Shopify import error: "Ignored line because handle already exists"

What it means: Shopify reads all rows with the same URL handle as one product, and they must sit together. When a handle turns up again after rows for another product, Shopify ignores the later lines. The full message reads "Ignored line #-## because handle `example` already exists".

Find the rows in your file

Shopify product import

The product CSV you are about to import into Shopify, or the one Shopify just rejected.

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How to fix it

  1. Sort the file so that all rows of each product are next to each other.
  2. If the later rows are a different product, give it its own handle.
  3. If the product is already in your store and you meant to update it, tick the overwrite option when importing.

Example

A file with this problem

Title,URL handle,Status,Option1 name,Option1 value,Price,Inventory tracker,Inventory quantity,Continue selling when out of stock,Fulfillm...
Cotton Tee,cotton-tee,active,Size,S,20.00,shopify,5,deny,manual,
Mug,mug,active,Title,Default Title,12.00,shopify,5,deny,manual,
,cotton-tee,,,M,20.00,shopify,5,deny,manual,

What the checker says about it

  • Line 4 uses the handle "cotton-tee" again after rows for another product. Keep all rows of a product together, and give each product its own handle; otherwise Shopify reports "Ignored line ... because handle cotton-tee already exists".

Once the listed rows are fixed, check the file again; the checker also looks for every other problem Shopify documents, so you do not trade one error for the next.

Other Shopify import errors