How to Change All Products to Physical Product in Shopify

Setting up products the right way in Shopify can make a bigger difference than most store owners realize. Whether you sell handmade items, clothing, accessories, or packaged goods, marking each item as a physical product keeps your store running smoothly. 

Many store owners only notice this setting when they face shipping problems. That’s usually when they start searching for help or even decide to hire Shopify developer support to fix things quickly.

When products aren’t marked as physical, Shopify can behave in unexpected ways. Customers may not see shipping options, taxes might be calculated incorrectly, and inventory may not track at all. 

Before these issues grow, it’s important to understand how Shopify handles product types and why adjusting them correctly is essential for daily store operations.

Why It’s Important to Set Products as Physical in Shopify

A small setting mistake can create a long chain of problems. That’s why getting this right is key. As the saying goes, “Small errors today become big headaches tomorrow.” Correctly setting your items as physical ensures your store works smoothly from browsing to delivery.

Not all Shopify products are the same. Shopify lets you mark items as physical, digital, or service-based. Each type has its own rules and features.

Physical products come with important settings like:

• Shipping options
• Generating shipping labels
• Inventory tracking
• Weight and tax calculations

When a product is not marked as physical, several common issues appear:

• Shipping methods don’t show at checkout
• The system may charge the wrong tax
• Inventory doesn’t reduce when a sale happens
• You can’t create shipping labels
• Customers get confused at checkout

Methods to Change All Products to Physical Products in Shopify

There are different ways to update your products, depending on how many items you have and how comfortable you are with Shopify tools.

Method 1: Change Products One by One

If your store has only a handful of products, this is the simplest method. This method is great for small shops or beginners.

Steps:

1. Go to Products in your Shopify dashboard.
2. Click a product to open it.
3. Scroll to the Shipping section.
4. Check the box that says “This is a physical product” or “Requires shipping.”
5. Save changes.

Pros:

• Easy and safe
• Good for new store owners
• No risk of editing the wrong item

Cons:

• Slow for large catalogs
• Repetitive work

Method 2: Use Shopify’s Bulk Editor

For stores with dozens or hundreds of items, the bulk editor saves time. This method works well for medium-sized product lists. It’s also a favorite tool for a Shopify partner who manages stores daily.

How to use it:

1. Select the products you want to edit.
2. Click Bulk Edit.
3. Add the field “Requires Shipping” if it’s not displayed.
4. Change the values to TRUE across all products.
5. Save your changes.

Method 3: Update Using CSV Export & Import

If your store has hundreds or thousands of products, this is the fastest option when done carefully. This method is ideal for large shops but risky if done incorrectly. A single wrong character can break data, so move slowly.

Steps:

1. Export your full product list as a CSV file.
2. Open the file in Excel or Google Sheets.
3. Find the column for “Requires Shipping”.
4. Change all values to TRUE.
5. Save the file in CSV format again.
6. Import it back into Shopify.

Best practices:

• Always create a backup before editing
• Never change column headers
• Double-check formatting before uploading

Method 4: Use Apps or Custom Scripts

For very large stores, or for owners who want automatic updates, apps, or custom scripts can do the job quickly. Developers can write scripts that safely update thousands of products in a few seconds. 

This method is fast, accurate, and reduces mistakes. Many Shopify Agency teams choose this approach when managing big client stores.

Options include:

• Bulk product editing apps
• Custom scripts built with the Shopify API
• Automated product update tools

Why Hiring a Shopify Expert Developer or Consultant Helps

Bulk updates may look easy, but they can cause unexpected problems if done incorrectly. That’s why many store owners work with Shopify experts developers when updating product settings. A developer or consultant can also test your checkout, review settings, and make sure everything works perfectly after the update.

Benefits of expert help:

• Avoiding data mistakes
• Preventing inventory or tax issues
• Fixing broken shipping settings
• Saving time during busy seasons
• Getting personalized guidance

How a Shopify SEO Agency Helps After Product Updates

Changing product types can affect SEO if not handled carefully. After updates, Shopify may re-index pages or adjust how search engines read them. Good SEO ensures that product changes help your rankings instead of hurting them.

A Shopify SEO team can:

• Fix indexing issues
• Improve product titles and meta descriptions
• Review structured data
• Update keywords
• Help customers find your physical products more easily

Common Challenges Store Owners Face

Store owners often encounter difficulties when updating their products. The following issues usually happen due to incorrect settings or missing fields. Experts can prevent these problems and fix them if they’ve already happened. 

Some common issues include:

• CSV mistakes that cause data loss
• Shipping rates not appearing
• Taxes calculating incorrectly
• Inventory not updating
• Checkout errors are frustrating customers

Why Choose Willshall Consulting as Your Shopify Partner

Willshall Consulting brings together a team of Shopify developers, consultants, and SEO specialists. They help store owners with safe bulk product updates, shipping fixes, tax adjustments, and more. Their team ensures everything runs smoothly after changes, supporting both the technical and SEO side of your store.

Tips to Keep Your Shopify Store Running Smoothly After Updates

These steps keep your store working properly and help avoid future problems.

• Review all shipping zones and rates
• Test the checkout process
• Make sure inventory tracking is active
• Refresh product descriptions if needed
• Review tax settings
• Keep routine backups
• Work with a consultant for ongoing maintenance

Final Thoughts

Setting your Shopify products as physical is a small but important step. It affects shipping, taxes, inventory, and customer experience. Whether you update products manually, with bulk tools, CSV files, or automation, accuracy matters. 

And when things get complicated, getting help from experts keeps your store safe. After updating your products, remember to fine-tune your SEO to keep your store visible and competitive.

Sachin Sharma

With a Bachelor’s in Commerce and 15 years of experience in Ecommerce SEO and Shopify Development, I bring extensive expertise to the digital field. As Managing Partner at WillShall Consulting, I lead a team delivering exceptional Digital Marketing, Web Development, and Web Designing services. My passion for innovation and commitment to excellence help businesses thrive in the digital age.