If you’re looking to simplify your Shopify store’s layout, adding categories is the way to go. It takes only three minutes to get organized, improve user experience, and make it easier for shoppers to access your products. With this quick and straightforward guide, you’ll have all the steps to add categories effectively, no matter your skill level. Let’s get started!

What Is a Category?

The category is normally known as one of the highest classes for grouping objects based on similarity or defined criteria.

Shopify offers two main categories: web category and product category. Each type serves a unique purpose in managing your store’s layout and user experience.

Feature	Web category	Product category
Definition	Grouping of related web pages, like blogs or FAQs	Grouping of products based on common traits
Purpose	Organizes content for better site navigation	Helps customers filter and find products easily
Usage	Used for structuring website pages	Applied to product collections in the store
Impact on SEO	Improves content visibility	Boosts product discoverability
Example	Blog categories, help pages	Apparel, electronics, seasonal collections

How To Add a Category in Shopify: A Detailed Guide  

How to Add Product Categories in Shopify

Adding categories in Shopify is essential to organizing your products for better navigation. Shopify offers two main ways to add categories to Shopify: manually when adding new products or by importing product information using a CSV file.

Method 1: Adding Product Categories When Adding New Products

This method is ideal for adding individual products to your store. Here are the steps:

• Step 1: Log in to Shopify and navigate the Products section from the left-hand menu > Click “Add product.”

• Step 2: Enter the product details, such as the Title, Description, and upload relevant images in the Media section.

• Step 3: In the Category field under Product Organization, select a category suggested by Shopify or search for the appropriate category.

• Step 4: Set pricing by entering the product price, compare-at price (if needed), and cost per item.

• Step 5: Enable Inventory tracking and enter the stock quantity and location.
• Step 6: Configure Shipping details, including product weight and shipping options.
• Step 7: Click Save to finalize the new product and its category.

Tip: Be careful when selecting the product category, as it can affect how Shopify manages taxes and organizes your product in the store.

Method 2: Adding Product Categories Using a CSV File

If you need to add categories for a large number of products, Shopify allows you to use a CSV file, which is a more efficient method. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Preparing the CSV File

• Log in to your Shopify admin and navigate to Products.

• You can Export your product CSV or download Shopify’s sample CSV template from the help center to start from scratch. If you choose “Export,” from the dialog box, choose the products you want to export:
  • Export the current page of products, all products, or selected products.
  • Export products that match your filters.

Then, select the type of CSV file you want:

• • Choose “CSV for Excel” or another spreadsheet software to edit the file in a spreadsheet program.
  • Choose “Plain CSV file” if you plan to use a plain text editor.

Finally, click “Export Products.”

Caution: Sorting a CSV file in spreadsheet software can sometimes disrupt product variants or image URLs, potentially leading to import issues later. To avoid mistakenly overwriting essential product data, take care when editing to preserve variant information and URLs accurately.

Step 2: Understanding the CSV File Structure

• Familiarize yourself with key fields like Handle (a unique identifier for each product), Title, Body (HTML), Vendor, and others.
• Carefully review the Image Src column, as it contains the URLs for each product’s display images. Each image should have a unique URL, while the product handle will link these images to the correct product. Ensuring accurate URLs here is essential for displaying your images correctly in the store.

By preparing your CSV file with the correct structure and understanding the necessary fields, you can easily upload multiple product images in Shopify.

Step 3: Add Multiple Product Images

• Insert Rows in Your CSV File
  • Open your CSV file using Google Sheets or Excel.
  • For each product you want to add images to, insert new rows corresponding to the number of images you wish to upload.
  • Copy the product’s Handle into the Handle column for each new row you’ve inserted.

• Upload Images to Shopify
  • In your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Files.
  • Upload your images by clicking the “Upload Files” button. Each image will generate a unique URL.

• Copy and Paste Image URLs
  • Copy the URLs of the images you uploaded.

• • Paste these URLs into the Image Src column in your CSV file for each corresponding row.

• Assign Image Positions

Next to each image URL, fill in the Image Position column. This specifies the order in which the images will appear on the product page (e.g., 1 for the first image, 2 for the second, etc.).

• Import the CSV File
  • Once the file is ready, go to the Products section in Shopify, click “Import,” and upload your CSV file.

• • Preview the import to ensure everything looks correct, then click “Import Products.”

Important: When using this method, use only predefined categories from Shopify’s Product Taxonomy. Creating your own categories is not allowed and could cause errors during import.

How to Add Web Categories in Shopify

Adding web categories in Shopify helps you create a structured navigation system for your online store, making it easier for customers to browse through your products. Here, I will show you how to add web categories in Shopify via the navigation menu. 

• Step 1: Go to Online Store > Select “Navigation” > Click on “Add menu” to create a new menu for your categories.

• Step 2: In the Menu Title, enter a name for your new category group (e.g., “Men’s Clothing”).
• Step 3: Click “Add menu item” to add individual categories under this new menu.
  • Enter the Name of the category (e.g., “T-shirts”).
  • In the Link field, select an existing page, collection, or product you want to associate with this category.

• Step 4: After adding all your categories, click “Save menu” to apply the changes.

You can rearrange the categories by dragging and dropping them or create subcategories by indenting them under the main categories. This method helps organize your store navigation and enhance user experience.

Benefits of Adding Category in Shopify

Adding categories in Shopify helps you organize products and improve customer experience. Here are the main benefits:

• Easy Navigation: Categories make it simple for customers to find products quickly.
• Better Product Management: Grouping items into categories keeps your store organized.
• Boosts SEO: Well-organized categories with keywords improve search engine rankings.
• Improved Customer Experience: A clear structure makes shopping easier and improves customer satisfaction.
• Higher Conversion Rates: Quick access to products increases the chances of sales.

Tips for optimizing category for conversion on Shopify

With Website Categories:

• Choose Clear Names: Use simple and descriptive names for categories to make it easy for customers to find what they need.
• Build Intuitive Navigation: Organize related products under the same categories and add subcategories when necessary to create a clean, easy-to-follow navigation.
• Promote Sales and Collections: Set up categories for special promotions or seasonal products. Make sure these categories are easy to spot on the main storefront.
• Use Analytics: Regularly check Shopify’s analytics to see which categories are popular. This helps you keep your categories relevant and useful by adjusting them based on customer behavior.

With Product Categories:

• Ensure Accuracy: Assign each product the right category for accurate tax and shipping calculations. Review and update product categories as needed.
• Stay Updated: Monitor changes in Shopify’s Product Taxonomy and regularly update your product categories to align with these changes and any shifts in your business model.

Summary

That’s all you need to know when adding a category to your Shopify store. I hope these instructions will help you understand this matter more clearly and help your customers have the most convenience in your Shopify business career.

FAQs

What is a category in Shopify?

In Shopify, a category is a group that organizes products or web content, helping customers navigate more easily. Shopify has two types: web categories (for structuring website pages) and product categories (for grouping products).

Can I rearrange categories in Shopify?

Yes, you can rearrange web categories by dragging and dropping them within the navigation menu. This helps create a more intuitive shopping experience for customers.

Can I bulk-add product categories to Shopify?

Yes, Shopify allows you to add product categories in bulk using a CSV file. This method is helpful when you need to categorize multiple products efficiently.

How can I track the performance of my categories in Shopify?

You can use Shopify’s built-in analytics to monitor the popularity of different categories. This data helps you refine your categories to better suit customer preferences.

Can I edit or delete a category after it’s been added to Shopify?

Yes, you can edit or delete categories anytime through the navigation or product organization settings. It’s important to update categories to keep your store well-organized regularly.

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• How Many Items Should You Have on your Shopify store
• Upload product using CSV file in Shopify
• How to Add Google Product Category in Shopify
• Create Subcategories within categories in Shopify