How is the category tree structured and how do I manage it?

When you click Categories in Management Interface, you are presented with a structured version of your product catalogue. There is a hierarchy to the category tree, which is based on a simple parent:child relationship. Within the category tree, there are parent and child elements. The root category is found at the top of the category tree.  If there is at least one child category under a root, the root becomes a parent category.

Key points

• Category tree structure is based on a simple parent:child relationship.

• The root category is a category at the highest level of the category tree.

• A root category can also be called a parent category to those child category's that live inside the root category.

• A child category can also be a parent category to another child category within it.

Example

You can see a category tree containing:

• "Root category", which has two children "Child 1 category" and "Child 2 category".

• "Child 1 category" is also a parent (or root) category to its two children: "Child 1A category" and "Child 1B category".

• "Child 2 category" has no children.

In WebShop, this is displayed as:

To display your categories in a particular order in WebShop, use the Menu Index options. Enter a number (which can be negative or positive) in this box to indicate this category's placement in relation to other categories at the same level in the navigational tree. The lower the number you enter, the higher the category is displayed in WebShop.

Key points

• Use the Menu Index option on the Category configuration page in Management Interface. 

• The lower the index number, the higher it will be displayed in WebShop.

Example

The Child 1 category has two children:

• "Child 1A category" has a menu index of 10 while

• "Child 1B category" has a menu index of 0.

Since "Child 1B category" has a menu index which is lower than Child 1A category, it will appear higher in the category tree in WebShop.

To make a new child category of a parent category,

• Click New in the top right of your screen. This opens the New Category screen.

• Select the name of the parent from the drop down list called Parent.

• Click Save in the top right of your screen.

When a category has no products in it:

• you can see that it is listed in the category tree under Category Management in Management Interface.

• your customers cannot see it in WebShop since it has been set as invisible.

Example

A category called "Root category" has been created at the root level of your category tree. It currently has no products listed under it, but it is still visible in your Management Interface.

However, it is not visible in your WebShop.

When a category has products listed in it, but the products are set to Invisible:

• you can see that it is listed in the category tree under Category Management in Management Interface.

• your customers cannot see it in WebShop since it has been set as invisible.

Example

A category called "Root category" has been created at the root level of your category tree. It currently contains one product (product code: 0401) which has a status of Invisible, but the category is visible in Management Interface.

However, it is not visible in your WebShop.

When a category contains at least one product with a status of visible:

• you can see that it is listed in the category tree under Category Management in Management Interface.

• your customers can see it in WebShop since the category has products that have been set to visible. 

Example

A category called "Root category" has been created at the root level of your category tree. It currently contains one product (product code: 10) which has a status of Visible, but the category is visible in Management Interface.

It is also visible in your WebShop.

When a category contains only one product that has been set as Visible:

• you can see that it is listed in the category tree under Category Management in Management Interface.

• once your customers select it, the product page of the visible product is opened.

When a category contains more than one product that has been set as Visible:

• you can see that they are listed in the category tree under Category Management in Management Interface.

• once your customers select the category, a product listing page displaying all visible products is opened.

Example

A category called "Root 2 category" has been created at the root level of your category tree. It currently contains three products, all of which have a status of Visible. The product listing page is displayed in WebShop when your customer selects "Root 2 category".

When your customer selects a parent category that does not have any child categories associated with it on the product listing page in WebShop, the category view remains at that parent level within the category tree.

Example

"Root 2 category" is a root category that contains no children categories. In Management Interface, you have set it up like this:

When your customer selects "Root 2 Category" in WebShop, the listing page displays its products. It remains at the root level in the category sidebar.

When your customer selects a parent category which has one or more children associated with it on the product listing page in WebShop, the category view moves down one level to its children categories.

Example

"Root category" contains two children categories. In Management Interface, you have set it up like this:

When your customer selects "Root Category" in WebShop, the listing page displays its products. The category view sidebar moves down one level to list the children's categories.