What is marketplace importing?
Marketplace importing lets you add products from external supplier catalogs directly into your Cartva store. Instead of creating every listing from scratch, you browse a supplier network, select items, and publish them on your storefront with your own pricing.
This model is closely related to dropshipping: you sell products you do not stock, and the supplier ships to your customer after an order is placed.
How it differs from manual products
| Manual products | Imported products |
|---|---|
| You photograph and describe items | Supplier provides images and descriptions |
| You manage inventory and shipping | Supplier fulfills after you forward the order |
| You set cost based on your sourcing | Supplier cost is known; you add markup |
How it works on Cartva
Import flows are accessed from Integrations and the Products section.
Import process
- Connect a supplier — Enable a supported marketplace or dropshipping integration in your dashboard.
- Browse and search — Filter the supplier catalog by category, price range, or keyword.
- Import selected items — Chosen products are added to your Cartva catalog with supplier data pre-populated.
- Customize listing — Edit the title, description, and images if needed. Set your retail price above the supplier cost.
- Publish — The product goes live on your storefront like any other catalog item.
Order routing
When a customer buys an imported product, the order appears in your dashboard. Depending on the integration, you may forward fulfillment to the supplier manually or automatically.
Pricing your margin
Your profit is the difference between your retail price and the supplier's cost plus any shipping fees. Cartva shows supplier costs during import so you can calculate markup before publishing.
Who it's for
Marketplace imports suit merchants who want catalog breadth without upfront inventory investment.
Good fit:
- New store owners testing product categories before committing to stock
- Sellers targeting niches with long-tail product variety
- Entrepreneurs in regions with limited local wholesale access
- Stores complementing a few hero products with a wider accessory range
Consider carefully if:
- You need guaranteed 2-day shipping — supplier timelines vary
- Brand control is critical — imported descriptions may need heavy editing
- You sell regulated products requiring local compliance review
What you control vs what Cartva handles
| You control | Cartva handles |
|---|---|
| Which products to import and publish | Import UI and catalog data mapping |
| Retail pricing and markup | Storefront display of imported listings |
| Edited titles, images, and descriptions | Order record creation on purchase |
| Whether to fulfill or cancel supplier orders | Integration connection to supplier APIs |
| Customer communication about delivery times | Product page templates |
You decide what to sell and at what price. Cartva connects supplier data to your store and order system.
Pricing model
Marketplace importing involves layered costs:
- Cartva subscription — Import tools included on eligible plans
- Supplier product cost — Paid per order when the supplier fulfills; shown before you set retail price
- Shipping — Charged by supplier or passed to customer based on your shipping settings
- No per-import SKU fee — Cartva does not typically charge per product imported on standard plans
Your margin must cover supplier cost, shipping, payment processing fees, and any ad spend. Price imported products with these layers in mind.