products are accurate and in stock. |
| Unpublished | Stage new products or pause items while resolving issues. | Safe workspace before making items visible to sellers. |
| Disconnected | Identify products with store issues (inactive, missing SKU, or removed). | Keeps ShopDot aligned with your store and prevents errors. |
2. Understanding the fields on your Products Table
Your Products Table gives you a snapshot of product health across your catalog. Each column tells you something important about readiness, availability, or performance.
| Column | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Product | Product name and non-editable SKU (synced from your store). |
| Status | Published, Unpublished, or Disconnected. Drives availability on storefronts. |
| Category | Assigned in ShopDot. Required for search and browse. |
| Commission | Seller commission %. Defaults from Settings, but can be overridden per product. |
| Stock Level | Total product stock (sum of all variants) available to ShopDot. Shows the exact quantity when In Stock, or “Out of Stock” if inventory is at or below threshold. |
| Base Price | Variant-level retail price, rolled up to product view as a single price or range. |
| Last Updated | Refreshes whenever any product detail changes in your store or in ShopDot. |
3. Using Filters to Isolate Data
Filters and sorting help you quickly focus on products that matter most.
- Status – On All, you can combine statuses (e.g., Published + Out of Stock). On other tabs, the status is fixed.
- Category / Sub-Category – Narrow to a specific product group.
- Availability – Filters products as In Stock (above safety stock) or Out of Stock (at/below safety stock).
- Price Range – Focus on products within a pricing tier.
Why it matters:
- Surfaces only the products you need to act on.
- Especially powerful on All to find problem products quickly.
Spotting opportunities and risks
Apply filters to narrow your Products Table, then use the fields together to surface risks or opportunities.
Examples:
Scenario 1 – Low stock, still selling
Filter applied: Status = Published + Availability = In Stock
| Product | Stock | Base Price | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog Treats | 5 | $12 | Published and in stock, but quantity is low → consider replenishment to keep it available. |
Scenario 2 – Out of stock but still Published
Filter applied: Status = Published + Availability = Out of Stock
| Product | Stock | Base Price | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat Toy | Out of Stock | $8 | Product is Published but unavailable → confirm if it will be replenished or Unpublish if not returning. |
Scenario 3 – Unpublished but ready to sell
Filter applied: Status = Unpublished + Availability = In Stock
| Product | Stock | Base Price | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Chews | 150 | $40 | Inventory is available but product is Unpublished → publish so sellers can add it to storefronts. |
4. Keeping Products Synced
| Sync Type | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Automatic Sync | ShopDot updates automatically when your store changes inventory, SKUs, or variants. |
| Manual Sync | Use Sync with Store to pull in changes since last sync (or full set on first sync). Applies to content fields like name, description, and images. Does not affect ShopDot-only fields (Category/Sub-Category, Commission %). |
Rule of flow: Store values always override ShopDot. ShopDot does not push changes back to your store.
Pro Tip: Run a manual sync if you’ve updated descriptions or imagery in your store — it’s the fastest way to keep product info fresh for sellers.
5. Updating & Publishing Products
You can update products in bulk or one at a time.
Bulk Actions
From the Products Table, you can:
- Edit Status (Publish/Unpublish)
- Edit Category
- Sync with Store
- Delete
Publishing from Products Table:
Select one or more items → Edit Status → Publish → Apply.
Single Updates
From Product Details, you can edit name, description, images, and commission %.
Publishing from Product Details:
Open product → change Status → Save.
Publishing Checklist
A product can only be Published if:
- Product Name, Description, Category/Sub-Category, Image, and Commission % are completed.
- All variants have SKUs.
- At least one variant is Published.
Pro Tip: Publishing/unpublishing is a safe way to control your active assortment without deleting products — a fast lever for testing, seasonality, or promotions.
Warning: Delete = permanent. If unsure, Unpublish instead.
6. Product Details
| Field | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Product Name* | Unique and descriptive. |
| Description* | Clear, helpful details. |
| Category & Sub-Category* | Assigned in ShopDot. Controls discovery. |
| Product Images* | At least one required (JPG/PNG, max 5MB). |
| Commission %* | Defaults from Settings. Can be overridden per product; overrides ignore future global updates. |
Red triangle indicator🔺: Appears if required fields are missing. Once fields are completed and saved, the indicator disappears.
7. Variants
Variants represent product options such as sizes or colors.
| Field | Guidance |
|---|---|
| SKU* | Required for every variant. Without it, the product cannot publish. |
| Status* | Editable in ShopDot. Publish or unpublish individual variants. |
| Stock* | Variant-specific quantity synced from your store after buffers. |
| Base Price* | Set at variant level. Editable in ShopDot. |
| Barcode | Synced from your store if available. |
Notes:
- Price originates at variant level.
- A product must have all variants with SKUs and ≥ 1 Published variant to publish.
8. Inventory Rules
Inventory in ShopDot flows from your connected eCommerce store, but these rules in Settings control how it displays on the Products page:
| Rule | What it Does |
|---|---|
| Available Inventory % | Sets the percentage of your store’s stock that flows into ShopDot. Use this if you need to reserve stock for other channels. |
| Safety Stock | Defines a buffer that marks products Out of Stock when they reach or fall below this level. Prevents overselling and builds seller confidence. |
9. Ongoing Maintenance
Keeping your catalog clean is just as important as publishing it. Build these habits into your workflow:
- Review Disconnected regularly → Resolve in your eCommerce store, then re-sync. Delete only if permanent.
- Keep catalog lean → Unpublish products you don’t want to sell right now. Delete only if permanent to avoid extra work later.
- Re-sync after updates → Run a manual sync when you update product descriptions, imagery, or titles in your store.
Best practice: Treat your Products page as a living dashboard. A clean catalog builds seller confidence and makes it easier for them to choose your products.
10. FAQ
Q1. What does the red triangle mean?
It signals missing required fields:
- Product Name, Description, SKU, Price, Product Images (from your eCommerce store)
- Animal Type (if applicable in ShopDot)
- Category & Subcategory (entered in ShopDot)
Until these are completed, the product cannot be Published.
Q2. What’s the difference between Product Status and Variant Status?
- Product Status = overall visibility. To publish a product:
- All variants must have SKUs, and
- At least one variant must be set to Published.
- Variant Status = which sizes/colors are available. Unpublished variants stay hidden, while Published ones are available for sale.
Q3. What’s the purpose of the Published / Unpublished / Disconnected tabs?
- Published – Products available for sale. Review to confirm details, check stock, and monitor performance.
- Unpublished – Products not available for sale. Use this tab to complete setup, resolve issues, or unpublish temporarily while reviewing.
- Disconnected – Products flagged with issues in your eCommerce store (Draft, Archived, missing SKU). Resolve in your store or remove them if no longer relevant.
Q4. How does Safety Stock work?
Safety Stock is a buffer that hides items when inventory is low.
- Prevents overselling but doesn’t change the back-end status.
- Once stock rises above the threshold, the product automatically becomes available for sale again.
Q5. How do I manage Commission %?
- Global commission % can be set in Settings.
- You can override at the product level from the Product Detail page.
- If you’ve already customized a product’s commission, global changes won’t overwrite it.
Q6. What happens if I Delete a product?
- Deleting removes the product from ShopDot completely.
- If you later decide you want it back, you’ll need to:
- Re-add the product in your eCommerce system.
- Re-sync it into ShopDot.
⚠️ Best practice: Only delete if you’re certain the product is gone for good. Otherwise, leave it Unpublished so you don’t create extra work.
Q7. Why is managing my products so important?
Because your feed needs to stay accurate. Strong product management means:
- No oversells
- No dead listings
- The right products available for sale at the right time
Think of your Products page as your daily dashboard for operational health.
Q8. Can I bulk update my products?
Yes. From the Products Table, select multiple products and apply bulk actions (e.g., Edit Status, Edit Category, Sync with Store). Bulk actions are best for quick updates, while Product Details lets you edit one product more fully.
Q9. Can I update commission at the product level?
Yes. While a global default is set in Settings, you can override commission for a specific product on its Product Detail page.
Q10. Which fields can I sort by?
Sorting is available on selected fields in the Products Table (look for the sort icon in the header). A full list will be added once confirmed.
Q11. What happens to variants when I publish or unpublish a product?
- To publish a product, every variant must have a SKU and at least one must be set to Published.
- If all variants are unpublished, the product cannot be published.
Q12. Why is Disconnected different for Shopify vs. WooCommerce?
The causes may differ (e.g., Draft or Archived in Shopify vs. disabled in WooCommerce), but the meaning is the same: ShopDot can’t sync the product. Always check your eCommerce store first, then re-sync.
Q13. What’s the difference between In Stock and Out of Stock?
- In Stock = the product is available for sale.
- Out of Stock = hidden from the storefront but still visible in Products. Once replenished above safety stock, it becomes available for sale again (unless manually unpublished).
Q14. Do categories matter when publishing?
Yes. Categories and subcategories drive where your products appear in ShopDot search and browsing. Assign them accurately so products are easier to find.