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Supplier asset intake SOP

Turn a supplier asset folder into a launch-ready creative kit

Supplier media often arrives with ambiguous filenames, mixed variants, duplicate exports, outdated packaging, unsupported claims, and unclear usage rights. This intake process helps dropshippers convert that delivery into a controlled kit for storefronts, organic content, and paid creative—without accidentally editing the only original or approving a file for uses it has not been cleared for.

By ATIYO editorial system Source and product-claim checks completed

Direct answer

The dropshipping supplier asset checklist

Before an image or video enters production, give it an untouched original, permanent asset ID, confirmed SKU and variant, documented source, receipt date, usage-rights result, technical review, product-accuracy review, claims result, destination-specific approval status, normalized filename, and edit notes. Preserve the supplier delivery first, then work from copies. Keep pending, rejected, and approved media physically or logically separated. If an essential product angle or format is absent, create a specific missing-shot brief instead of asking the supplier for “more content.” An asset is launch-ready only when your team can identify what it shows, who supplied it, where it may be used, what claims it makes, and which exact version should be published.

01

1. Preserve the original supplier delivery

Create a read-only or otherwise protected archive before reviewing the contents. The purpose is to preserve evidence of exactly what the supplier sent and prevent routine production work from destroying the only original.

Save the original ZIP, transfer bundle, email or chat message, delivery date, supplier contact, and any attached license or usage terms together. If the delivery came through an expiring link, download it promptly and record the original link in the intake register. Do not treat the transfer link as your archive.

Use a folder structure that makes status visible: 00-original-delivery, 01-working-files, 02-approved-storefront, 03-approved-paid-media, 04-approved-organic, 05-needs-edit, 06-rejected, and 07-missing-asset-brief. Work only from copies placed outside the original-delivery folder.

Shopify’s file tools allow merchants to save an edited image as a new file rather than replacing the original. That option supports the same preservation principle after media reaches Shopify: retain the source and create a distinct edited version. Shopify file management

  1. Store the complete delivery without renaming its contents.
  2. Record who sent it, when it arrived, and how it was transferred.
  3. Copy files into a working area for inspection.
  4. Restrict publishing workflows to designated approved folders or statuses.

02

2. Build a one-row-per-file intake register

A folder structure controls storage, but an intake register controls decisions. Give every file one row and one permanent asset ID, including duplicates, rejected files, and unidentified media.

Useful fields include asset ID, original filename, supplier, receipt date, product ID, supplier SKU, store SKU, variant, media type, shot type, provenance, usage permission, claims present, review status, intended destination, replacement status, and reviewer notes. Preserve the exact original filename even after creating a normalized production filename.

Separate facts from review conclusions. For example, received from ABC Supplier records the source of delivery; it does not prove that ABC Supplier owns the photograph. Likewise, shows blue product is an observation, while confirmed as SKU-104-BLU is a catalog-matching decision.

When product records already exist in a spreadsheet, use a stable SKU or product ID as the join key. Product names change and may be reused across bundles or generations. The guide to importing data with Excel or CSV can help structure a batch intake around shared identifiers.

  1. Assign a permanent asset ID before renaming the file.
  2. Copy the original filename into the register exactly.
  3. Link the row to a stable product and variant identifier.
  4. Record pending questions instead of filling gaps with assumptions.

03

3. Deduplicate before changing filenames

Run duplicate review while original names and folder locations are still available. Renaming first can erase clues about where alternate exports came from.

Use two passes. First, compare file hashes to find byte-for-byte duplicates. Second, review visually similar files for alternate crops, recompressed exports, removed backgrounds, embedded watermarks, changed text, or slight color adjustments. Two files can look nearly identical while serving different destinations, so visual similarity alone is not a reason to delete one.

Label each candidate MASTER, DERIVATIVE, DUPLICATE, or UNCERTAIN. Select the cleanest, highest-quality, least-altered file as the working master. Retain a derivative when it has a defined purpose, such as a vertical composition, transparent background, localized overlay, or text-safe crop.

Do not delete uncertain files from the preserved supplier delivery. You can exclude them from active production while keeping the audit trail intact.

  1. Identify exact duplicates with hashes.
  2. Group visually similar media for manual comparison.
  3. Select one working master for each underlying shot.
  4. Document why any derivative is being retained.

04

4. Match each asset to its SKU and variant

Do not approve an asset merely because its filename resembles a product title. Confirm the product and variant using multiple visible and catalog-level signals.

Compare shape, measurements, finish, pattern placement, packaging labels, included accessories, model numbers, ports, controls, and supplier catalog references. Where practical, compare the media with a physical sample. This is especially important when suppliers reuse photography across generations or combine multiple colors in one folder.

Use four outcomes: CONFIRMED, PROBABLE, UNMATCHED, and CONFLICTING. A probable match still requires confirmation. An unmatched file has no reliable SKU assignment. A conflicting asset contradicts the catalog, current offer, or sample. Only confirmed media should move into approved folders.

Shopify supports associating product media with variants. An incorrect association can therefore present media that does not represent the option selected by a shopper. Shopify product media

  1. Start with the SKU table, not the supplier folder names.
  2. Check at least two distinguishing product or variant details.
  3. Ask the supplier to resolve probable or conflicting matches.
  4. Quarantine anything that cannot be assigned confidently.

05

5. Verify provenance and usage permission

Receiving a file is not the same as documenting permission to publish, edit, or advertise with it. Record who created the asset, who owns it, and what the supplier is authorized to license.

Photographs are copyright-protected works, and permission is generally needed to use another party’s photograph. The U.S. Copyright Office provides an overview of copyright registration for photographs, but your specific rights depend on the agreement and applicable law. U.S. Copyright Office: Photographs This checklist is an operational control, not legal advice.

Track permission separately for storefront use, organic social, paid advertising, editing, cropping, territories, and term length. Also review creator or model releases, music, stock footage, fonts, graphics, third-party logos, and recognizable products belonging to another brand. Mark undocumented media RIGHTS-UNKNOWN; do not silently convert unknown into approved.

For a TikTok post intended for Spark Ads, retain the account identity, post URL, authorization method, and authorization period. TikTok’s guidance states that Spark Ads use authorized organic posts and that a post caption cannot be edited after authorization. TikTok Spark Ads guide

  1. Identify the creator and rights owner.
  2. Obtain written terms for each intended destination.
  3. Record limitations, territories, and expiration dates.
  4. Keep rights-unknown media out of publishing and ad-production queues.

06

6. Check the actual product shown

A technically polished image can still be unusable when it depicts an obsolete, unavailable, unsafe, or materially different product. Review product accuracy independently from image quality.

Check color, finish, size, proportions, quantity, included components, packaging, labels, controls, plugs, accessories, and model generation. Flag region-specific packaging or plugs when you sell into multiple markets. Watch for accessories shown in the scene that are not included in the offer.

Review demonstrations for impossible or exaggerated results. A visual can imply a performance claim even when no claim appears in text. If the supplier cannot confirm that the product shown matches the item being fulfilled, reject or quarantine the media.

Shopify’s dropshipping compliance guidance advises merchants to assess supplier quality, consider applicable product-safety requirements, and check for recalls in markets where products are sold. Dropshipping does not remove the merchant’s need to evaluate product and legal risks. Shopify dropshipping guidance

  1. Compare the media with the current product record.
  2. Use a sample when visual details cannot be verified remotely.
  3. List anything shown but not included in the purchase.
  4. Reject obsolete or materially inaccurate representations.

07

7. Audit written, spoken, visual, and implied claims

Review every overlay, caption, voice-over, testimonial, comparison, before-and-after sequence, and demonstration. Claims can be communicated through the overall impression of the asset, not only through explicit wording.

Flag claims about health, pain relief, safety, waterproofing, durability, speed, battery life, environmental benefits, certifications, country of origin, superiority, guaranteed outcomes, typical results, shipping, and delivery times. Record the precise claim and where it appears rather than writing a vague note such as check copy.

The FTC’s advertising substantiation policy states that objective advertising claims must have a reasonable basis before dissemination and that both express and implied claims require support. FTC advertising substantiation policy FTC endorsement guidance also addresses honest opinions and disclosure of material relationships. FTC endorsement guidance Requirements vary by product and market, so escalate regulated or uncertain claims for qualified review.

Assign SUPPORTED, SUPPORTED-WITH-QUALIFIER, REMOVE, or LEGAL-OR-COMPLIANCE-REVIEW. Do not assume a small disclaimer will correct a misleading headline, demonstration, or overall impression.

  1. Transcribe spoken and on-screen claims.
  2. Capture implied claims created by demonstrations or edits.
  3. Link supporting evidence to the asset record.
  4. Remove or escalate anything that lacks adequate support.

08

8. Run a destination-aware technical review

Technical approval should answer whether a file works for its intended destination, not whether it merely opens on a reviewer’s computer.

For images, check focus, crop flexibility, plausible color, background edges, readable text, unwanted watermarks, marketplace branding, and exposed confidential information. Confirm that the working master has enough quality for the planned placement before creating smaller derivatives.

For video, play the entire file. Check audio synchronization, captions, missing frames, black frames, baked-in interface elements, safe product use, and whether important text will collide with platform interface areas. Retain clean masters without overlays when possible so future versions are not forced to reuse obsolete claims or branding.

Shopify’s Files area currently accepts JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, and GIF images, with listed image limits of 20 MB and 20 megapixels. It accepts MOV, MP4, and WebM video files, subject to listed limits including 1 GB and 10 minutes. Shopify also lists common aspect ratios including 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, and 1:1. Confirm current requirements before export. Shopify file management Google recommends varied image ratios and horizontal, vertical, and square video assets for Performance Max. Google Ads Performance Max guidance

  1. Define the intended destination before judging technical fitness.
  2. Inspect the full-resolution master, not only a thumbnail.
  3. Review the complete video with sound enabled.
  4. Create derivatives from the approved master and track their relationship.

09

9. Normalize production filenames

Use filenames that identify the product and purpose without requiring someone to open the file. Keep temporary review conversations in the register rather than embedding them in names such as final-final-2.

A practical format is brand_product-sku_variant_shottype_orientation_version_status.ext. For example: brand_LMP-204_sage_demo-closeup_9x16_v03_APPROVED-PAID.mp4. Choose controlled shot types such as hero, detail, scale, packaging, unboxing, demo, lifestyle, comparison, and testimonial.

Use destination-specific status terms such as PENDING, NEEDS-EDIT, APPROVED-STORE, APPROVED-PAID, APPROVED-ORGANIC, REJECTED, and ARCHIVE. Keep the original supplier filename in the intake register so the renamed asset remains traceable.

Shopify advises using unique, descriptive filenames and notes that duplicate names can lead to automatic identifiers. Its file guidance also cautions against placing underscores immediately before image-dimension suffixes. Shopify file management

  1. Choose one naming grammar and document its controlled terms.
  2. Rename only working copies or approved derivatives.
  3. Increment versions instead of overwriting reviewed files.
  4. Preserve the mapping between original and normalized names.

10

10. Separate approval by destination

A single approved label is too broad. An asset may be accurate for a product page while lacking paid-advertising rights, or it may be cleared for organic reposting without creator authorization for an ad format.

Use APPROVED—STOREFRONT, APPROVED—PAID MEDIA, APPROVED—ORGANIC, CONDITIONAL, REJECTED, and ARCHIVED. For paid media, record the platforms and any expiration date. For conditional approval, list the exact required change, the person responsible, and whether another review is required afterward.

Do not let rejected assets remain in the same active folder as approved exports. Separation can be implemented with folders, database statuses, or both, but publishing and production should pull only from explicitly approved records.

When a product refresh requires many replacements, define the approved source set before executing the changes. See updating creatives in bulk for a structured bulk-update workflow.

  1. Assign approval independently for storefront, paid, and organic use.
  2. Record the approving reviewer and decision date.
  3. Move conditional assets into a needs-edit queue.
  4. Prevent rejected or expired media from feeding production.

11

11. Turn missing coverage into shot briefs

The audit is incomplete if it only judges what arrived. Compare the approved set with the shots and formats required to explain and market each product.

Build a matrix covering the clean hero, front and back, sides, variant-specific view, detail or texture, scale, included components, packaging, unboxing, setup, primary demonstration, and problem-solution sequence. For video, check for clean horizontal, vertical, and square-safe compositions as needed. Also identify footage without text and still images with negative space for future overlays.

Write one actionable request per gap. Include the SKU, variant, missing shot, purpose, required action, framing, duration where applicable, prohibited content, deliverables, reference files, and due date. Need more videos is not a usable brief.

For example: SKU LMP-204; Sage variant; vertical demonstration for paid social; show opening, filling, and closing; 9:16 framing with hands and complete product visible; 12–20 seconds; avoid medical claims, third-party logos, and unlicensed music; deliver a clean master and captioned export. When inherited supplier media lacks a consistent visual standard, use migrating an existing brand into ATIYO to centralize the brand context that future briefs should follow.

  1. List required shots by product and destination.
  2. Mark each requirement available, conditional, or missing.
  3. Convert every important gap into a concrete brief.
  4. Attach approved references without asking creators to copy unverified claims.

12

12. Apply the final approval gate and preserve the learning

A launch-ready kit should answer five questions without reopening the original supplier folder: what product and variant is shown, who supplied or created the asset, where it may be used, whether the details and claims are accurate, and which exact version each destination should use.

If any answer is uncertain, keep the asset pending. Launch pressure is not evidence of product accuracy, permission, or claim support. Record the blocker and assign a next action so pending media does not disappear into an unowned folder.

ATIYO can organize the roadmap, brief, brand context, assets, iterations, approval history, and reusable learnings around creative production. That is useful when a supplier replacement, new variant, or revised claim requires the team to understand why an asset was accepted, changed, or rejected.

Media performance remains in the ad platform, and ATIYO preserves creative context and learnings. ATIYO does not connect to ad accounts, buy media, calculate ROAS, or automatically know performance. Record relevant conclusions in ATIYO when you want them available for future briefs and iterations.

  1. Confirm identity, provenance, permission, accuracy, and destination.
  2. Resolve or assign every blocker.
  3. Freeze the approved kit for the launch version.
  4. Carry later creative learnings back into the asset and brief context.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about this workflow

Should I upload supplier images directly to my store?

Not before intake. Preserve the original delivery, identify the correct SKU and variant, verify product accuracy and usage permission, inspect claims, and approve the asset specifically for storefront use. Uploading first makes it easier for ambiguous or obsolete media to enter live product workflows.

Can I use supplier images in paid ads if the supplier sent them to me?

Do not assume that delivery includes paid-media rights. Ask who owns the work and obtain written permission covering advertising, editing, relevant territories, and any expiration date. Also review creator, music, stock, font, and third-party-brand rights.

How should I handle duplicate supplier files?

Keep the untouched delivery intact. Use hashes to find exact duplicates, then manually review visually similar exports. Select a working master and label other files as derivatives, duplicates, or uncertain. Retain a derivative only when it has a defined production purpose.

What if I cannot identify the product variant in an image?

Mark it UNMATCHED or PROBABLE, keep it outside approved folders, and request supplier confirmation. Do not infer the variant solely from a filename or nearby folder.

Does ATIYO measure which supplier creative performs best?

No. Media delivery and performance remain in the ad platform. ATIYO preserves the creative context, briefs, assets, iterations, decisions, and learnings that users choose to record.

What is the minimum approval record?

At minimum, record the asset ID, original filename, SKU, variant, supplier, provenance, rights result, claims result, technical result, destination, status, reviewer, decision date, and any required edits or expiration date.

Primary and official sources

Sources used in this guide

External product facts were checked against the organizations’ own documentation. Features can change; confirm current details before making a purchase or campaign decision.

  1. Shopify Help Center | Uploading and managing files File management, editing behavior, supported formats, listed limits, aspect ratios, and filename guidance.
  2. Shopify Help Center | Product media Product media and variant-media associations.
  3. U.S. Copyright Office | Photographs: Registration Copyright context for photographic works.
  4. TikTok Ads | Spark Ads creation guide Authorized organic posts, identity, authorization, and caption restrictions for Spark Ads.
  5. Shopify Help Center | Dropshipping Supplier quality, product safety, compliance, and recall considerations.
  6. Federal Trade Commission | Advertising Substantiation Policy Support for express and implied objective advertising claims.
  7. Federal Trade Commission | Advertisement Endorsements Endorsement honesty and material-relationship disclosures.
  8. Google Ads Help | Performance Max optimization tips Recommendations for varied image ratios and video orientations.

Move the plan out of scattered sheets

Run the roadmap, briefs, assets, and learnings in ATIYO.

ATIYO keeps the brand context and production decisions connected. It does not buy media, connect to ad accounts, or invent performance results.

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