Product Catalogue

Overview

The Product Catalogue in DHL Express Commerce lets you store all relevant product details, such as SKU, HS/HTS code, cost price, and bin location. By using the Product Catalogue, you can:

• Streamline your order import process by automatically filling in missing product details.
• Improve compliance with carriers by adding all required customs and product information.
• Simplify pick-and-pack by including bin locations and product dimensions for efficient fulfillment.
• Enhance accuracy on checkout by using the Product Catalogue to provide complete product information when displaying live shipping rates.

Common use cases

Wanting to pick/pack from DHL Express Commerce but need to specify where items are stored?

Use the Product Catalogue to specify the location of each item. This information will be printed on packing slips and displayed in the UI for easy access.

Missing item dimensions when creating packages?

Specify the dimensions of each product, and configure your packages based on these item dimensions. (See the Packages Setup Guide for more info.)

Shipping internationally and missing crucial customs details like HS codes and Country of Origin?

Configure these in the Product Catalogue, and we’ll ensure they’re automatically submitted to the courier with your shipment.

Is the item name on your storefront causing delays at customs, and you need to overwrite it with something more customs-friendly?

Set the customs description for your items in the Product Catalogue, and we’ll update this information when you ship your orders.

Don’t have item weights loaded in your platform?

Set the weights in DHL Express Commerce, and we’ll make sure your shipping quotes are accurate and acceptable.

Want accurate live rates at checkout?

Enable the Product Catalogue for checkout, and DHL Express Commerce will use product dimensions, weights, and values to provide the most accurate live shipping rates.

Shipping to the United States and need correct tariff codes for customs?

Add an HTS Code to your products in the Product Catalogue. DHL Express Commerce will automatically use this for shipments to the U.S., ensuring your items are classified correctly for duty and tariff calculation.

Managing B2B2C shipments where you can’t declare retail prices?

Include the Cost Price for your products and enable When sending to USA and cost price is provided, use this for item price (B2B2C scenario) in Product Catalogue settings. When sending to the U.S., DHL Express Commerce will use the Cost Price as the declared value, helping you stay compliant and protect wholesale pricing.

How it works

1. Load your products into DHL Express Commerce
   Start by adding all your products to the Product Catalogue, either manually or via a CSV import. This includes essential details like SKU, weight, dimensions, HS code, and other shipping-related information.
2. Item matching during checkout and order import
   • During order import
     When you import an order, DHL Express Commerce will automatically check for matching SKUs between the order items and the Product Catalogue.
   • On checkout (with live rates enabled)
     When customers check out with live rates, DHL Express Commerce will reference the Product Catalogue to either complete or replace missing product information, like dimensions or weights.
3. Apply settings for data population
   Based on the settings you select:
   • Override all values
     DHL Express Commerce will replace all product details in the order or at checkout with those from the Product Catalogue.
   • Only populate missing values
     DHL Express Commerce will only fill in fields that are empty in the order or checkout process.
4. Order or checkout completion
   Once DHL Express Commerce completes the import or checkout process, the order or live rate request will contain the correct details from the Product Catalogue, ready for processing or to display accurate live rates.

Getting set up

Adding products

Add a new product to the Product Catalogue

• In DHL Express Commerce account, go to Products from the left menu.
• Click Add New.
• Enter your product details.
• Click Save.

 

Edit product details

1. Select Products from the left menu.
2. Locate the product you wish to edit by either searching in the search field or scrolling to the desired product row.
3. Click on the specific field you want to edit within the respective product row.
   
4. Update the necessary product details.
5. Save your changes by pressing the Tab key or clicking on any other section of the page.

Note
If the field you intend to update is not visible, click on the cog icon to select and display the field.

 

• Alternatively, locate the product you wish to edit by either searching in the search field or scrolling to the desired product row.
• Click on the pencil icon at the end of the row. 
• Update the necessary product details.
• Save your changes by pressing the Tab key or clicking on any other section of the page.

Import a product using a CSV file

CSV file requirements

• You must add one product/item per line.
• Each product SKU must be unique.
• Variant must be treated as a separate Product SKU.
• Ensure there are no commas in any fields (e.g. Shirt, with pants).

How to import a product using a CSV file

1. Select Products from the left menu.
2. Click More actions.
3. Click Import CSV file.
4. Click Browse and choose the CSV file from your computer.
5. Click Upload.

Important
You can only import CSVs using our preformatted template. To download this template, click on the pre-formatted CSV template as shown in above modal.

 

Product Catalogue settings

Populating values during order import and checkout

Override all values

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue, select Override all values, then click Save.
  
  DHL Express Commerce will replace all fields in the order or checkout process with details from the Product Catalogue when SKUs match.
  

Only populate missing values

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue, select Only populate missing values, then click Save.
  
  DHL Express Commerce will only fill in fields that are empty in the order or at checkout if the SKU matches an item in the Product Catalogue. 
  

Adding missing items during import

Enable automatic addition of new items

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue and select Automatically add new SKUs to the product catalogue on import.
  
  Any SKU not found in the Product Catalogue will automatically be added when orders are imported.
   

Do not replace imported values with empty or zero product catalogue values.

Do not replace imported values with empty or zero product catalogue values.

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue and select 
  Do not replace imported values with empty or zero product catalogue values.

  When enabled, DHL Express Commerce will only populate values from the Product Catalogue if the field contains a valid entry greater than zero. This helps prevent blank or zero values from overwriting product data during import or checkout.

  Tip: Leave this setting off if you want to intentionally overwrite existing values with blanks or zeros from your eCommerce platform.

Overwrite RRP price with Cost Price for B2B2C shipments

When sending to USA and cost price is provided, use this for item price (B2B2C scenario)

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue and select For USA shipments, use cost price as item value when available (B2B2C)

  When shipping to the United States, DHL Express Commerce will use the Cost Price as the declared value instead of the retail price. This ensures compliance and accurate pricing for B2B2C fulfilment scenarios.

  This setting requires Override all values to be enabled in Product Catalogue settings.

Use on checkout (for live rates)

Use Product Catalogue on checkout

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue, select Use product catalogue on checkout, then click Save.
  
  When enabled, DHL Express Commerce will use the Product Catalogue to populate product details (like dimensions, weights, and values) for items at checkout if you’re using live rates. Based on other settings, it will either fill in missing details or replace all values. This ensures live rates are calculated accurately using complete product data.
   

Disabling automatic data population

Disable Product Catalogue

• Navigate to Settings > Product Catalogue, uncheck Enable Product Catalogue for order import, then click Save.
  
  DHL Express Commerce will not use the Product Catalogue to fill any product details during order import or at checkout. 
  

Apply the catalogue to all unshipped orders

This updates all active unshipped orders in the account, rather than a selection from the Orders grid. Saved, printed and shipped orders are excluded.

1. Open Settings > Product Catalogue.
2. Save any settings changes.
3. Under Apply product catalogue to existing orders, select Apply product catalogue to all unshipped orders.
4. Review the saved policy and select Apply product catalogue.
5. Check the progress and successful, skipped and failed counts.

The run continues in the background if you leave the page. Return to the settings page to check progress. An unchanged or no-longer-eligible order is skipped; a skipped count does not necessarily mean an error.

FAQs