What is the Mergado Drive Extension?#

Mergado Drive is an extension that connects data feeds available via FTP or from local computers to Mergado Editor. Its main purpose is to convert otherwise inaccessible data (such as files on a local drive or a supplier’s secured server) into a public URL that is available 24/7 and can be processed by Mergado Editor or other tools (such as Blending Bull).

The extension is ideal for:

Online stores whose suppliers provide data exclusively via FTP.
Online store owners who manage product data offline in spreadsheet applications such as Excel or LibreOffice.
Agencies that help online stores connect supplier data.
Anyone who needs to ensure continuous data availability without the assistance of a developer.

Pricing and Billing#

The price of the extension is:

EUR 11 per month with monthly billing,
EUR 8.80 per month with annual billing.

The price is set for one online store (in Mergado) and is fixed, regardless of the total number of storage spaces or importers (URLs) created.

Due to the technical dependency, the extension is billed in accordance with the billing frequency selected in Mergado Editor. Different billing frequencies cannot be chosen for individual services.

The Mergado Drive extension has a 30-day free trial.

Storage – A location on an internet server where your files are stored.
Internal storage – Space directly on the Mergado Drive server (ftp.mergadodrive.com), where you or your supplier can upload data.
External storage – A remote server (e.g. a supplier’s server) from which Mergado Drive regularly downloads data.
Importer – An automated function that takes a file from a storage location and makes it available at a public URL for further processing.
Scheduler – A tool within the importer that allows you to set exact times and days of the week for data updates.

What You Need to Activate Mergado Drive#

An active Mergado Editor account.

Main Features#

Making FTP feeds available at a public URL – Downloads data from the supplier’s FTP and converts it into a URL.
Your own FTP space – Provides internal storage for uploading feeds, which are then made available online.
Support for multiple protocols – Supports standard FTP, secure SFTP (for external storage) and FTPS, as well as downloading from secured URLs protected by Basic Auth.
Automatic updates – Data is regularly downloaded and refreshed according to the configured schedule.
Custom synchronisation scheduler – Choose specific days and times to trigger an import — useful in situations where supplier data is only available at certain times.
Wide format support – Processes CSV, XML, as well as ZIP archives (if they contain feeds) and other file types.
History and logging – An overview of data processing with filtering options for easier lookup.

How to Activate Mergado Drive#

Activate the extension in Mergado Store: I want to activate → select the online store you want to enable the extension for → Enable.

After activation, go to the extension, where you will see three main pages — Storage, Importers, and History.

The first essential step is creating a storage space. Then create an importer to make the data from the storage available at a URL.

Working in Mergado Drive#

How to Create a New Storage Space#

In Mergado Drive, you can work with two types of storage:

Internal storage (for uploading data to your space)

Used in situations where someone (you or a supplier) needs to upload data to your server.

a. On the Storage page, click Create storage.
b. Select the Internal type, enter a Name, and save.
c. The FTP server credentials (host ftp.mergadodrive.com) will appear in the storage overview on the Storage page (username and password).

External storage (for downloading data from a supplier’s storage)

Located on an external server — Mergado Drive regularly downloads data from it.

a. On the Storage page, select Create storage.
b. Select the External FTP, External SFTP, External FTPS, or Secured URL type (for basic access authentication) and enter a Name.
c. Fill in the access credentials provided by the data provider (host, username, password, and optionally port) and save.

The number of storage spaces and file sizes are not currently limited, but we recommend using them efficiently and uploading only safe content.

How to Create a New Importer#

Once you have a storage space set up, you can configure an importer that makes the data available at a URL for further processing (e.g. in Mergado Editor or Blending Bull).

On the Importers page, click Create importer.
Select the relevant storage space.
Enter the Name of the importer, which will appear in the list of importers on the Importers page.
Enter the File path — the path must start with a forward slash, e.g. /data.csv or /directory/subdirectory/file.xml.
In the Synchronisation scheduler section, set how often or at what specific times the data should be updated.
After saving and processing, you will receive a public URL that you can use as an input feed in Mergado Editor. The URL can be found in the importer list on the Importers page.

Do not share the created URL publicly, as anyone who knows this address can access the file.

Connecting to a Local Computer#

You can upload data from your computer to Mergado Drive using standard tools, allowing your offline feed to be available non-stop — even when your computer is switched off.

Windows File Explorer#

Create a new internal storage space in Mergado Drive.
On your computer, in the This PC folder, click Add a network location.
In the Internet or network address field, enter ftp://ftp.mergadodrive.com.
Then enter the username from the internal storage administration in Mergado Drive.
Enter any connection name you like.
Complete the setup wizard.
When you first log in to FTP, enter the password from the internal storage administration in Mergado Drive.
The new location should appear in the Windows File Explorer sidebar.

Total Commander#

Create a new internal storage space in Mergado Drive. In Total Commander, create a new FTP server connection, fill in the required details — host and port number (e.g. ftp.mergadodrive.com:21), username and password — which you can find in the internal storage administration in Mergado Drive, and save.

LibreOffice#

Create a new internal storage space in Mergado Drive.
In LibreOffice, click File → Open remote in the menu.
In the Remote files window, click Manage services → Add services.
Fill in the form with the required details from the internal storage administration in Mergado Drive.
The first version of the document must be uploaded to Mergado Drive via an FTP client (e.g. Total Commander).
The files will then appear in File → Open remote.

Working with History and Monitoring Status#

In the extension, you will find the History page, which serves as an overview of all completed actions.

Status monitoring — In the history, you can check exactly when each importer was triggered and whether it completed successfully (i.e. whether data was successfully downloaded from the storage and made available at the URL).
Using filters — For easier navigation, especially if you manage a larger number of importers, you can use filtering. Filters allow you to quickly find specific records and look up information about processing history.
Diagnostics — Helps identify supplier server outages, which can be addressed by adjusting the scheduler to a time when the data is available.

FAQ#

What is Mergado Drive and what is it used for?#

Mergado Drive is an extension that makes data feeds from FTP or your local computer available to Mergado Editor. Simply put, it converts data that is otherwise inaccessible online into a public URL that Mergado Editor can download and process at any time.

Who is Mergado Drive designed for?#

Primarily for online store owners whose suppliers send product feeds via FTP, and for those who manage their product data offline on their own computer. It is also suitable for agencies that help online stores connect supplier data.

Do I need to be a developer to set up Mergado Drive?#

No. The extension is designed so that anyone can set it up on their own, without technical knowledge or the help of a developer. Just a few clicks.

Do I need my own FTP server to use Mergado Drive?#

No. Mergado Drive creates your own internal FTP storage on its servers. However, if you already have an FTP server, Mergado Drive can also connect to it.

How much does Mergado Drive cost?#

With monthly billing, the price is 286 CZK per month. With annual billing, it is 228.80 CZK per month.

Can I try Mergado Drive for free first?#

Yes, the extension has a 30-day free trial. If you deactivate it during that period, you will not be charged.

What protocols does Mergado Drive support?#

It supports internal FTP (Mergado Drive’s own storage), external FTP, external SFTP, external FTPS, and secured URLs protected by Basic Access Authentication.

Can I use Mergado Drive to download feeds that are not available non-stop?#

Yes, that is exactly what the custom synchronisation scheduler is for. Set specific days of the week and times for Drive to download the data — this reliably covers situations where feeds are only available at the supplier at certain times.

How often is the downloaded data updated?#

This depends on how you configure the data update scheduler in the importer. You can choose any combination of days of the week and times, so you can adjust the update frequency to your needs.

What file formats does Mergado Drive support?#

Data feeds in CSV and XML formats are primarily supported. ZIP archives and other file types are also supported.

Are only data feeds transferred, or also images and other files?#

Mergado Drive is built primarily for data feeds (CSV, XML, etc.). Transferring images and other files may cause issues. If you need to transfer them, we recommend contacting Mergado support.

Is there a limit on the number of storage spaces or file sizes?#

Currently, neither the number of storage spaces nor the file sizes are limited.

Can someone else access my data in Mergado Drive?#

Data in the storage is secured. However, each importer generates a public URL and anyone who knows this address can access the files. Therefore, only share the URL with tools and people you trust — do not share it publicly.

How do I upload data from my computer to Mergado Drive if I do not have an FTP client?#

On Windows, you can do this directly through File Explorer, which natively supports FTP connections. No additional software required.

What tools can I use to upload data to Mergado Drive?#

Windows File Explorer, Total Commander, LibreOffice (via the Open remote function), or any other FTP client that works with the FTP protocol.

Where do I find the access credentials for the internal FTP storage?#

In the Mergado Drive administration on the Storage page. After creating an internal storage space, the username and password will be displayed there.

Where do I find the URL of a created importer?#

On the Importers page in the Mergado Drive administration, next to the specific importer in the list of all your importers.

How do I know if the importer ran correctly and downloaded the data?#

On the History page, you can see an overview of all completed actions — when each importer was triggered and whether the download completed successfully.