Easily turn your static PDF catalog into a shoppable experience by auto-detecting and linking SKUs to the product feed.
Table of contents
Review and adjust interactions in Design Studio
Overview
The SKU-based product detection lets you quickly transform print-ready catalogs into interactive, shoppable digital experiences. By uploading a PDF with visible SKUs and connecting your product feed, Flipsnack automatically detects SKU numbers and overlays interactive shopping areas with enriched product information.
This is especially useful when you want to enhance an existing print catalog without redesigning it from scratch. Once enriched, users can click directly on products to learn more or take action, streamlining the digital shopping journey.
Key benefits
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Time-saving automation: No need to manually add product links for every item
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Easy integration: Connect your existing CSV feed in seconds
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Improved interactivity: Auto-generated shopping areas directly over SKU placements
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Print-to-digital upgrade: Modernize existing catalogs without redoing the layout
Step-by-step guide
PDF with visible SKUs
1. Upload your PDF catalog
Go to your My dashboard in Flipsnack. In the upper-right corner, click the Create button and select Upload PDF.
Then choose your catalog with visible SKUs and wait for the upload to complete. If you don't have a catalog with SKUs, check this part on how to add them with minimal design effort.
2. Link your product CSV feed
You are now on the Customize page of your flipbook. On the left side tab, navigate to Product Detection and then click on the Link feed.
Note: Use one of our editable templates to format SKUs or define clickable zones:
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A pop-up will appear where you can import a new feed or use one of the existing feeds, either upload your CSV file from your device or connect it via Google Drive.
Tip: For easier content updates, we recommend uploading your file to Google Drive.
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Tip: If you've uploaded product feeds to Flipsnack before, you'll see a list of them by scrolling down.
Then, select the appropriate product feed you want to use. If this is your first time linking a feed to this flipbook, the mapping modal will pop up, and the mapping will be applied automatically. .png?width=554&height=612&name=image-mh%20(92).png)
Double-check to ensure you're using the correct product feed for accurate SKU detection. Then, click on the Save changes.
Note: If a feed already exists, a pop-up will appear asking if you want to overwrite it. Regardless of choice, the new feed will not apply until you reselect it manually.
Then, you wait for your product feed to be imported.
3. Detecting the SKUs
Flipsnack can automatically recognize SKU numbers embedded in your uploaded PDF and match them with entries from your connected product feed. When a match is found, an interactive product hotspot is added directly over the corresponding SKU in your flipbook.
When a reader clicks the hotspot, a pop-up modal will appear, displaying the product details you configured in your feed. You can choose to include:
A Shop now button that will add the product to the cart, and proceed with the checkout options you set up. Or a View more button that redirects to the product page on the website.
Important: If you prefer to complete purchases outside of Flipsnack, configure your product URLs in the CSV to point directly to your website’s product or checkout pages.
Custom link areas using SKUs
In Design Studio, you can manually add text elements that contain the exact SKU values from your CSV file. These act as invisible triggers, allowing Flipsnack to detect and link them automatically and giving you more flexibility.
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Open your flipbook in Design Studio
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Add a text box with the correct SKU value
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Resize and position it over the product you want to make clickable
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On the right side, adjust the Opacity to 0.
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Upload your CSV file to map the SKUs and activate the links
Then you go to Customize and proceed with linking your product CSV feed
4. Review and adjust interactions in Design Studio
Open your flipbook in Design Studio. Review the auto-generated shopping areas, and you can add other interactions if needed.
If you’ve made changes to your CSV feed, you can trigger a sync in Design Studio to update the products and everything to be up to date. Learn more in this guide on using synchronization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a product is not detected?
Unmatched SKUs will be skipped, and a notification will appear telling you the number of products that couldn't be linked and giving you details of each one. Double-check that the product exists both in your catalog and in the CSV file, and make sure the SKUs match exactly.
If you add the SKU manually from the Design Studio, it will not work for product linking.
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Can I use this on image-based flipbooks?
No, the feature works only with PDFs, and the SKUs need to be visible.
Is the mapping case-sensitive?
Yes. Ensure your SKUs in the PDF and feed match exactly. Also, if the SKU is added manually from the Design Studio, it will not work for product linking.
Next steps
Learn more about improving your digital catalogs:
- Interactive elements for your flipbooks
- How to sync your product updates
- Generate a catalog in minutes
- Automation in Flipsnack
Need expert support?
Our team is here to help. Connect with our team experts or message us via the in-app chat for personalized assistance.