Manual For Icecat CSV & Excel

Version: 2.0. (Updated on September 20th, 2025)

This manual is a guide for using the Icecat CSV API. The API provides product information in a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) tabular view. Additionally, it offers a Personal Catalog File in Excel (XLSX) format, which is created based on a user’s product list and contains one or more products.

CSV API

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple and widely used file format for storing tabular data. Each row in a CSV file represents a single data record, and each record’s fields are separated by commas. It’s lightweight, human-readable, and ideal for transferring structured data between systems or applications.

Schema

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=<LANG>&prod_id=<PRODUCT_CODE>&vendor=<BRAND>&output=<OUTPUT>

Domain

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?

💡It uses the same domain as the XML API!

Product Identifier Params

As in other Icecat API, you can fetch the product datasheet using different product Identifiers: Product code, Brand, GTIN, and Icecat ID. Below is a detailed overview with examples:

prod_id + vendor – guarantees that you will fetch the correct product, since the product code is always unique within a brand (vendor).

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&prod_id=E6506EU4&vendor=Hasbro&output=productcsv

ean_upc – GTIN, EAN, or UPC. These are numerical product codes. While ean_upc Codes are unique within Icecat; brands may sometimes reuse them for different products.

For example, Icecat Editor’s team may reassign GTINs to different products according to instructions and information provided by the brand.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&ean_upc=5010993602285&output=productcsv

icecat_id – the unique internal Icecat ID for the product. It is also a part of each Path from the Index File: https://data.icecat.biz/export/level4/FR/15705572.xml, where 15705572 is an icecat_id.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&icecat_id=80415129&output=productcsv

💡Unlike JSON and XML, the CSV API allows you to fetch many products with one request.

Example of the CSV request with >1 product. The icecat_ids should be comma-separated. ⚠️Remember to URL-encode commas , as %2C.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&icecat_id=80415129%2C80415306&output=richproductcsv

cat – (category) parameter is optional but useful. It helps ensure that the product matches the category you requested. You should use the Category ID, not the name. You can get the Category ID from category.txt.utf8.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&ean_upc=5010993602285&output=productcsv&cat=3954

Response Control Parameters

lang – Language short code in Icecat from the Language Code Table. For automation, we provide LanguageList.xml

output – either productcsv or richproductcsv

• productcsv – regular CSV file with everything about a product
• richproductcsv – CSV with rich media only: ****Multimedia, Gallery, Descriptions.

The difference between columns is shown in detail in the section Product CSV and Personal Catalog File Content.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&icecat_id=80415129&output=richproductcsv

wide_features_format – the same setting as for Generate Personal Catalog File with Feature names as headers. If true , Feature Names are provided in headers, if false – in cells. See the Specs section.

https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&icecat_id=80415129&output=productcsv&wide_features_format=true

Authentification

Basic

Your username and password on Icecat, send it as Basic Auth parameters. Also requires a whitelisted IP for Full Icecat Products.

wget --http-user=<USERNAME> --ask-password --continue \\
https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&icecat_id=80415129&output=productcsv

api_token

A dynamic alphanumeric token that you can add, delete, and revoke as frequently as you need.

❗You need to pass it as a header, not as a parameter.

wget --http-user=USERNAME --ask-password --continue \\
--header 'api-token: MY_API_TOKEN' \\
https://data.icecat.biz/xml_s3/xml_server3.cgi?lang=EN&ean_upc=5010993602285&output=productcsv

To generate, retrieve, and manage them, follow MyIcecat → Access Tokens:

api-token – token that grants you access to the product or Personal File. With this token, anyone could access everything you could, so keep them secret.

🔍 Read more: Access Tokens as an Alternative to IP Whitelists and app_key

Personal Catalog (Excel)

Personal Catalog is a feature that receives your catalog, then uses the CSV API to fetch the product data and pack it in convenient Excel spreadsheet. When you use the Personal Catalog, the columns you see are the exact same ones you’d get if you used our CSV API. It’s an easy way to get your product data without any coding.

Quick start

1. Upload your catalog to icecat.biz
2. Map the column names with Icecat Identifiers
3. After the import is processed, you are redirected to the Import/Export tab.

How to get?

You can get the CSV or Excel data for a whole catalogue in a few clicks on the Import/Export page!

Formats: CSV and Excel. Note that a CSV file with >1 million rows cannot be shown in full in a single Excel sheet.

Language: The languages you are subscribed to are displayed here.

Generate Personal Catalog File with Feature names as headers – allows you to control the view of the features. The same as the wide_features_format parameter, check the Specs section.

Product CSV and Personal Catalog File Content

The Personal Catalog and CSV API responses are nearly identical because the Personal Catalog uses the CSV API. Consequently, the data in a specific column for a product in the CSV response is the same as the data in the corresponding column for that product in the Personal Catalog.

This section provides a detailed breakdown of each column found in both the CSV API and the Personal Catalog.

The table below shows which columns are displayed in different formats.

Your Product Identifiers (Requested_*)

These columns return the identifiers used in your product feed or CSV request. They include only the data from your feed or request.

For example, if you used only an Icecat ID, then only the Requested_Icecat_id column will be populated, as shown in the example.

Icecat Product Identifiers

Supplier (Brand), Prod_id (Product Code), Icecat ID, and GTIN are explained in detail in the Product Identifiers section.

Category

Bottom-level category name and ID for the product.

Read more about Categories in the 🔍 Reference Files manual

Your product ID

❗Exists only in Personal Catalog File

Your personal ID that you matched up on icecat.biz.

Product Family & Series

Some Brands categorize their products into Families and Series.

An example is Apple iPod Touch, where: Apple – Brand Name iPod – ProductFamily Touch – Product Series.

Read more about ProductFamilies in the 🔍 Reference Files manual

Model

A model is a short description of the product provided by the Brand for a selected locale.

ProductTitle

There are two types of Product Titles in Icecat:

1. GeneratedTitle — prioritized title. Uses pattern: Brand (+ Family + Series) + ProductName.
2. BrandLocalTitle — backup title. Uses pattern Brand (+ Family + Series) + Selected Features. This title is used only when ProductName is not available for the selected locale.

ProductTitle shows the highest-priority title, usually GeneratedTitle for the requested language.

Updated

Timestamp when the product was last updated in the format YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS.

Quality

The quality of the product. May be one of two values:

SUPPLIER – only the original product data as imported from a brand’s Content Management System, not yet reviewed and enriched by our Editorial and QA teams.

ICECAT – data sheet is standardized and reviewed by our Editorial and QA teams.

On_Market

Boolean value, 1 means TRUE, 0 means FALSE. The product is considered On Market (On_Market == 1) if one of Icecat’s distributor partners informs us that they distribute this product in a certain country.

Product_Views

A number shows how many times the product datasheet was fetched by our partners. You can rank the product by popularity using this metric.

Main Image

The Main image of the product, the first asset the user will see on the product page.

Main image provided in 5 formats:

❗All partners must download the images and store them on their servers. Our links may be IP-restricted and hence unavailable to your clients.
We reserve the right to change the structure of links to optimize content storage and delivery.

ProductGallery

ProductGallery includes links to HighPics, separated by pipes (|).

ProductGallery Resolution keeps the same order and structure, and shows the resolution of the picture in the format <Height>x<Width>

ProductGallery ExpirationDate also keeps the order and structure, and shows the Date when the Image disappears from the product; usually it is used for pictures with a promo for a limited period. Format: DD-MM-YYYY

Multimedia

The types are explained here: 🔍 Multimedia Assets and Documents Overview

Categorized PDF Multimedia

Folder PDF = Product Leaflet

Folder Manual PDF = Product Manual

🇪🇺 EU Energy Label

🇪🇺 EU Product Fiche

Other PDF Multimedia

PDF includes:

1. 🇪🇺 EU Declaration of conformity
2. 🇬🇧 UK Declaration of Conformity
3. Quick Start Guide
4. Durability Index
5. 🇪🇺 CE Marking
6. Carbon Footprint
7. Safety Information
8. …All other uncategorized PDFs.

Other Multimedia

Other Multimedia Includes:

1. ProductStory / ProductStory2.0
2. Size Chart
3. Repairability index overview
4. 🇬🇧 UK Energy Label
5. Safety Data Sheet

Video Multimedia

Links to video multimedia objects. There is a wide variety of possible video types: lifestyle video, video manual, promo, trailer, and many more.

360 View Multimedia

EPREL ID

EPREL (European Product Database for Energy Labelling) is an official EU database where manufacturers and suppliers must register energy-related products sold in the EU and Northern Ireland.

🔍 What is EPREL?

Use the EPREL ID to search for the product on the EPREL public website.

SummaryDescriptions

ShortSummaryDescription – Automatically generated Short summary description based on general data and key Features.

LongSummaryDescription – Automatically generated Long summary description based on general data and key Features.

SEO

SEO Title – meta title for the page, displayed as the clickable headline in search results and at the top of the browser tab.

SEO Description – meta description used by search engines to summarize the content of the page. It often appears below the clickable title in search results.

SEO Keywords – used to define relevant keywords for the content of the page.

Descriptions

LongDesc, ShortDesc, Short Marketing Text – marketing information for the product in different sizes. Uses promo materials from the brand’s website.

💡LongDesc is longer than Short Marketing Text. Short Marketing Text is longer than ShortDesc

You should format these descriptions as HTML text. You may encounter the following tags: <sup>,<br>, <b>, <p>. May also contain footnotes [1], which are explained in the Disclaimer section.

ReasonsToBuy

Additional visual marketing information in the form of the product key advantages with pictures. There are two types (Origins) of ReasonToBuy:

Original Reason To Buy – marketing information provided by the brand, may include text and pictures.

FeatureLogo Reason To Buy – some feature logos may be used as marketing information, for instance, Certificates.

Bullet Points

BulletPoints are key product details provided by the brand that they want to highlight. They can be creative and engaging – for example, the BulletPoints for LEGO products are particularly well-crafted.

Variant

Product Variant – is a product that is the same as the original product but differs in one or two parameters. For instance, a yellow iPhone is a variant of a silver iPhone.

Specs / Features

❌ false wide_features_format

Also, for Generate Personal Catalog File with Feature names as headers = false .

💡FeatureGroups’ names are also provided. They are easy to spot as they don’t have :

✅ true wide_features_format

💡FeatureGroups are not provided in a wide features format.

Also, for Generate Personal Catalog File with Feature names as headers = true .

In both formats, the values are provided for the requested lang.

ErrorMessage

If there is an error, its message will be displayed in this column.

You are not allowed to access a Full Icecat repository with a free Open Icecat account…

You are trying to use an account without a Full Icecat subscription to get the product from the paid catalog. Consider subscribing to Full Icecat; your account manager will gladly assist you.

Language does not exist

You entered a language code that does not exist in Icecat. Check the Language table and update your request accordingly.

User has not access to this language (access repository)

This error happens if you are trying to get the product for a language you are not subscribed to.

You can manage your languages on the My Icecat page

You are not allowed to access a current user vertical…

The error happens if you are requesting a product that belongs to a vertical (top-level category) you are not subscribed to.

To clarify the exact vertical you need a subscription to, please send the product identifiers to the account managers.

You can manage your verticals on the My Icecat page:

Product data-sheet is not public…

This is an umbrella error; generally, it means that despite the product existing in the Icecat database, the brand applied additional restrictions.

To clarify the exact reason, please send the product to the account manager.

You are not assigned to this brand…

The product you are trying to fetch belongs to the brand that requires you to be its authorized reseller.

❗Even free Open brands sometimes require brand authorizations.

You can manage your brand authorizations on the My Icecat page:

Products datasheet is not yet released

Sometimes, the products are available only after a certain date. A famous example is Apple, which releases certain devices after a presentation.

Therefore, for example new iPhone datasheet will be described before this date, but will become publicly available only after the release date.

Product data-sheet is not public, publish date is not coming yet

Another way for brands to restrict users. This means that at the moment the product is not published for a certain locale.

It can be because the product is not distributed on certain markets or the Publish date for the product in certain market did not come yet.

The common example is the Southeast Asia region, which has a lot of products unavailable for other markets.

💡Authorized resellers can view any brand’s product, regardless of the Release Date and Publish Date.

The requested XML data-sheet is not described in the Icecat database

The product does not exist in the Icecat database. Feel free to contact your account manager and ask whether it can be described.

Other Integration Methods

If you are interested in pretty HTML datasheets, we provide Icecat Live.

If you want to have full control over the data, it is also provided in XML and JSON.

🔍 Read more:

📖 Manual for Icecat Live
📖 Manual for XML
📖 Manual for JSON
📖 Full Overview of Methods and Manuals
📖 Add-On page for popular platforms

For Brand Owners: 📖 Push-API 📖 Free Vendor Central