Shopify vs Non-Shopify Catalog

Both product sources publish to the same Meta Catalog and produce the same end state on the Catalog tab. They differ in how product data enters the system, which settings are configurable in the platform, and how updates are applied.

Configuration Comparison

	Shopify	Non-Shopify (XLSX)
Product source	Synced from the connected Shopify store	Imported from an uploaded XLSX file
Entry action	Connect Now	Upload catalog items
Configuration steps	Settings → Select product	Upload → Map fields → Validate → Settings
Meta Catalog ID	Set in Step 1	Set in Catalog Settings
Availability	Set in Step 1 (three options)	Derived from the availability column in the file
Google / Facebook Product Category	Optional fields in Step 1	Optional mapped fields
Show catalog on	Set in Step 1	Set in Catalog Settings
Product curation	Deselect products to exclude from sync	Determined by file contents
Field-level mapping	Not applicable	Required before import
Import validation	Not applicable	Row-level validation with a downloadable report
Ongoing sync	Automatic, daily	Manual re-upload
Post-setup control	Settings	Upload & Settings

Settings Fields by Source

Field	Shopify	Non-Shopify
Choose Meta Catalog Id	Required	Required
Availability	Required	Not present
Google Product Category	Optional	Not present
Facebook Product Category	Optional	Not present
Show catalog on	Required, at least one	Required, at least one

ℹ️ Note: Availability and product category fields are absent from the non-Shopify settings form because those values are supplied by the uploaded file rather than configured in the platform.

Update Model

Shopify. Product data is pulled from the store on a daily schedule. Changes made in Shopify — pricing, stock, product additions — are reflected in the WhatsApp catalog on the next sync without further action. Use Settings to change configuration or adjust the product exclusion list.

Non-Shopify. The catalog reflects the last successfully imported file. Product changes require uploading a revised file through Upload & Settings; the mapping and validation steps run again on each upload.