> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.merchkit.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Working with Categories > Organize your products into a taxonomy using Merchkit's Categories page. Understand category-level attributes and why channel-specific categories matter for Wayfair, Walmart, and other platforms. # Working with Categories Categories are how you organize your product universe. They create a taxonomy—a structured tree of product types—that makes your catalog navigable, searchable, and enrichable. In Merchkit, categories live in the **Catalog** section of the sidebar. They do three things: organize your products, enable channel-specific attributes, and determine how your data flows to marketplaces like Wayfair and Walmart. ## What Categories Do A category is a label that groups products by type. Examples: * **Furniture**: Sofas, Chairs, Tables, Rugs * **Lighting**: Ceiling Lights, Table Lamps, Floor Lamps * **Decor**: Wall Art, Mirrors, Throw Pillows When you assign a product to a category, you're telling Merchkit what kind of product it is. This determines: 1. **Which attributes apply** — A sofa category might require depth, width, and height. A rug category might require pile material and backing type. 2. **Channel requirements** — Wayfair's "306 - Sofa" category expects 30+ attributes. Wayfair's "305 - Chair" category expects a different 30+. Assign the wrong category, and your enrichment won't match the channel's expectations. 3. **Enrichment rules** — Some attributes only make sense for certain product types. Seat height matters for chairs; thread count matters for linens. \[SCREENSHOT: Catalog sidebar showing Categories link] ## Creating and Managing Categories ### Navigate to Categories 1. In the left sidebar, click **Catalog**. 2. Click **Categories**. \[SCREENSHOT: Catalog section with Categories link highlighted] You'll see a list of your existing categories (if any) or a prompt to create your first one. ### Create a Category 1. Click **+ New Category** or **Create Category**. 2. Enter a **category name** (e.g., "Sofas", "Office Chairs", "Area Rugs"). 3. Optionally, set a **parent category** to create a hierarchy. E.g., "Sofas" is a child of "Furniture". \[SCREENSHOT: New Category dialog with name field and parent category dropdown] 4. Click **Create**. Your category now exists. You can edit its name, parent, or add category-level attributes (see below). ### Assign Products to a Category Navigate to your products (usually in a data file or product list view) and assign each product to a category. This can be done: * Manually in the product detail view (click the product, set its category field). * In bulk via CSV import (include a category column). * Programmatically via API (if you're syncing from an external system). Once assigned, a product stays in its category until you move it. You can reassign anytime. ## Category-Level Attributes Categories can have their own **category-level attributes**. These are fields that only apply to products in a specific category. **Example**: The "Sofas" category might have attributes like `seating_capacity` and `arm_style` that don't make sense for "Rugs" or "Lamps." ### How to Add Category Attributes 1. Open a category (click its name in the Categories list). 2. Scroll to **Category Attributes** or **Attributes for this Category**. 3. Click **+ Add Attribute**. 4. Choose or create an attribute (same as the main attribute creation flow). 5. Set it as required or optional for this category. 6. Save. \[SCREENSHOT: Category detail view with Category Attributes section and + Add Attribute button] Now, when you enrich products in this category, these attributes will appear in your enrichment workflow and prompt for data. ### Why Category Attributes Matter Category attributes make your enrichment smarter and more efficient: * **No wasted fields** — You don't create a "thread count" attribute that only applies to linens. Instead, you add it to the "Linens" category. * **Channel alignment** — When syncing to Wayfair, you assign category-level attributes to match Wayfair's category requirements. * **Conditional enrichment** — An AI prompt can reference category attributes, and the prompt only runs for products in that category. ## Categories and Channels This is critical: **different channels require different category structures**. Wayfair, for example, enforces a specific category taxonomy with many categories. Each category has different required attributes: * **306 - Sofa**: Requires seating capacity, arm style, back style, fabric care, dimensions, weight limit. * **305 - Chair**: Requires seat type, back style, arm style, dimensions, weight limit (note: no seating capacity). * **321 - Coffee Table**: Requires table shape, material, dimensions, leg style. If you assign a sofa to category "305 - Chair" in Wayfair, the enrichment workflow will expect the wrong attributes, and your data won't match the channel's requirements. ### Category-Specific Views When you open a **channel view** (e.g., "Wayfair Export" view), you'll see a **category selector dropdown** at the top. This dropdown shows only the categories relevant to that channel. \[SCREENSHOT: Channel view with category dropdown showing "306 - Sofa", "305 - Chair", "321 - Coffee Table", etc.] Selecting a category filters the product list to show only products in that category for this channel. This lets you enrich each category separately, ensuring all attributes are filled before sync. ## Best Practices **1. Match your primary channel's taxonomy first** If Wayfair is your biggest channel, start with Wayfair's category structure. This makes category management simpler and reduces reassignments. **2. Keep your hierarchy shallow** A deep tree (e.g., Home > Furniture > Living Room > Seating > Sofas > Sectionals) is hard to navigate. Instead, use 2–3 levels: ``` Furniture ├── Sofas ├── Chairs └── Tables Lighting ├── Ceiling Lights ├── Table Lamps └── Floor Lamps ``` **3. Be consistent with naming** Use singular or plural consistently. "Sofas" and "Chairs", not "Sofas" and "Chair". Use clear, searchable names: "Area Rugs" not "Rugs" (which could mean bath rugs, door rugs, etc.). **4. Audit category assignments regularly** Every few months, check that products are in the right category. A sofa assigned to "Chairs" will get the wrong enrichment. Use bulk export or API queries to spot misassignments. **5. Align category attributes with channel requirements** Before syncing to a new channel, review that channel's category attribute requirements. Add missing attributes to your categories so enrichment is complete. ## Common Questions **Q: Can a product be in multiple categories?** In most Merchkit setups, a product is in one primary category. Some channels allow secondary categories for broader discoverability, but primary category is what drives attribute expectations. **Q: What if I'm selling to multiple channels with different taxonomies?** Create a unified internal taxonomy first. Then, in each channel's configuration, map your internal categories to the channel's categories. For example: * Internal: "Sofas" * Maps to Wayfair: "306 - Sofa" * Maps to Walmart: "Living Room Sofas" **Q: Do I have to use categories?** Categories are optional for internal enrichment, but mandatory for channels like Wayfair. If you're not syncing to a channel, you can skip categories and manage attributes globally. But it's still recommended for organization and scalability. **Q: Can I change a product's category?** Yes, anytime. Click the product and change its category field. Note: If the new category has different required attributes, you may need to re-run enrichment to fill those fields. ## Next Step Your catalog is organized, and categories are set up. Now it's time to run enrichment. Head to **4. Running Your First Enrichment** to learn how to execute an enrichment job, monitor its progress, and review the enriched data before syncing to your channels.