The Ultimate Guide to Shopify Bulk Redirects

Whenever you update or change any URLs on your Shopify store, it is important to set up redirects. Redirects help ensure that visitors can find the pages and information that they are looking for without landing on broken pages that return 404 errors.

Now, if you only need to redirect a few pages, you can set those rules up manually.

However, for large-scale changes, setting up Shopify redirects one by one may not be the most effective approach. This is especially true in scenarios where your Shopify store undergoes a major update, such as a domain change or URL changes due to renaming a significant number of products. Such situations warrant redirecting hundreds or even thousands of URLs. Doing it manually can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort.

So, then what’s the smarter way to handle this? 

That’s where Shopify bulk redirects can help. They enable you to manage redirects across your Shopify store in bulk, saving time and protecting your SEO performance.

In this blog, we will be discussing the concept of Shopify bulk redirects in detail. We will learn what they are, when to use them, how to set them up, and many other important details.

What are Shopify Bulk Redirects? 

Shopify bulk redirects refer to setting up and applying multiple 301 URL redirects at once for your store. So, instead of creating redirects separately for each 404 page, you handle them all in bulk (or batches). 

These bulk redirects ensure that if a shopper or search engine tries to visit an outdated URL, they are automatically redirected to a new, relevant, and active webpage. This new page can be hosted either within your primary domain or outside it (eg, microsite, affiliate links, etc). 

How to Set Up Shopify Bulk Redirects? 

Shopify bulk redirects can be set up and applied mainly via two main methods. These include: 

1. Using the native Shopify functionality, which allows you to import and export URL redirects for your store via CSV files
2. Using third-party Shopify redirect apps 

Let’s discuss both methods below in detail. 

Using Shopify’s Native URL Redirect Import/Export Feature 

Shopify allows you to import and export URL redirects through CSV files. Using this native feature of the platform, you can easily set up redirects in bulk. 

Here’s the step-by-step process to follow: 

1. Prepare your URL redirect CSV file 

You will have to create an Excel sheet for importing URL redirects to Shopify. 

The sheet’s structure should include two main columns: Redirect From and Redirect to. 

• The Redirect from column should include the old URL path (404 page) without your store’s domain. 

Example: ‘/products/4mm-5mm-6mm-y-wrench’ 

• The Redirect to column should include the new target URL. 

What’s important to note here is that if you want to redirect traffic to another page that is within your primary domain, you can use a relative URL like: /products/example 1. However, if you want to send users to a URL outside your primary domain (an external site), you must add a full URL that includes the domain name. 

Example: ‘https://example.myshopify.com/’ 

Also, each row should have both values side by side, mapping the old URL to its new location, just like in the image below: 

Pro tip: Here’s a sample URL redirect CSV file from Shopify. You can download it, change the values for both columns, and import it to Shopify by following the steps shared ahead.

Once the Excel sheet is ready, you should download it in Comma Separated Values (CSV) format.

2. Go to your Shopify Admin

• In your Shopify admin panel, click on ‘Content’ from the left-hand side menu. Within that, navigate to ‘Menus’

• Then, from the top right corner, select ‘URL redirects.’

3. Click on ‘Import.’ 

4. Select and upload the CSV file we created in step 1. 

5. Once the file is uploaded, Shopify will review it and showcase the number of redirects that the file contains. Moreover, you will also be able to see the preview of some of the redirects, just like the image below: 

6. Upon confirming all the details, you can click on ‘Create redirects.’ 
7. That’s it. The import will be complete. Shopify will process the file and create bulk redirects for all the shared URLs. You will receive a confirmation message just like the image below.

Using Third-Party Shopify Redirect Apps (Recommended Method) 

Shopify’s native redirect feature is good and should cover your basic needs for setting up bulk redirects. 

However, please note that if you have custom bulk redirect requirements that require advanced features, such as wildcard (pattern) redirects, you will need to install a third-party Shopify redirect app. 

These third-party apps go beyond the native Shopify redirect functionality by offering advanced features for simplifying redirect creation and management. They help merchants save time, reduce manual effort, get better insights into broken and redirected pages, and also handle complex redirect scenarios with ease. 

One such third-party Shopify redirect app is ‘404/301 URL Redirects by Nabu’ that we will cover in this blog as a reference. 

It is a free, ‘Built for Shopify’ certified app that helps Shopify merchants manage redirects with ease. 

Some of its key features include: 

1. Simple redirect setup with no coding or technical knowledge required. 
2. Auto-detection of 404 pages
3. Allows merchants to create bulk redirects using CSV files and wildcard rules
4. Detailed Analytics related to broken 404 pages, visits to those pages, and other important redirect metrics

Note: This list of features shared for AdNabu’s redirect manager app isn’t exhaustive. We have shared only a select few, as per the intended length of this article.  To read more about the app and its features, please visit this website page.

As already shared above, for Shopify bulk redirects, the app helps you in two ways: Create Wildcard Redirects and Import CSV files with URL redirects. 

Let’s cover both methods in detail below. 

Wildcard Redirects

In simple terms, wildcard redirects allow merchants to automatically redirect multiple broken URLs that follow a similar pattern to a new location. So, instead of creating a redirect for each 404 page manually, you can create one rule that covers all related links. 

Here’s the step-by-step process that you should follow to create wildcard redirects in the app:

1. Open the Nabu Redirect Manager app in your Shopify store. 
2. Go to the ‘Wildcard Redirects’ tab from the left-hand side menu. 

3. Click on ‘Create Wildcard Redirects’ from the top-right corner. 

4. Enter the source path, which basically means the URL pattern for those pages that are currently broken or returning a 404 error. Also, when adding a value for the source path field, please use the * symbol. This is to match dynamic parts of the URL. 

For reference, we will add /products/*

5. In the Target link field, add the new URL where you want to redirect users or search engines. You can also use the ‘*’ symbol here to carry over the same part of the URL from the source path.

Here, as an example, we will add /collection/*

6. Once done, click on create, and the wildcard rule will be created! 

This ensures that all links starting with /products/, no matter what comes after, will redirect to the matching URL under /collections/.

So, anyone visiting /products/blue-shirt/ won’t see a 404 error. Rather, they will be redirected automatically to the active /collections/blue-shirt/ page. 

Note: 1. Wildcard redirects created through the AdNabu app are JavaScript-based. While they function correctly for users, it’s important to note that JavaScript redirects are not as SEO-friendly as server-side 301 redirects, as search engines may not always treat them the same way. 2. Within the wildcard redirects feature, the app also allows you to create RegEx redirects. These help you create powerful pattern-based redirects and send multiple matching URLs to one destination in a single step. Read more about it on this help page.

Importing CSV Files

Another option for setting up and applying Shopify bulk redirects in the app is to import CSV files. 

Here’s how you can do that: 

1. Open the Nabu Redirect Manager app. 
2. On the ‘All Redirects’ dashboard, you will see the ‘Import’ option at the top right corner, next to the ‘Export’ and ‘Create Redirect’ buttons. 

3. Click on it. 
4. A modal will open where you will have the option to add the CSV file with URL redirects.

Before uploading, keep the following points in mind:

• The format of this CSV file will be similar to the one we used earlier in the blog for importing redirect URLs with Shopify’s native functionality.
• Only .csv files will be accepted. 
• The file’s size cannot be more than 50 mb.  

5. Once you add it, click on ‘Upload and Preview.’ 
6. The app’s algorithms will process the file, and then show you the preview of redirects. 

Check the details, and if everything appears to be fine and accurate, you can click on ‘Create Redirects.’ 

7. The app will start the import process, and you’ll notice a loading or buffering icon at the top right of the screen, as shown in the image below. 

8. Once the import is complete, all the new redirect rules will appear under the ‘All Redirects’ dashboard. From there, you can review, edit, or manage them as needed.

And that’s it. With this simple process in AdNabu’s Redirect Manager app, you have set up Shopify bulk redirects with ease. 

Note: In this blog, we’ve covered two of the most common and practical methods for setting up bulk redirects, using Shopify’s native import/export feature and third-party apps. However, if you have advanced technical knowledge, you can also use Shopify’s GraphQL Admin API to create redirects programmatically. You can read more about it in Shopify’s official documentation here.

When to Use Shopify Bulk Redirects?

Here are some common scenarios where redirecting broken or old Shopify URLs in bulk is important: 

1. Removing or Renaming Products and Collections: Every time you make changes to your inventory by removing products or entire collections, their links become inactive. This can result in shoppers and search engine bots landing on 404 error pages, which can affect your brand’s trust and SEO. 

Bulk redirects help prevent such issues. Using them, you can automatically send users and search engines to the next most relevant live page. This helps maintain SEO authority and also prevents traffic loss. 

2. URL Restructuring and SEO Optimization: Whenever you restructure URLs across your Shopify store for better SEO or localization, the format of your existing URL changes. 

Here too, using bulk redirects can be helpful to ensure that customers or search engines don’t end up landing on broken links. 

3. Merging Content: If you are merging multiple pages due to duplication issues or simply to consolidate content into a single, detailed page, you must redirect each old page to the new target URL. 

So, for example, if you sell organic cotton clothes and if you realize that you have 4-5 different blogs talking about the same topic (like the benefits of organic cotton), then it will be wise to merge them into a detailed article. This helps to improve user experience and also preserve Google’s crawling bandwidth, which can be utilized for other website pages. 

4. Seasonal Content and Campaigns: During seasonal sales, you might create pages for holiday collections or other limited-time sales landing pages. Now, till the time the sale or holiday season runs, those pages will be useful. But once that period ends, you might need to take down those pages. At that time, bulk redirects can be helpful. 

For example, you can redirect the specific “/summer-sale” seasonal page to a more general “/offer” or “/sale” page on your website. 

Best Practices for Shopify Bulk Redirects

Let’s now look at some best practices whenever you create and apply Shopify bulk redirects. 

Use 301 Redirects for Permanent Changes

By default, Shopify’s native functionality and many other third-party apps offer 301 (permanent) redirects. And these are indeed the best choices in terms of SEO whenever you permanently move a URL. 

A 301 tells the search engine to pass or migrate the organic ranking value and link equity to the new URL. This helps ensure that new pages retain their existing visibility on search engines, backlinks, and traffic instead of suffering a loss after a URL change. 

But in all cases, you should avoid 302 (temporary) redirects, unless the change in itself is truly short-term. 

Ensure the Old Pages are Inactive (404) Before Redirecting 

Shopify’s native redirects, as well as the ones supported by apps like AdNabu’s redirect manager, will only trigger if the “Redirect from” URL is broken. This means the source path should return a 404 error. If the page is active, then the redirect won’t work. 

Thus, ensure that you archive, delete, or unpublish all the pages or content before you add bulk redirects for them. 

Note: Some Shopify redirect apps allow you to redirect pages even if they are active.

Avoid Redirect Loops and Chains

For all 404 pages you are creating redirects for in bulk, ensure that you don’t create unnecessary chains. This means all source paths should lead to the absolute final destination. 

If a redirect points to one or more intermediate pages before taking a user to the final page, it creates a chain or loop. These slow down page loading time and may even confuse search engines. 

Follow Shopify’s Redirect Guidelines

Shopify has several guidelines related to creating redirects. These include: 

1. Not using reserved paths such as /tools/, /apps/, etc., for redirects. 
2. Avoid using query strings and special characters in redirect URLs. 
3. Creating individual redirects for each international market and subfolder. 

Note: The list shared above isn’t exhaustive. Refer to this Shopify help page for more info.

Ensure that you follow these guidelines. This is to ensure that your redirects function properly, there aren’t any conflicts with Shopify’s system paths, and that navigation across your entire store is seamless. 

Avoid Adding Bulk Redirects to Home Page

As a rule, avoid redirecting a large batch of broken URLs solely to your store’s home page. Google and other search engines don’t favor such a scenario. It can look suspicious and harm your store’s SEO value. 

Rather, always redirect all broken pages to the most contextually relevant new pages. 

For example, if you discontinue selling a blue variant of a shirt and archive its page, then the most relevant redirect from the old URL would be to another available variant of the same shirt. If that’s not possible, then maybe you can redirect users to another related product of the same category. However, sending users directly to the home page should be your last resort.

Always Test Redirects 

Once you apply the Shopify bulk redirect rules, don’t forget to verify the setup. This means that you should check if all old URLs lead to the new intended destinations. 

Testing helps ensure that there are no errors, loops, or missed links. 

Pro tip: You can test redirects either manually by visiting all links in your browser or by using SEO tools such as AHREFS.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways 

Shopify bulk redirects make it simple to manage large-scale URL changes without hurting your store’s SEO or user experience. They save valuable time, reduce errors, and ensure that customers and search engines always find the right pages. 

Here are some key takeaways from this blog: 

• Bulk redirects allow you to handle multiple redirects at once, saving time and effort. They prevent broken links and make sure visitors never land on 404 pages even after major updates.
• Shopify’s native import and export feature is ideal for handling basic bulk redirect needs through CSV files. 
• For more advanced and custom requirements, you can use third-party apps like 404/301 URL Redirects by Nabu. They allow you to set up Shopify bulk redirects not only by importing CSV files, but also by creating wildcard redirects.  
• Shopify bulk redirects are especially useful during site migrations, product removals, or URL restructures. They ensure that all existing backlinks and search rankings continue to benefit your store even after major changes.
• Following best practices for bulk redirects is essential for long-term SEO success. Always use 301 redirects for permanent changes, avoid redirect loops, and test your redirects regularly to ensure everything works smoothly.

Over to you. 

FAQs 

1. How to set up redirects in Shopify?

In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Navigation → View URL Redirects.

Click Create URL Redirect, then add your old URL in the ‘Redirect from’ field (without the domain) and your new URL in the ‘Redirect to’ field.

Once done, click Save to apply the redirect.

If you need to update many URLs at once, you can import a CSV file or use a third-party Shopify redirect app like ‘404/301 Redirects by Nabu’ to automate the process with ease.

2. What is the difference between a bulk redirect and a single redirect?

A single redirect points one old URL to a new one. A bulk redirect maps many URLs at once using a CSV file or app. It’s faster and ideal for large updates or migrations.

3. Are Shopify redirects 301 or 302?

Shopify uses 301 redirects by default. These are permanent and transfer SEO value from the old page to the new one.

4. My Shopify bulk redirect is not working. What should I do?

There are several possible causes. Your “Redirect from” URL might still be active — Shopify redirects only work for broken URLs that return a 404. Additionally, typos, query strings, or special characters in the URL can also prevent redirects from functioning properly.

Other issues include using reserved paths like /apps, /orders, or /collections/all, which Shopify doesn’t allow. Redirects also won’t apply to filtered collection URLs, customer account pages, or HTML extensions.

Check for these issues, fix any errors you find, and then test your redirects again.

Check Out These Related Articles:

• How to Create Shopify Redirects to External URLs
• How to Fix the Shopify Too Many Redirects Error
• Master Shopify 404 Redirects