# Connect your existing store

> Connect WooCommerce with read-only approval, choose products and keep their availability current. Shopify file imports work today; native Shopify approval is in preparation.

Keep your existing online shop and use TradeCatalog for your trade customers’ own prices and orders. File imports are available on Free; automatic store connections are included with Pro and the Pro trial.

## WooCommerce: approve and connect

1. Sign in as the owner of your TradeCatalog workspace.
2. Open **Settings → Store connections**.
3. Enter your store’s public HTTPS address, including its folder if WordPress is installed in one.
4. Choose **Connect WooCommerce**. Your own store asks you to sign in and approve read-only access. No store password or API key is pasted into TradeCatalog.
5. Back in TradeCatalog, choose **Choose products to import**. Check the product codes and select the items you want. A variation is a separate product and needs its own unique code.
6. Choose **Import selected & keep updated**. Work through further pages to select more products.

An existing product code matches that TradeCatalog product. Review these matches carefully: importing updates its name, description, image and availability. It keeps its trade prices, customer-specific prices and visibility. Give different products different codes before importing.

New products start without a trade price. Set their prices in TradeCatalog or import your trade price list. Your retail store’s prices are not copied into your trade prices.

## What stays up to date

Selected products’ details, main image and availability refresh about every 30 minutes. Only selected products are connected; new products in your shop do not silently appear in TradeCatalog. Open the preview again to choose them.

The store is read-only to TradeCatalog. TradeCatalog does not change its products, prices, customers or orders. Source products that are removed or unpublished are kept in TradeCatalog and marked unavailable on the next successful sync. Made-to-order products keep TradeCatalog’s made-to-order behaviour.

**Availability, not stock reservation:** TradeCatalog shows buyers In stock, Low stock, Out of stock or Made to order. Buyers do not see exact quantities. TradeCatalog orders do not reserve or reduce stock in either system, and products remain orderable when marked out of stock. Confirm availability before accepting an order.

## Pause, disconnect or fix a connection

Settings shows the connected address, linked product count, last completed sync and any error. Pause updates while you work on the catalogue. Resume updates to restart them. If your Pro entitlement ends, automatic updates stop; your imported products and prices stay saved.

Disconnecting removes the saved connection and its credentials from TradeCatalog, and keeps your imported products. To revoke the store’s permission too, delete TradeCatalog’s key in **WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → REST API**. Reconnect from TradeCatalog if you need to use a different store.

If a connection fails, check that your website uses HTTPS, its API is reachable, and a security plugin is not blocking WooCommerce’s API. Use its final address: authenticated requests do not follow redirects. Fix missing or duplicate product codes in the source store, then preview again. Contact support if it continues.

## Shopify

Shopify file imports work today: export your products, open TradeCatalog’s **Import** page and check the column mapping before saving.

The native Shopify app is prepared for review. Public installation becomes available after Shopify approves its distribution.

1. Install TradeCatalog from its Shopify App Store listing and open it in Shopify Admin. Shopify identifies your store and asks you to approve product and inventory reading; you do not type your store address into TradeCatalog.
2. Choose **Connect or create your business**. Sign in to TradeCatalog in the separate window and select the business you own. Linking creates no subscription or payment.
3. Return to Shopify and choose **I’ve connected my business**, then **Enable sales channel**. If reconnecting after a previous disconnect, also choose **Connect Shopify**.
4. Publish the products you want to offer to the **TradeCatalog** sales channel in Shopify. Then choose the published products and variants to import. Each variant needs a unique product code. Availability combines Shopify locations.
5. Share your buyer catalogue with your trade customers. From their basket, buyers choose **Continue to Shopify checkout**. Shopify confirms the prices, tax and delivery and records the order in Shopify Admin. Set any pricing that must apply at checkout in Shopify.

Shopify handles Pro subscriptions for businesses acquired through the app. Choose a plan in Shopify to approve its exact price and billing dates, or use **Return to Free** to cancel. Your catalogue and trade prices stay saved. Uninstalling stops the connection and removes its stored access credentials; reinstalling retains the linked business and its original trial dates.

## Another business system?

You can already connect your own ERP or stock system through the Pro [REST API](/docs/api/index). The [ERP sync guide](/docs/guides/erp-sync) explains product, customer and order updates. For a one-off move, use the normal spreadsheet import.

Tell [TradeCatalog support](mailto:support@tradecatalog.app) which system you use and what you need to keep in sync. Do not send passwords or API keys by email.