Review duplicate SKUs after a catalog import
A repeated identifier is a prompt to investigate. It does not tell you which product is correct, whether two listings should share stock, or whether either listing should be deleted.
1. Finish the import, then choose your scope
Start with active products when you are checking the current catalog. Include drafts when preparing a launch. Include archived products when reviewing the whole catalog. Keep that choice consistent when comparing reports.
A scan reads a changing catalog over time. If an import is still running, let it finish and scan again before treating the report as a baseline.
2. Review every variant in the matching group
Compare the product, variant, vendor, status, SKU, and barcode. Check the source of the identifier and any connected inventory workflow before editing products. Two sizes accidentally assigned the same SKU need a different decision from two deliberately separate listings.
SKU Collision Watch groups exact, non-empty identifiers separately by type. A shared SKU and a shared barcode produce two groups. A blank SKU is counted separately. The app does not validate barcode ownership or guarantee that an identifier is suitable for a marketplace.
3. Record intentional matches precisely
For an intentional duplicate, record the reason and the variants it covers. For example: “Separate online and POS listings intentionally use this identifier; inventory handling is managed separately.” This is a review note, not an inventory-sync setting.
In SKU Collision Watch, an acknowledgement applies to that exact group of variants in the selected scope. Adding another matching variant brings the group back for review.
4. Make changes in the system that owns the data
If the source file or integration would overwrite a manual fix, correct the source as well. Keep an export of the findings for your own review. This app only reads the catalog; it does not rename identifiers, delete products, or change stock.
5. Compare the next report
Look for new groups, changed membership, and groups that no longer occur. A resolved group means the duplicate is absent in the new report for that scope; it is not proof that every downstream system has been corrected.
The Free plan includes three completed scans per rolling 30 days for stores with up to 1,000 total variants. Watch adds daily checks and more manual scans for up to 25,000 total variants at $29 every 30 days, with a seven-day trial. Results are available in the app; email alerts are not included.
Install SKU Collision Watch from the Shopify App Store or see this workflow in the three-minute demo.