Introduction
This article explains how product descriptions are synchronized from TRAEDE to Shopify. You will learn how HTML formatting is handled, what limitations exist, and how to enable or disable description sync depending on your workflow. This guide is helpful for anyone managing product content across multiple Shopify stores through TRAEDE.
How product description synchronization works
Description field in TRAEDE
In TRAEDE, each product has a product description field.
This content is synchronized directly into the product description field in Shopify.
Text content synchronizes normally
Basic HTML (bold, italics, line breaks, lists) is usually supported
Example:
If your description contains bold text, Shopify will typically display it correctly after synchronization.
HTML and rich content limitations
TRADE supports HTML formatting, but Shopify may not always translate advanced markup correctly.
Examples:
Embedded videos
Complex formatting
Custom HTML structures
In the example shown in the video, a video embedded in the TRAEDE description did not appear in Shopify after syncing. This can happen with advanced or non-standard HTML content.
If your descriptions contain complex layouts, embeds, or scripts, results may vary after synchronization.
Managing descriptions in TRAEDE vs. Shopify
By default, TRAEDE controls and overwrites the product description in Shopify.
This means:
If the description is filled in TRAEDE → Shopify will receive the same description
If the description is empty in TRAEDE → Shopify will also become empty after sync
If you want to manage descriptions directly in Shopify, you can disable the sync.
How to disable description synchronization
Go to App store in TRAEDE.
Open your Shopify integration.
Toggle off Sync product descriptions.
When disabled:
TRAEDE will no longer send description updates to Shopify.
You must maintain all descriptions directly in Shopify.
This is useful if:
Your Shopify store uses a complex theme
You embed media or custom HTML in descriptions
You prefer managing content inside Shopify only
Benefits of managing descriptions in TRAEDE
TRAEDE provides several advantages when keeping descriptions centralized:
Single source of truth for product information
Ability to synchronize descriptions across multiple Shopify stores
Support for translations (see the “Product translations” video)
Easier long-term maintenance for teams
If your descriptions are simple to moderately complex, using TRAEDE as the central system is usually the best choice.