Mapping and Troubleshooting

When you import products from Shopify or eBay, CoinDuffle automatically maps fields from the source platform to corresponding CoinDuffle fields. This process works well for most products, but some items may need manual attention. This guide explains the mapping logic and how to resolve common issues.

Understanding Field Mapping

What Is Field Mapping?

Field mapping is the process of translating product data from one platform's format to another's. For example, eBay calls the product name "Title" and Shopify also calls it "Title" — a straightforward mapping. But "Product Type" in Shopify and "Category" in eBay need to be interpreted and matched to CoinDuffle's own category system.

Mapping Priority

CoinDuffle maps fields in this priority order:

1. Exact match — Field names and values match directly
2. Keyword match — Field values contain recognizable keywords (e.g., "gold," "silver")
3. Closest approximation — The system's best guess based on available data
4. Unmapped — No mapping could be determined; manual assignment required

Category Mapping

Category mapping is the most common area where manual review is needed.

Shopify Product Types → CoinDuffle Categories

If your Shopify product types don't match these patterns, they'll be mapped to the closest available CoinDuffle category, or left unmapped for you to assign.

eBay Categories → CoinDuffle Categories

Fixing Category Mappings

If a product was mapped to the wrong category:

1. Open the product in the editor
2. Change the Category dropdown to the correct option
3. Save the product

For bulk category fixes, use CSV export/import:

1. Export your draft products
2. Fix the category column in the spreadsheet
3. Re-import the corrected CSV

Metal Type Detection

CoinDuffle attempts to auto-detect the metal type from imported product data:

Detection Sources

• Shopify tags — Tags containing "gold," "silver," "platinum," or "palladium"
• Shopify metafields — Custom metafields with metal information
• eBay item specifics — Structured data like "Metal/Fineness: .999 Silver"
• Product title keywords — Words like "gold," "silver," "platinum," "palladium" in the title
• Category context — Source categories that imply a specific metal

Detection Accuracy

Metal type detection works best when:

• The source listing has structured metal data (eBay item specifics, Shopify tags)
• The product title clearly states the metal type
• The product is in a metal-specific category

Detection may fail or be inaccurate when:

• The title is ambiguous ("Beautiful Rare Dollar Coin")
• The listing uses non-standard terminology
• A product contains multiple metals (e.g., bi-metallic coins)
• The source data doesn't include metal information

Verifying Metal Type

Always verify the metal type on imported products:

1. Go to Seller Dashboard → Products and filter by draft status
2. Check each product's metal type field
3. Correct any misdetections or fill in missing metal types

Weight Mapping

From Shopify

Shopify stores weight in grams by default (or the unit you've configured). CoinDuffle converts:

• Grams → displayed as grams, converted to troy ounces for pricing
• Ounces → mapped directly (note: Shopify uses avoirdupois ounces by default, not troy ounces)
• Kilograms → displayed as kilograms

Important: Shopify may store the total product weight (including packaging) rather than the precious metal content. Always verify that imported weights represent the actual metal content, not the shipping weight.

From eBay

eBay weight data comes from:

• Item specifics (e.g., "Total Precious Metal Content: 1 oz")
• Shipping weight (not reliable for metal content)

eBay item specifics provide the most accurate weight data when available.

Common Import Errors

"Title too long"

Cause: The source title exceeds CoinDuffle's 200-character limit. Fix: The title is truncated during import. Edit the product to create a shorter, cleaner title.

"No images found"

Cause: The source listing had no images, or images couldn't be downloaded. Fix: Upload images manually in the CoinDuffle product editor. Products cannot be published without at least one image.

"Price is zero or missing"

Cause: The source listing had no price (e.g., auction-only listing on eBay) or the price couldn't be parsed. Fix: Set the price manually in the product editor.

"Duplicate SKU"

Cause: A product with the same SKU already exists in your CoinDuffle store. Fix: This usually means the product was previously imported. The importer skips duplicates. If you want to re-import, either delete the existing product or change the SKU.

"Description parse error"

Cause: Complex HTML in the source description couldn't be fully parsed. Fix: The description is imported as-is. Edit the product and clean up the description, removing any broken HTML.

"Category not mapped"

Cause: The source category didn't match any CoinDuffle category. Fix: Assign the category manually in the product editor.

"Image too small"

Cause: Source images are below CoinDuffle's 800×800px minimum. Fix: Upload higher-resolution images. If the original source only had small images, re-photograph the items.

Post-Import Verification Workflow

After any import, follow this workflow to ensure quality:

Step 1: Quick Scan

Review the import summary:

• Total products imported
• Products with warnings
• Products that failed

Step 2: Fix Failures

Address any products that failed to import:

• Missing required fields → Add the missing data
• Image download failures → Re-try or upload manually
• Parse errors → Create the product manually

Step 3: Category Review

Filter imported products by "Uncategorized" or review all categories:

• Verify each product is in the correct category
• Fix any miscategorized products

Step 4: Metal Type Verification

For precious metals products:

• Verify the metal type is set correctly
• Verify the weight and weight unit are accurate
• Set up metal-based pricing where appropriate

Step 5: Description Review

Skim through descriptions for:

• Source-platform-specific content that should be removed
• Broken HTML or formatting issues
• Missing product details that should be added

Step 6: Image Quality Check

Review images across imported products:

• Ensure images loaded correctly
• Check for images that are too small or low quality
• Upload replacements where needed

Step 7: Publish

Once reviewed and corrected, publish your imported products:

• Publish individually as you review each one
• Or publish in bulk from the products list

Getting Help

If you encounter import issues that this guide doesn't cover:

• Check the import error log in your dashboard for specific error details
• Contact dealer support at support@coinduffle.com with your import ID and a description of the issue
• Include screenshots of any error messages