Bulk Lister

Overview

The Bulk Lister allows sellers to create multiple listings at once by uploading a CSV file. Instead of listing items one by one, sellers can prepare a spreadsheet with all their listings and upload them in a single step. Access it at Selling → Seller Tools → Bulk Lister.

Admin — Enable Bulk Lister

PHP Pro Bid — Admin Bulk Lister setting with Enable Bulk Lister checkbox

The Bulk Lister must be enabled by the site administrator before sellers can use it. The setting is at Listings → Settings → Bulk Lister in the admin panel.

Upload

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister upload tab with a CSV file selected, Upload As radio options, and Upload button
  • Download Sample CSV File — download a pre-formatted CSV template with all available columns and a sample row. Use this as a starting point
  • Upload Bulk File — select a CSV file to upload. If using Microsoft Excel, save the file in MSDOS format. Valid rows will be imported; invalid ones will be skipped with an error message
  • Upload As — choose how the listings are created:
    • Drafts — listings are saved as drafts for review before going live
    • Live — listings are published immediately as active items available for sale

Upload Process

After clicking Upload, the system parses the CSV file and displays a progress bar:

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister parse complete message with progress bar showing 1/1 listings parsed and imported

Once the import is complete, the listings appear in the seller’s listings page. If uploaded as drafts, they are available under the Drafts status filter for review before being published:

PHP Pro Bid — Listings page showing a bulk-uploaded listing with Draft status

CSV File Format

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister description tab explaining CSV file format rules

The CSV file must follow the standard CSV format (RFC 4180):

  1. Each record is on a separate line, delimited by a line break (CRLF)
  2. The first line is an optional header row with column names
  3. Fields are separated by commas. The last field must not be followed by a comma
  4. Fields may be enclosed in double quotes. If not enclosed, double quotes must not appear inside the field
  5. Fields containing line breaks, double quotes, or commas must be enclosed in double quotes
  6. A double quote inside a quoted field is escaped by preceding it with another double quote

File Structure

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister file structure tab showing all CSV columns with labels, types, and allowed values

The File Structure tab shows every column available in the CSV file. The || separator is used for columns that accept multiple values (e.g. multiple image URLs or payment method IDs).

Below is the complete column reference:

Column Type Required Description
list_in string Yes Where to list: site, store, or both
listing_type string Yes Listing format: auction, product, or classified
category_id integer Yes Main category ID. Look up IDs in the Categories tab
addl_category_id integer No Additional category ID
name string Yes Listing title
short_description string No Short description
description string No Full listing description
image string No Image URLs separated by ||
currency string Yes Currency code (e.g. USD, GBP, EUR)
quantity integer Yes Stock quantity. For auctions this is always 1
start_price decimal Yes Starting price (auctions) or sale price (products)
reserve_price decimal No Reserve price for auctions
buyout_price decimal No Buy-out / buy-now price
enable_make_offer 0 / 1 No Enable Make Offer
make_offer_min decimal No Minimum offer amount
make_offer_max decimal No Maximum offer amount
bid_increment decimal No Bid increment for auctions
start_time_type 0 / 1 No 0 = start immediately, 1 = custom start time
start_time datetime No Custom start time (if start_time_type = 1)
end_time_type 0 / 1 No 0 = use duration, 1 = custom end time
duration integer No Listing duration in days
apply_tax 0 / 1 No Apply tax to the listing
tax_type_id integer No Tax type ID (if tax is applied)
private_auction 0 / 1 No Make the auction private (hide bidder identities)
disable_sniping 0 / 1 No Disable anti-sniping time extension
hpfeat 0 / 1 No Feature on home page
catfeat 0 / 1 No Feature on category page
highlighted 0 / 1 No Highlight the listing
nb_relists integer No Number of automatic relists
auto_relist_sold 0 / 1 No Auto relist after a sale
country integer No Country ID. Look up IDs in the Locations tab
state integer No State/county ID
address string No Address or post code
pickup_options string No Pick-up option: no_pickups, pickups_only, or pickups_shipping
postage decimal No Postage cost
insurance decimal No Shipping insurance cost
shipping_details string No Shipping instructions
accept_returns 0 / 1 No Accept returns
returns_policy string No Return policy text
direct_payment integer No Direct payment method ID (e.g. Stripe)
offline_payment string No Offline payment IDs separated by ||
Custom fields configured by the site administrator may add extra columns to the CSV. These appear at the end of the file structure as custom_field_[id].

Categories

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister categories tab showing category IDs and names in a searchable list

The Categories tab lists all available categories with their IDs and full paths. Use the search field to filter by ID or name. Enter the category ID in the category_id column of your CSV file.

Locations

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister locations tab showing country IDs and names in a searchable list

The Locations tab lists all countries and states with their IDs. Use the search field to filter by ID or name. Enter the country ID in the country column and the state ID in the state column of your CSV file.

Payment Methods

PHP Pro Bid — Bulk Lister payment methods tab showing payment IDs, names, and types

The Payment Methods tab lists all available payment methods with their IDs, names, and types (Direct Payment or Offline Payment). Use these IDs in the direct_payment and offline_payment columns. For multiple offline payment methods, separate the IDs with ||.