Categories¶

Purpose¶

Categories help organize your products into logical groups, making it easy for customers to browse and find what they're looking for. A well-structured category system improves navigation, enhances the shopping experience, and helps customers discover products more efficiently.

Accessing Categories¶

Navigate to: Catalog Management > Categories from the sidebar menu
Categories are hierarchical, allowing parent-child relationships for better organization

Categories List

The Categories page showing all your product categories

The category list displays all categories in a table with the following columns:

Name - The category name as displayed to customers - Click to sort alphabetically - Searchable for quick lookup

Parent Category - Shows if this is a subcategory of another category - Empty if this is a top-level category - Helps visualize category hierarchy

Image - Thumbnail preview of the category image - Shown in category listings - Helps customers identify categories visually

Disabled - Checkmark icon indicates if category is disabled - Disabled categories are hidden from customers - Useful for seasonal or temporary categories

Featured - Star icon indicates featured categories - Featured categories get special visibility - May appear in homepage or special sections

Available for Vendors - Indicates if vendors can use this category - Green checkmark: Available for vendors - Gray X: Not available for vendors - Hidden by default (use Toggle Columns to show)

Order - Display order number - Lower numbers appear first - Controls category sorting on the frontend

Actions - Edit: Modify category details - Standard actions for category management

List Features¶

Locale Switcher - Switch between Arabic and English - Manage category names in different languages - Each locale has separate name field

Search Bar - Search categories by name - Instant filtering - Helpful for large category lists

Toggle Columns - Customize visible columns - Hide irrelevant information - Personalize your view

New Category Button - Click to create a new category - Opens the category creation form

Exporting Categories¶

Export category data in Excel or PDF formats for catalog management, reporting, or backup purposes.

Export Options¶

Export All: Click the Export button in the header to download all categories (with current filters applied).

Export Selected: Select specific categories using checkboxes, then choose Export from the bulk actions menu.

Data Included: Category name, parent category, product count, image, status, and visibility settings.

Creating a New Category¶

Click the "New Category" button at the top right. The category form is organized into two tabs:

General Tab¶

Category General Information

General category settings and configuration

Name (Required)¶

The category name shown to customers
Should be clear and descriptive
Examples: "Electronics", "Men's Clothing", "Kitchen Appliances"
Keep names concise but informative

Permalink¶

URL-friendly version of the category name
Used in category page URLs
Click "Generate permalink" to auto-create from name
Customize for better SEO

Parent Category¶

Select a parent category to create a subcategory
Leave empty for top-level categories
Creates hierarchical structure
Example: "Smartphones" under "Electronics"

Category Hierarchy Best Practices: - Keep hierarchy 2-3 levels deep maximum - Top level: Broad categories (Electronics, Clothing) - Second level: Specific types (Smartphones, Laptops) - Third level: Detailed subcategories (Android Phones, iPhone)

Store¶

Assign category to a specific physical store/branch
Useful for multi-location businesses
Leave empty for categories across all stores

Image¶

Upload category image
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1 (square)
Example size: 800×800px
Used in category listings and navigation
Should represent the category visually

Disabled¶

Toggle ON to hide category from customers
Category won't appear on the store
Products in disabled categories remain accessible via search
Useful for preparation or seasonal categories

Order (Required)¶

Display order number
Lower numbers appear first
Controls position in category navigation
Default is 0
Use to prioritize important categories

Delivery Within Minutes¶

Estimated delivery time for products in this category
In minutes after purchase
Sets customer expectations
Only relevant for certain category types

Featured¶

Toggle ON to mark as featured category
Featured categories get special visibility
May appear in homepage banners
Use for promotional or popular categories

Available for Vendors¶

Toggle ON to allow vendors to use this category
Enabled by default
When enabled, vendors can create products in this category
You can override this by assigning specific vendors (see Vendor Assignment below)
Useful for controlling which categories vendors can access

Category SEO & Social Media

Search engine optimization and social sharing

Meta Title¶

Page title for search engines
Appears in search results and browser tabs
Recommended: 50-60 characters
Leave empty to use category name automatically
Include relevant keywords

Meta Description¶

Description for search engine results
Appears below title in search listings
Recommended: 150-160 characters
Leave empty to use category name as description
Write compelling copy to improve click-through rates

Image shown when category is shared on social media
Recommended size: 1200×630px
Optimized for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Leave empty to use main category image
Should clearly represent the category

Meta Keywords¶

Comma-separated SEO keywords
Optional field (less important for modern SEO)
Include category name variations
Example: "electronics, gadgets, tech products, devices"
Helps with internal site search

Saving Your Category¶

After filling in the category information:

Create: Save the category and return to the list
Create & create another: Save and immediately start creating another category
Cancel: Discard changes and return to the list

Editing Existing Categories¶

To edit a category: 1. Find the category in the list 2. Click "Edit" or click directly on the category name 3. Make your changes in the appropriate tabs 4. Click "Save" to update the category

Vendor Assignment¶

When editing a category, you can assign specific vendors who are allowed to create products in this category. This provides fine-grained control over vendor access.

How Vendor Assignment Works¶

Default Behavior:

If "Available for Vendors" is enabled, all vendors can use the category
If "Available for Vendors" is disabled, no vendors can use the category

With Assigned Vendors:

Only assigned vendors can create products in this category
Works regardless of the "Available for Vendors" setting
Applies to the category and all its subcategories

Assigning Vendors¶

Edit the category
Click on the "Assigned Vendors" tab
Click "Assign Vendor" button
Search and select the vendor by name, email, or mobile
Click "Attach" to assign

Removing Vendor Assignment¶

To remove a vendor from a category:

Go to the "Assigned Vendors" tab
Click "Remove" next to the vendor
Confirm the action

Important: When you remove a vendor assignment, all their products in this category and its subcategories will be disabled automatically.

Vendor List Columns¶

Name - Vendor's full name
Email - Vendor's email address
Mobile - Vendor's mobile number
Active - Shows if the vendor account is active
Assigned At - When the vendor was assigned (hidden by default)

Category Hierarchy Management¶

Creating Subcategories¶

Create the parent category first
Click "New Category"
In the "Parent Category" field, select the parent
Fill in subcategory details
Save

Best Hierarchy Structure¶

Electronics (Top Level)
├── Smartphones (Second Level)
│   ├── Android Phones (Third Level)
│   └── iPhone (Third Level)
├── Computers (Second Level)
│   ├── Laptops (Third Level)
│   └── Desktops (Third Level)
└── Audio (Second Level)
    ├── Headphones (Third Level)
    └── Speakers (Third Level)

Locale Management¶

Categories support multiple languages: 1. Use the Locale dropdown at the top of the form 2. Switch to Arabic to enter Arabic category name 3. Switch to English to enter English category name 4. Each locale has a separate Name field 5. Other fields (order, image) are shared across locales

Tips for Category Management¶

Clear Structure: Create a logical hierarchy that customers can easily understand
Consistent Naming: Use clear, consistent names across categories
Avoid Deep Nesting: Keep hierarchy 2-3 levels maximum for better usability
Use Images: Add category images to improve visual navigation
SEO Optimization: Write descriptive meta titles and descriptions
Regular Review: Periodically review and reorganize categories as needed
Featured Categories: Highlight important or seasonal categories
Ordering: Use the Order field to prioritize popular categories
Parent-Child Logic: Ensure subcategories logically belong to their parent
Disabled vs Deleted: Disable seasonal categories instead of deleting

Category Planning Checklist¶

Before creating categories:

[ ] Plan your category hierarchy on paper first
[ ] Identify 3-5 top-level categories
[ ] Determine necessary subcategories
[ ] Ensure categories don't overlap
[ ] Consider customer browsing patterns
[ ] Check competitor category structures for ideas

Common Category Structures¶

Retail Store¶

Electronics
Clothing
Home & Kitchen
Books
Sports & Outdoors

Fashion Store¶

Men's Clothing
Women's Clothing
Kids' Clothing
Accessories
Shoes

Specialized Store¶

By Product Type
By Brand
By Price Range
By Use Case
By Popularity

Category Quality Checklist¶

Before publishing a category:

[ ] Category name is clear and descriptive
[ ] Image uploaded (if applicable)
[ ] Parent category set correctly (if subcategory)
[ ] Order number assigned appropriately
[ ] SEO meta title optimized
[ ] SEO meta description written
[ ] Category is enabled (not disabled)
[ ] Featured status set appropriately
[ ] Both Arabic and English names provided

By maintaining a well-organized category structure, you make it easy for customers to find products and improve overall store navigation!

Products - Products in categories
Brands - Brand organization
Category User Fields - Custom category fields