How to Import Reviews on Shopify

Introduction

Customer reviews are a cornerstone of trust for e-commerce stores. They influence conversion rates, improve SEO, and feed into loyalty programs that increase lifetime value. Yet many merchants face “platform fatigue” when trying to bring reviews from multiple marketplaces or legacy systems into a single Shopify storefront.

Short answer: You can import reviews into Shopify by exporting review data from the source, formatting it to match Shopify or your reviews platform, and importing it via a CSV or a reviews solution that supports direct import and media. For a smoother experience that includes photos, videos, moderation, and future syncs, we recommend using a unified retention platform that handles reviews alongside loyalty, referrals, and social proof.

In this post we’ll cover every practical approach to importing reviews on Shopify: when to use Shopify’s native import, how to build and format CSVs, options for migrating photos and videos, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to make imported reviews work as part of a retention strategy. We’ll show how this ties into Growave’s retention platform so you can both import history and immediately leverage reviews to increase repeat purchases and customer lifetime value.

Our thesis: importing reviews is a technical task, but the strategic value comes from connecting that review data to retention—displaying social proof, rewarding contributors, and using UGC to fuel growth. With the right workflow, you replace multiple standalone solutions with one platform that gives more growth and less stack.

We’re trusted by 15,000+ brands and rated 4.8 stars on Shopify, and our platform is built to make migrations like this predictable and profitable. If you want to see how Growave’s plans fit your store before reading on, you can compare plans and start a free trial today (compare plans and start a free trial).

Why Importing Reviews Matters

Reviews Drive Conversion and SEO

Reviews are more than praise. They provide fresh, keyword-rich content for product pages, improve click-through rates from search results, and reduce purchase hesitation. When you import reviews that include photos and detailed feedback, you bring credibility to product pages that might otherwise look empty.

Reviews Are a Retention Engine

When customers see proof that others are happy with a purchase, they’re more likely to come back and buy again. Reviews integrated with loyalty and referral programs create a virtuous cycle: reviewers earn points or rewards, share their experience, and bring in new customers who convert more easily.

Centralized Review Data Reduces Operational Friction

Maintaining reviews across multiple marketplaces and systems creates overhead and inconsistent presentation. Consolidating reviews into Shopify (or a reviews module inside a single retention platform) simplifies moderation, reporting, and display. That’s the essence of “More Growth, Less Stack”—one solution handling reviews plus loyalty, referrals, wishlists, and shoppable UGC so you don’t manage separate interfaces for each retention tool.

Overview: Methods to Import Reviews on Shopify

There are several practical ways to import reviews into Shopify. Each has trade-offs in speed, media support, and control:

• Export + CSV import into Shopify-compatible review systems (manual, flexible).
• Use a reviews solution that imports directly from marketplaces and formats reviews for Shopify display (faster, more hands-off).
• Browser extensions or import tools that scrape reviews from source product pages and push them into your store (convenient for small catalogs).
• API-based migrations for high-volume or automated, ongoing syncs (technical setup but scalable).

Below we’ll walk through each method in detail, covering pros and cons and exact steps merchants should take.

Preparing Before You Import

Audit Your Existing Reviews

Before moving anything, gather all sources and inventory what you have. Common sources include marketplace storefronts, previous platforms, review tools that export CSV/JSON, and email-based feedback.

Make a simple inventory with these columns in a spreadsheet:

• Source platform (e.g., marketplace or previous store)
• Number of reviews per product
• Percentage that include photos/videos
• Date range of reviews
• Any special moderation notes (spam, duplicates)

This inventory helps you decide whether to import everything, subset recent reviews, or only import media-rich feedback.

Decide What to Import

Not all historical reviews are worth importing. Consider importing:

• Recent and relevant reviews (last 2–3 years).
• Reviews with photos or videos.
• Reviews tied to active SKUs.

Exclude reviews that are obviously spam, unrelated, or tied to discontinued SKUs unless you plan to map them to new products.

Choose Your Target Reviews System

Shopify stores can use the native Product Reviews structure through a reviews module, or they can adopt a reviews-and-UGC tool within a retention platform. The distinction matters because some import methods only support plain text/ratings, while others handle images, videos, and rich metadata (author email, verified purchase flags).

If you want a single solution that pairs reviews with loyalty rewards, wishlists, and referrals, plan to import into a platform that supports those features. That lets you immediately reward authors and amplify UGC. Learn how our reviews tools support full-media imports and moderation and how that ties into loyalty programs (see our reviews and UGC tools).

Backup Everything

Always keep a raw export (CSV or JSON) of the source data. If you use a migration tool, also export the result after import so you can audit matched fields.

Map Product Handles / SKUs

A common issue is mismatched product identifiers. Shopify imports typically require a product handle (the tail of the product URL) or SKU to assign reviews to the right product. Before importing, ensure you have a mapping file that pairs source SKUs/IDs with Shopify product handles.

Create a spreadsheet with:

• Source product ID or title
• Shopify product handle
• Notes (if mapping is approximate)

This mapping prevents orphaned reviews that end up unlinked to products.

Method A — CSV Import: The Manual, Full-Control Route

CSV import is flexible and gives you control over each field. Use this method when you have exported review CSVs or when your source allows CSV export.

What CSV Imports Can and Can’t Do

CSV imports can handle:

• Ratings (0–5)
• Reviewer name and email
• Review title and body
• Created date/time
• Product handle mapping

CSV imports may have limitations:

• Many basic CSV importers do not support review photos and videos.
• Field names must match the target template exactly.
• Large imports need careful validation to avoid partial failures.

Create or Convert to the Correct CSV Format

You’ll often need to convert your export to the template required by your target reviews system. If you use a reviews module inside a retention platform, request or download the import template from that platform. Typical headers include:

• product_handle
• rating
• title
• author
• email
• body
• created_at
• image_url (if supported)

When converting JSON to CSV, ensure proper date formatting and consistent product handles.

CSV Import Workflow

• Extract review data from source(s) into CSV or JSON.
• Clean and normalize fields (dates, character encoding, rating scale).
• Map product IDs to Shopify product handles.
• Remove duplicates and obvious spam entries.
• Add media URLs in the appropriate column if supported.
• Import into your reviews platform or Shopify-compatible module.
• Run a small test import (a few dozen rows) to verify mapping and display.
• Validate and import the full dataset.

If your target is Growave’s reviews module, our system accepts media and offers moderation tools that let you approve before public display, saving time and protecting your store’s reputation (learn more about our reviews workflow).

Handling Review Media in CSVs

If you have image and video URLs, include them in a dedicated column. The import tool will typically fetch and attach them to reviews. Common pitfalls:

• Broken or private URLs: ensure media URLs are publicly accessible.
• Large files: resize to web-friendly dimensions before import to avoid slow page loads.
• Host permissions: some marketplaces block hotlinking; download and rehost media on your own CDN or asset storage first.

Troubleshooting CSV Imports

If import fails or produces errors:

• Check for malformed CSV (quotes, line breaks in fields).
• Look for unexpected characters or encoding issues (use UTF-8).
• Confirm product_handle values exactly match Shopify product URLs.
• Reduce file size and import in batches if timeouts occur.

Method B — Use a Reviews & UGC Platform with Import Tools

This is the fastest route for most merchants who don’t want to manually massage CSVs. A reviews platform that offers import features will import text, photos, and videos, and map products automatically when possible.

Advantages

• Handles media imports and attaches them correctly.
• Provides moderation, spam filtering, and tagging out of the box.
• Integrates review displays with widgets that fit your theme.
• Often includes automated review requests and workflows.

Typical Workflow with a Reviews Platform

• Connect your Shopify store to the platform.
• Upload source CSVs or connect to marketplaces via connectors.
• Map product IDs if automatic detection fails.
• Preview mapped reviews and media.
• Approve and publish or queue for moderation.
• Configure display widgets and placement.

For merchants who want reviews to be part of a single retention ecosystem, choose a platform that bundles reviews with loyalty and other retention functions so you avoid adding multiple standalone solutions. Our platform consolidates Reviews & UGC with Loyalty & Rewards so you can import reviews and immediately reward authors (integrate loyalty and rewards). Many merchants find the combined approach reduces admin time and increases repeat purchases.

How to Pick a Reviews Platform

When evaluating options, consider:

• Media support (photos and videos).
• Moderation and spam detection tools.
• Widgets and customization to match your design.
• Support for bulk import and mapping.
• Integration with loyalty programs and email flows.

If you want to test how a full retention suite works with your data, you can install Growave directly from the Shopify App Store and run imports through our platform (install Growave from the Shopify App Store). Our onboarding helps merchants migrate reviews while preserving media and metadata.

Method C — Using Browser Extensions or Source-Specific Tools

For smaller catalogs or when migrating from niche marketplaces, browser extensions or platform-specific importers can be effective.

Use Cases

• Migrating a few dozen products with reviews.
• Quickly importing Etsy or similar listings where an export option is clunky.
• Pulling in media-rich reviews that are difficult to export via CSV.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Fast for small jobs.
• Low technical overhead.

Cons:

• Limited automation for large volumes.
• Might require manual mapping and QA.
• May not handle video or large media sets cleanly.

If your catalog is small and you prefer a quick, hands-on import, this method can get the job done. After import, ensure reviews are moderated and properly attributed.

Method D — API-Based or Developer-Led Migration

For high-volume stores or ongoing syncs from marketplaces, a developer can use APIs to migrate reviews programmatically.

When to Use This

• You have tens of thousands of reviews.
• You need scheduled, ongoing synchronization.
• You want advanced field mapping or enrichment.

Requirements

• Access to source API or export endpoints.
• Developer resources to build and test scripts.
• Planning for rate limits and error handling.

APIs offer the most control. If you choose this route, integrate imported reviews directly into your chosen reviews workflow to enable moderation and widget display. The data can then feed into loyalty rules so that reviewers are rewarded automatically.

Mapping and Moderation: Getting Imported Reviews Production-Ready

Moderation Workflows

After import, set rules for how reviews appear publicly:

• Auto-approve trusted sources (if you have strong confidence).
• Hold imported reviews in a queue for manual approval to screen for spam.
• Tag reviews that require follow-up, such as negative reviews mentioning returns.

Many retention platforms provide bulk moderation controls so you can approve large batches and still inspect images and video attachments.

Handling Duplicate Reviews

Duplicates often appear when reviews are copied across marketplaces. Use deduplication rules based on:

• Author email + product handle + review body hash.
• Date and rating matching heuristics.

Apply deduplication during import and maintain a small logging record so you can audit decisions.

Attribution and Verified Purchase Flags

Where possible, preserve original author names and dates. If you can verify purchases, set a “verified purchaser” flag to increase credibility. If verification isn’t available for legacy data, don’t mark it as verified; transparency builds trust.

Importing Photos and Videos: Practical Tips

Photos and videos are high-value UGC that drive conversions. Treat them with care.

Prepare Media for Import

• Ensure images are web-optimized and meet size guidelines.
• Re-host media on a reliable CDN if source hosts block hotlinking.
• Convert videos to light formats or embed via thumbnail + playback to avoid page-weight penalties.

Preserve Alt Text and Captions

If captions or context accompany images, import these as part of the review body or a separate field. Alt text improves accessibility and can help SEO.

Moderation for Sensitive Media

Set rules to reject inappropriate or unrelated media. Auto-cropping or suggested cropping helps keep widgets consistent.

Display Strategy: Where and How to Show Imported Reviews

Imported reviews need to be displayed with intent. Placement and presentation directly affect their impact.

Product Pages

Product pages should show a clear star summary and highlight recent, media-rich reviews. Use a mix of short snippets and expandable full reviews.

Collection Pages and Search Results

Show aggregate ratings and a few standout images on collection pages to guide discovery. Structured data and schema markup help search engines display rich snippets.

Home Page and Landing Pages

Feature top reviews and curated UGC on the homepage. Use carousels sparingly—prioritize one or two high-impact testimonials with photos.

Popups and Post-Purchase Flows

Show recent reviews in a subtle popup after add-to-cart or on thank-you pages to reduce buyer’s remorse. Reward reviewers with loyalty points to encourage future UGC.

Our platform’s widgets are built to be fast and theme-compatible so reviews render well across devices and integrate with loyalty rewards programs for a cohesive experience (see our reviews and UGC tools).

SEO and Structured Data

Rich snippet eligibility depends on structured data. Confirm that your reviews system outputs schema markup for:

• AggregateRating on product pages.
• Review items with author, date, rating, and reviewBody fields.

Imported reviews add fresh content to product pages; ensure your system renders them server-side or in a way search engines can crawl.

Syncing Reviews with Loyalty and Retention Programs

Imported reviews are immediate opportunities to build retention. Reward historical reviewers with a thank-you reward, or encourage new reviewers with automated points.

Ways to Use Reviews with Loyalty

• Award points for leaving reviews or uploading photos.
• Create tiers or badges for prolific contributors.
• Offer referral incentives when reviewers share their review on social.

Combining reviews and loyalty in one platform reduces integration overhead and increases ROI. If you plan to reward reviewers, ensure the rewards are meaningful and communicated clearly—points, discounts, or early access are common choices (integrate loyalty and rewards).

Common Pitfalls and How To Avoid Them

• Misaligned product handles: verify mapping before full import.
• Media URLs blocked or broken: download and rehost media if necessary.
• Importing unverified or spammy reviews: use moderation or sampling to preserve trust.
• Page load slowdowns: optimize media and use lightweight widgets.
• Loss of review metadata: keep raw exports and logs for auditability.

When in doubt, run a small pilot import and validate displays, schema markup, and moderation flows before importing thousands of records.

Troubleshooting Checklist

If an import doesn’t go as planned, work through this checklist:

• Confirm CSV encoding (UTF-8) and delimiter consistency.
• Verify date formats match the importer’s expectations.
• Check product_handle accuracy and consistency.
• Validate media URLs are accessible publicly.
• Test with a small subset to isolate errors.
• Review error logs provided by the target platform.

If you need more hands-on guidance, our onboarding process helps merchants troubleshoot mapping and import issues during the trial and setup phase. You can install Growave from the Shopify App Store and use guided help to import efficiently (install Growave from the Shopify App Store).

Security, Privacy, and Compliance

When migrating reviews that contain personal data (names, emails), ensure compliance with regional data regulations:

• Keep only necessary PII and delete or anonymize where required.
• Securely store raw exports and delete temporary files after import.
• If using customers’ email addresses to send review requests or rewards, obtain or confirm appropriate consent.

A responsible migration protects customer data while preserving the value of social proof.

Post-Import: Measurement and Reporting

After import, measure impact:

• Track conversion rate uplift on product pages with migrated reviews.
• Monitor average order value and repeat purchase rate for customers engaging with UGC.
• Measure UGC contribution rates after offering rewards.
• Track SEO impressions and rich snippet appearance.

Tie these KPIs back to retention actions and iterate. Because our platform combines reviews and loyalty tools, merchants can directly measure how rewards and referral incentives interact with review-driven conversions.

Best Practices and Checklist Before Going Live

Use this checklist to make sure your review import is successful:

• Audit source review data and select what to import.
• Create a product ID to handle mapping spreadsheet.
• Choose a target reviews solution (CSV importer or reviews platform).
• Test import with a small sample.
• Confirm media URLs and re-host if necessary.
• Set moderation rules and deduplication thresholds.
• Configure widgets and structured data output.
• Connect rewards for reviewers and map to loyalty rules.
• Monitor performance and refine.

Following a checklist reduces surprises and ensures imported reviews contribute positively to conversion and retention.

When to Consider a Full Retention Platform

If you find yourself juggling separate solutions for reviews, loyalty, referrals, and UGC, a single retention platform reduces complexity and increases impact. A unified platform simplifies customer data, automates rewards, and makes reviews actionable—reward contributors automatically and feature the best UGC across marketing channels.

We built Growave as a merchant-first retention suite to replace multiple point tools and deliver “More Growth, Less Stack.” Our Reviews & UGC module supports full media imports and moderation while integrating directly with loyalty features so imports turn into retention opportunities immediately (see how reviews work with loyalty). If you prefer to evaluate plans first, you can compare options and begin a 14-day free trial to test migration workflows (compare plans and start a free trial).

Realistic Timelines and Resourcing

Expect timelines to vary based on catalog size:

• Small catalog (under 100 products): a few hours to a couple of days, using browser tools or CSVs.
• Medium catalog (100–1,000 products): a few days with CSVs or import tools and moderate QA.
• Large catalog (1,000+ products): several days to weeks with developer support for API migrations and robust QA.

Allocate time for moderation and widget configuration after the import. If you want help, book a personalized walkthrough to plan the migration and connect review imports to rewards and retention flows (book a demo).

Cost Considerations and Value

Moving reviews can be a low-cost project if you do it manually, but consider the ongoing value: improved conversions, more frequent repeat purchases, and increased average order value. Consolidating tools into one platform often delivers better value for money because you stop paying for multiple services and save time on operations.

Compare the total cost of ownership—software subscriptions, developer time, and manual labor—against the expected revenue uplift from better conversion and retention. If you want a quick way to assess plans, view options and start a trial to test the workflow firsthand (compare plans and start a free trial).

Final Recommendation: A Practical Migration Plan

For most merchants we advise this phased approach:

• Phase A — Audit and Plan: Inventory sources, decide what to migrate, map product handles.
• Phase B — Pilot Import: Test a small sample with media to validate mapping and display.
• Phase C — Full Import and Moderation: Import the full dataset, moderate, and deduplicate.
• Phase D — Integration with Loyalty: Reward reviewers and set up automated review requests.
• Phase E — Measure and Optimize: Track conversions, refine which reviews are featured, and iterate.

This approach balances speed with quality control and ensures imported reviews power retention immediately.

Conclusion

Importing reviews on Shopify is a technical task that pays strategic dividends when connected to retention. The right migration preserves media and metadata, presents reviews in a way that builds trust, and ties authors into loyalty programs that boost repeat business. For most merchants, using a reviews-and-retention platform reduces manual work and delivers better value for money by consolidating tools and automating follow-up.

If you’d like help running a pilot import and seeing how reviews can feed into loyalty and referrals, explore our plans and start a 14-day free trial today (compare plans and start a free trial).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import reviews that include photos and videos?

Yes. Choose a reviews solution that supports media imports or rehost media URLs and include them in your CSV. Verify that media URLs are publicly accessible and optimized for web delivery. Our platform supports photo and video attachments and provides moderation tools so you can review media before it goes live (see our reviews and UGC tools).

What if my source review file doesn’t match the required CSV format?

Convert your export to the required template and normalize fields like dates and product handles. Test with a small sample first. If you prefer not to handle conversions, use a reviews platform that accepts common formats and provides import mapping tools.

How do I handle reviews tied to discontinued or renamed products?

Map old product IDs to current Shopify product handles. If a product no longer exists, you can map reviews to a parent SKU or a related product, or store them in an archive for reference. Always avoid creating duplicate or irrelevant entries on active product pages.

Is it better to use Shopify’s native import or a dedicated reviews platform?

It depends on your needs. For simple text reviews, native import can work. For media-rich reviews, moderation, and the ability to reward reviewers immediately, a dedicated reviews-and-retention platform is typically the better value for money. Our platform integrates reviews with loyalty to help you turn imported reviews into repeat purchases (integrate loyalty and rewards).

Hard CTA: If you’re ready to migrate reviews and turn them into a retention engine, explore our plans and start a 14-day free trial today (compare plans and start a free trial).