Translating Product Listings for New Markets (CSV, Excel and Marketplace Exports)

The fastest safe way to translate a product catalog is to export it as a CSV or Excel file, translate only the columns customers read (titles, descriptions, bullet points, options), keep IDs and column headers exactly as they were, and import the file back. Then spend your review time on the products that sell most, and on the things a translation doesn't fix by itself: sizes, units, prices and the words people in that market actually search for.

This guide covers the file-based workflow step by step, the mistakes that break re-imports, and what "localizing" a listing means beyond translation.

Marketplaces and shop platforms each have their own rules for listings, categories and imports. Check your platform's seller help pages before you upload anything.

Step 1: Export your catalog

Most shop platforms and marketplaces let you export products as a CSV or spreadsheet, and many have a dedicated translation export. Check your platform's help pages for the option that fits:

A translation export (if available) contains only the translatable fields and re-imports into the right language version. It's usually the safest choice.
A full product export contains everything: IDs, SKUs, prices, stock, images, URLs and text.

Keep an untouched copy of the export. If anything goes wrong, you'll want to start again from the original.

Step 2: Decide what to translate and what to protect

Go through the columns and sort them into two groups.

Translate (customer-facing text):

Product titles
Descriptions and bullet points
Option names and values (Colour: Red, Size: Large)
Image alt text
SEO title and meta description

Never change (the platform needs them exactly as they are):

Column headers. The import matches columns by name. A translated header ("Titel" instead of "Title") usually makes the import fail or ignore the column.
IDs, SKUs, handles, barcodes and product codes.
URLs and image links.
Prices, stock, weights and other numbers (unless you're deliberately changing them for the new market; see Step 5).
Category IDs and fixed values the platform expects, like status flags or tax codes.

The simplest way to protect these: create a working file that contains only an ID column plus the columns to translate, translate that, then match the translated text back to the full export by ID with a lookup formula. If the ID column stays in the file you translate, check afterwards that no value in it changed.

Step 3: Translate the file

Upload the working file to a document translator that returns the same format. DropTranslate's Excel translator translates the text in the cells of an XLSX and gives you back an XLSX with the same sheets, layout and formatting, leaving formulas and numbers alone. It also handles CSV files. Our guide on translating an Excel spreadsheet explains how to avoid broken formulas when cells contain text that formulas depend on.

A few tips for better results:

Keep HTML tags intact. Descriptions often contain HTML (<p>, <strong>, <li>). Check a few translated descriptions to make sure the tags are still there and properly closed before importing.
Keep brand and product line names consistent. Make a list of names that must stay as they are and check them after translation.
Translate one product type at a time if your catalog is huge. Similar products translated together come out more consistent.

Step 4: Check before you import

Before importing, open the translated file and check:

Same number of rows and columns as your working file.
IDs and headers unchanged.
No empty cells where the original had text.
Text length. Marketplaces often limit title length; translated titles are often longer than the original. Shorten the ones over the limit.
Special characters display correctly (é, ß, ł, ç, and non-Latin scripts). Save CSVs as UTF-8 so they don't turn into garbled symbols on import.

Then import a small test batch (5 to 10 products) first, check them on the live shop or in the listing preview, and only then import the rest.

Step 5: Localize, don't just translate

A correct translation can still be a poor listing in a new market. Review these for your best-selling products at least:

Sizes. Clothing and shoe sizes differ by country and region. Add a size chart or the local size system instead of translating "Size 8".
Units. Inches vs centimetres, pounds vs kilograms, fluid ounces vs millilitres. Convert where customers expect it, and double-check the numbers.
Prices and currency. Set prices for the market rather than translating a price written in the description text.
Search terms. People search with everyday words, not dictionary translations. A native speaker or the marketplace's own search suggestions can tell you which word shoppers in that market actually type.
Claims and legal wording. Product safety statements, ingredient lists, warranty terms and environmental claims may have market-specific rules. Don't rely on a translation alone for regulated wording; check the rules for that market.
Tone. Some markets expect a more formal style than others. Decide on formal or informal address and keep it consistent across your shop.

How good does the translation need to be?

For a first test in a new market, a machine translation reviewed on your top products is often a reasonable start. For your best sellers and anything with safety or legal information, have a native speaker review the text. Our guide is machine translation good enough? explains quick checks you can do yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I translate a Shopify, WooCommerce or marketplace CSV directly?

Yes, as long as you protect the columns the import needs: headers, IDs, handles, SKUs, URLs and fixed values. Translating only the text columns in a working file is the safest approach. Check your platform's help pages for its import rules.

Will translation change my prices or SKUs?

It shouldn't. A good spreadsheet translator leaves numbers alone, but codes that look like words can sometimes get translated. Keep codes out of the file you translate, or check them afterwards.

Should I translate product reviews?

Some platforms and marketplaces have their own rules or tools for showing reviews in other languages. Check them before translating reviews yourself.

What about product images with text on them?

Text that is part of an image isn't translated with the spreadsheet. Create localized image versions for products where it matters.

Summary

Export the catalog, translate only the customer-facing columns in a working file, protect IDs and headers, test-import a few products, then localize sizes, units and search terms for your best sellers. For more on spreadsheet translation, read how to translate an Excel file without breaking formulas.

Drop your product spreadsheet into DropTranslate and get it back in the same format, ready to check and import.