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Matrixify CSV & 1688 Variant Matching: A Complete Tutorial

Mapping 1688 color and size combinations to Shopify variants is the highest-risk step in bulk importing: one misaligned Option1 value can attach the wrong image to an SKU, break swatches, or create duplicate variants that Matrixify rejects. EasyCatch pre-matches them in a 57-column Matrixify CSV, so every 1688 SKU lands on the correct Shopify variant row with its Image Src, Variant Image, and Image Position already filled.

What You Will Learn

  • How 1688 option names translate to Shopify Option1/Option2/Option3 columns.
  • The exact role of Image Src, Variant Image, and Image Position in a Matrixify CSV.
  • A real-world T-shirt example with Black/White colors and S/M/L sizes.
  • Validation rules that stop Matrixify from rejecting your import.

Product Rows vs. Variant Rows

A Matrixify CSV is a flat spreadsheet, not a nested JSON file. That means a single product with six size/color combinations becomes seven rows: one product row that declares the option names, and six variant rows that fill the option values.

  • Product row: contains Handle, Title, Body (HTML), Option1 Name, Option2 Name, and the first gallery image.
  • Variant row: repeats the same Handle and fills Option1 Value, Option2 Value, Variant SKU, Variant Price, and Variant Image.

Key Matrixify Column Definitions

Shopify's native product CSV has roughly 40 columns. Matrixify extends it to 57, adding fields for collections, metafields, and richer image control. Below are the columns that matter most when you import from 1688 through EasyCatch.

Column Row Type Purpose Example
Handle All rows Unique URL slug that ties rows to the same product. cotton-crew-tee
Title Product row Product name shown on the storefront. Cotton Crew Tee
Option1 Name Product row Label for the first variant option, usually Color. Color
Option1 Value Variant row The actual value for the first option. Black
Option2 Name Product row Label for the second variant option, usually Size. Size
Option2 Value Variant row The actual value for the second option. M
Variant SKU Variant row Stock keeping unit for the specific variant. TEE-BLK-M
Variant Price Variant row Selling price for the variant. 18.99
Variant Image Variant row Image URL shown when that variant is selected. .../black.jpg
Image Src All rows URL for a gallery image; repeated once per image. .../white.jpg
Image Position Image rows Order of the image in the product gallery. 1, 2, 3...
Image Alt Text Image rows SEO-friendly description for accessibility. Black crew tee front

How 1688 Option Names Map to Shopify Options

1688 product pages list variants under Chinese labels such as 颜色, 尺码, and 材质. Matrixify does not care about the original language; it cares that every variant row carries a consistent option name and value pair. EasyCatch normalizes these labels automatically, but if you build the CSV manually, follow this mapping.

1688 Label Matrixify Option Name Matrixify Column
颜色 / Color Color Option1 Name / Option1 Value
尺码 / Size Size Option2 Name / Option2 Value
材质 / Material Material Option3 Name / Option3 Value
款式 / Style Style Option3 Name / Option3 Value

The rule is simple: every variant row must share the exact same option names declared on the product row. If the product row says Option1 Name = Color, a variant row cannot use Colour. Matrixify treats that as a new product or fails the row entirely.

Image Src, Variant Image, and Image Position

Image handling is where most manual CSV imports break. Shopify distinguishes between the product gallery and the variant-specific image. Matrixify expresses this through three columns.

Image Src

This column defines every image that appears in the product gallery. Each unique image gets its own row (or a row where the same Handle repeats). The URL can point to Shopify's CDN, a public URL, or a local file path if you are uploading images alongside the CSV.

Variant Image

This column lives on variant rows. When a customer selects that variant, Shopify swaps the main image to the URL in this column. If you sell a T-shirt in Black and White, the Variant Image for every Black variant should point to the black photo, and every White variant should point to the white photo.

Image Position

This integer controls gallery order. The product row usually carries Image Position = 1. Subsequent gallery images repeat the same Handle with positions 2, 3, 4, and so on. Gaps and duplicates cause unpredictable ordering.

EasyCatch's 0-Click Shopify CDN sniffing pre-fills these URLs so they point to the right host before you even open Matrixify. That eliminates the common error of importing a CSV full of broken image placeholders.

Real-World Example: Black/White T-Shirt in S/M/L

Imagine you captured a 1688 listing for a cotton crew tee. The supplier offers two colors and three sizes, so you need six variant rows. Below is the Matrixify CSV structure EasyCatch exports. Only the most important columns are shown; the full export contains all 57 columns.

Handle Option1 Name Option1 Value Option2 Name Option2 Value Variant SKU Variant Image Image Src Image Position
cotton-crew-tee Color — Size — — — .../black-front.jpg 1
cotton-crew-tee Color Black Size S TEE-BLK-S .../black-front.jpg — —
cotton-crew-tee Color Black Size M TEE-BLK-M .../black-front.jpg — —
cotton-crew-tee Color Black Size L TEE-BLK-L .../black-front.jpg — —
cotton-crew-tee Color White Size S TEE-WHT-S .../white-front.jpg .../white-front.jpg 2
cotton-crew-tee Color White Size M TEE-WHT-M .../white-front.jpg — —
cotton-crew-tee Color White Size L TEE-WHT-L .../white-front.jpg — —

Notice that only the first White variant row carries Image Src and Image Position = 2. That is enough to add the white photo to the gallery. Every White variant still uses Variant Image to ensure the storefront swaps correctly when a shopper selects White.

From 1688 Page to Matrixify Import

  1. 1

    Capture the 1688 listing

    Open the EasyCatch extension on the 1688 product page. It reads the SKU table, gallery images, title, price, and description in one click.

  2. 2

    Review normalized options

    Check that 颜色 became Color, 尺码 became Size, and each option value is spelled consistently across all variants.

  3. 3

    Export the Matrixify ZIP

    Download the 57-column CSV plus standardized JPGs. The image filenames are derived from the SEO handle, so they stay organized.

  4. 4

    Upload and import

    Upload images to Shopify Content > Files, then import the CSV into Matrixify. Because the URLs are pre-built, variant-to-image mapping happens automatically.

Validation Rules That Prevent Import Failures

  • Consistent option names: every variant row must use the same Option1 Name and Option2 Name as the product row.
  • Unique SKUs: no two variant rows can share the same Variant SKU for the same product.
  • Sequential image positions: gallery images should use 1, 2, 3... without gaps or duplicates.
  • Reachable URLs: every Image Src and Variant Image must return a 200 status before import.
  • Stable handles: once imported, changing a handle creates 404s. EasyCatch generates the SEO handle once and reuses it for filenames, URLs, and variant SKUs.

Scale With the Pro Plan

Building the CSV by hand is fine for one product. For ten, fifty, or five hundred 1688 listings per day, manual mapping becomes a bottleneck. EasyCatch Pro exports the full 57-column Matrixify CSV with pre-matched variants, standardized images, and SEO handles — all local-first and encrypted inside your browser.

Compare Pro plans

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Option1, Option2, and Option3 in a Matrixify CSV?

Option1, Option2, and Option3 are Shopify's three variant option slots. Option1 is usually Color, Option2 is Size, and Option3 is reserved for Material or a third attribute. In a Matrixify CSV, the product row sets the option names, and each variant row supplies the matching option values.

How does EasyCatch map 1688 variant names to Shopify options?

EasyCatch reads the 1688 SKU table, normalizes labels such as 颜色 to Color and 尺码 to Size, then writes them into the Option1 Name/Value and Option2 Name/Value columns of a 57-column Matrixify CSV.

What is the difference between Image Src and Variant Image in Matrixify?

Image Src builds the product gallery. It appears on the product row and on one variant row per image, paired with Image Position. Variant Image is the image assigned to a specific variant row, so selecting that variant on the storefront shows the correct photo.

Do I need Matrixify Pro to import variants and images from 1688?

Matrixify's free plan supports basic product imports. Bulk variant image mapping and the full 57-column export used by EasyCatch require a paid Matrixify plan. EasyCatch Pro generates the compatible ZIP and CSV automatically.