2023 Catalog Roadmap Overview and 2024 Preview

At BigCommerce, we strive to help merchants expand their business by providing a powerful and robust ecommerce platform that is simple and easy to use. 

Over the course of 2023, our product catalog development team has released several new and updated features with that goal in mind, and carry that spirit and enthusiasm into 2024.

The add/edit products experience

In 2023, we continued to iterate and improve upon the experience of adding and editing products in the control panel.

We introduced pinned sections, which allows a user to personalize the navigation and page structure to match their preferred workflow.

In October 2023, we launched BigAI Copywriter, an AI-powered tool that helps merchants write engaging product descriptions that reflect their style and brand.

The product list

We know that getting a fast and detailed list of the products that are important to you is crucial to merchants. 

Throughout 2023, we made several improvements to the Product List experience which is enabled for stores with multiple storefronts or channels.

Stores with multiple locations can now add Multi-Location specific inventory data.

You can now view full-sized images for products and variants in the list.

We made it easier to toggle a product’s “featured” and/or “visible” status directly from the list.

We added new preset views for visible, not visible, and last imported products.

Importing and exporting products (CSV)

Apart from using the API directly, importing a CSV file is the fastest way to create and update large numbers of products.

Stores with multiple storefronts use the modern Import/Export Products experience (also known as v3). We continue to extend and streamline this tool, and over the past year, we’ve introduced support for importing product images, YouTube videos, custom fields, and variant pick lists.

There are a few additions we need to make before we have complete feature parity with the (legacy) v2 Import/Export experience, and we will keep you notified as we incorporate them.

Doing more in 2024

Add/edit products v3.

In April 2024, we will automatically upgrade stores with simple catalogs (no variants or product options) still using the legacy Add/Edit Products v2 experience to v3.

For stores with complex catalogs still using the old experience, we still have some work to do, and will announce at a later date when those stores can be upgraded.

Product list.

Also in April 2024, we will automatically upgrade any stores still using the Multi-Channel Product List to the latest product list experience.

Import/export products v3.

In 2024, we will be releasing support for importing Multi-Location specific inventory data. Currently, this type of data can only be added through the control panel.

Beyond the control panel.

Improvements to catalog management via the API are also underway. The ability to assign Shared Variant and Modifier Options using the API is under development and is expected for release later this year. Today, Shared Options can only be assigned using the control panel.

The final word

Part of our mission at BigCommerce is to help merchants create engaging stores that attract customers while giving them the freedom to develop, extend, and grow their business the way that best suits them. 

We’ve modeled our catalog development strategy to prioritize merchant needs and asks, and hope the catalog features we’ve delivered and continue to produce empower you to do what you do best — run your business.