SKU Link Builder Documentation

Create instant product links, cart links, and image embeds using your product SKUs. No theme code changes required. Works with any marketing channel, email campaign, or external system.

What is SKU Link Builder?

SKU Link Builder is a Shopify app that creates dynamic URLs for your products based on their SKU codes. Instead of using product handles that can change, you use permanent SKU-based URLs that always redirect to the correct product.

Key Benefits

Permanent Links: SKU-based URLs never break, even if you change product titles or handles
No Theme Code: Works out of the box with Shopify's App Proxy feature
Multiple Link Types: Product pages, direct cart, images, and bulk API
Usage Tracking: Monitor how your links are performing

Installation

After installing the app from the Shopify App Store, SKU Link Builder automatically configures itself. No additional setup is required to start using the basic link types.

✓ Ready to Use

Once installed, your SKU links are immediately available at your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler

Link Types

SKU Link Builder supports four different link types, each designed for specific use cases.

Type	Description	Best For
Product Link	Redirects to product page	Emails, catalogs, social media
Cart Link	Adds item directly to cart	Quick purchase flows
Image Link	Returns product image URL	Email embeds, PDFs
Quick Order API	Bulk SKU lookup	B2B ordering, integrations

1. Product Link (SKU → Product Page)

Redirects visitors directly to the product page for a given SKU. Perfect for email campaigns, printed catalogs, and any scenario where you need a reliable link to a product.

URL PatternGET

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler?sku=YOUR-SKU

Example

Product Link Example

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler?sku=ABC-123

→ Redirects to: /products/blue-widget?variant=12345678

2. Cart Link (SKU → Direct to Cart)

Adds the product directly to the cart with a specified quantity. Skips the product page entirely, which is great for reorder links, upsells, and quick-add scenarios.

URL PatternGET

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler?sku=YOUR-SKU&qty=QUANTITY

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`sku`	Yes	The product SKU code
`qty`	Yes (for cart)	Quantity to add (must be ≥ 1)

Example

Add 2 items to cart

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler?sku=ABC-123&qty=2

→ Redirects to: /cart/12345678:2

💡 Minimum Quantity

If you've configured a minimum quantity metafield for a product, the app will automatically enforce it. For example, if min qty is 5 but you request qty=2, the cart will receive 5 items.

3. Image Link (SKU → Product Image)

Returns the product image URL for a given SKU. Perfect for embedding in emails, PDFs, or external websites where you need the current product image.

URL PatternGET

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler/media?sku=YOUR-SKU

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`sku`	Yes	The product SKU code
`position`	No	Image position (1 = first, 2 = second, etc.). Default: 1

Example

Get the second product image

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler/media?sku=ABC-123&position=2

→ Redirects to: https://cdn.shopify.com/.../product-image-2.jpg

⚠️ Important

Image links redirect to the CDN URL. For email embeds, use this URL in an <img src="..."> tag. The image will always show the current product photo.

Quick Order API

The Quick Order API allows you to look up multiple SKUs at once and get their Shopify variant IDs. This is ideal for B2B ordering systems, ERP integrations, and custom cart builders.

EndpointPOST

https://your-store.myshopify.com/tools/sku-handler?action=quick-order

Request Format

JSON Request Body

{
  "items": [
    { "sku": "ABC-123", "qty": 2 },
    { "sku": "DEF-456", "qty": 5 },
    { "sku": "GHI-789", "qty": 1 }
  ]
}

Response Format

JSON Response

{
  "results": [
    { "sku": "ABC-123", "variant_id": "12345678", "qty": 2 },
    { "sku": "DEF-456", "variant_id": "23456789", "qty": 5 },
    { "sku": "GHI-789", "error": "Variant not found" }
  ]
}

Using with Shopify's Cart

Once you have the variant IDs, you can add them to the cart using Shopify's /cart/add.js API:

JavaScript Example

// Step 1: Get variant IDs from SKUs
const response = await fetch('/tools/sku-handler?action=quick-order', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    items: [
      { sku: 'ABC-123', qty: 2 },
      { sku: 'DEF-456', qty: 1 }
    ]
  })
});
const data = await response.json();

// Step 2: Add to cart
const cartItems = data.results
  .filter(item => item.variant_id)
  .map(item => ({ id: item.variant_id, quantity: item.qty }));

await fetch('/cart/add.js', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({ items: cartItems })
});

Error Responses

Status Code	Error	Description
400	Missing items	Request body is empty or has no items array
429	Usage limit reached	Monthly request limit exceeded. Upgrade to continue.
500	Server Error	Internal error. Contact support if persists.

Pricing & Plans

SKU Link Builder offers flexible pricing to fit stores of all sizes. All plans include access to all link types and features.

Free

Forever free

50 requests/month
All link types included
Quick Order API access
Usage dashboard

Basic

per month

1,000 requests/month
All link types included
Quick Order API access
Usage dashboard
Email alerts at 80% usage

Premium

per month

Unlimited requests
All link types included
Quick Order API access
Usage dashboard
Priority support

💡 How Requests Are Counted

Each SKU lookup counts as one request. For the Quick Order API, each SKU in the items array counts as one request. Requests reset on your billing cycle date each month.

Settings

Configure SKU Link Builder to work with your specific setup.

Minimum Quantity Metafield

If your products have minimum order quantities, you can configure SKU Link Builder to read them from a variant metafield. When a cart link is created with a quantity lower than the minimum, the app will automatically adjust to the minimum.

Setting	Default	Description
Metafield Namespace	`custom`	The namespace of your min quantity metafield
Metafield Key	`min_qty`	The key of your min quantity metafield

To use this feature, create a variant metafield in Shopify Admin with your specified namespace and key, then enter an integer value for the minimum quantity.

Usage Dashboard

Monitor your monthly usage from the app dashboard. You can see:

Current month's request count
Your plan limit
Days until reset
Usage history

Troubleshooting

Error: "SKU not found"

This error occurs when the app cannot find a product with the specified SKU. Check that:

The SKU is spelled correctly (SKUs are case-insensitive)
The product exists and is set to "Active" status
The SKU is assigned to a variant, not just the product

Error: "Usage limit reached"

You've exceeded your monthly request limit. You can:

Wait until your billing cycle resets
Upgrade to a higher plan for more requests
Upgrade to Premium for unlimited requests

Product shows wrong variant

If you have the same SKU on multiple variants (not recommended), the app finds the first match. Each variant should have a unique SKU for reliable results.

Links return 404 or don't work

Make sure you're using the correct URL format:

Use your .myshopify.com domain, not a custom domain
The path should be /tools/sku-handler, not /apps/
Check that the app is still installed on your store

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a custom domain for my links?

SKU Link Builder uses Shopify's App Proxy which works with your .myshopify.com domain. Custom domains are not directly supported, but Shopify automatically routes requests from your custom domain to the app when accessed via /tools/sku-handler.

When does my usage reset?

Your usage resets on your billing cycle date. For free users, this is typically the 1st of each month. For paid users, it's the anniversary of your subscription start date.

Do draft or archived products work?

No. SKU Link Builder only finds products with "Active" status. Draft and archived products will return "SKU not found" to prevent linking to unavailable items.

Can I track which links are clicked?

Yes! The app dashboard shows your usage statistics including request counts. For more detailed analytics (like which SKUs are most popular), check the usage logs in your app settings.

Is there an API rate limit?

Beyond your monthly request quota, there's no separate rate limiting. However, Shopify's general API limits apply. For very high-volume usage, consider spreading requests over time.

What happens if I uninstall the app?

All your SKU links will stop working immediately upon uninstallation. If you reinstall, they will work again. Consider this before uninstalling if you have links in printed materials.

Need more help? Contact us through the Shopify App Store listing.