Contacts and lists
How to keep customer lists current: from CSV to ongoing updates
Repeated file uploads are not the only update method. First clarify each contact's identity, source and who controls updates to each field.
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Separate contacts from lists
A person may be in both a prospects list and an event list. Use one contact with two memberships, not two contacts. Absence from a file does not mean deletion; establish whether the file is a full export or a batch of new records.
Preserve stable source identity
Reuse stable customer IDs from the source system. If an ID's email changes, review the change rather than merging automatically. A same-person decision must not bypass the previous opt-out through a new address. Imports should not silently overwrite manually corrected fields.
Track initial loads and changes separately
After an initial 10,000 contacts, 200 additions and 50 name changes should result in 10,200 unique contacts, not 10,250. This synthetic counting example is not a throughput guarantee. Separate custom-site API/form data from files, and distinguish source-reported completeness from provider verification.
One contact, several lists: an update example
| Source ID | Incoming change | Expected handling |
|---|---|---|
| M-001 | Same contact, another list membership | Keep the contact; add membership |
| M-002 | Name field changed | Check field ownership and manual corrections |
| M-003 | Same ID, different email | Review identity; retain opt-outs if it is the same person |
Common mistakes
- Deleting contacts because they are missing from a file
- Treating imports as new marketing permission
How to approach this in Maptinger
Create a list in Contacts, map your CSV/Excel columns and inspect the import preview. Use stable source customer IDs where available. Start with a small sample to check additions, updates and review items.
Native Shopify/ikas customer synchronization has not passed release acceptance. The custom-site API does not make those connectors ready.
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