Product categories and subcategories

Introduction

This article explains how product categories and subcategories work in TRAEDE, how they affect the B2B webshop experience, and how to structure and import them correctly. It is relevant for users managing product data and optimizing navigation for B2B buyers.

Video guide

How product categories work

TRAEDE uses a two-level category system to help organize products:

• Top category (e.g., Dresses, Shirts, Skirts)

• Subcategory (e.g., Party, Daily)

You do not have to use subcategories, but we recommend doing so for better organization and navigation.

Example:

• Dress → Party, Daily

• Shirt → (no subcategories)

How categories appear in the B2B webshop

When categories are configured, they appear as navigation items in the top menu of the B2B webshop.

Example layout:

• Selecting a top category (e.g., Dress) shows all products in that category.

• On the left side, you can filter by subcategory (e.g., Party, Daily).

• If a category has no subcategories (e.g., Shirt), no filter options appear.

This setup makes it easier for B2B buyers to browse and select relevant products, so we recommend structuring your categories consistently across products.

How to import categories

There are two ways to import product categories into TRAEDE:

Option 1: Separate top and subcategory fields

You can import your products using separate columns for top and subcategories:

• To assign multiple subcategories to a product, separate them with commas:
  Beautiful, Short Sleeve

This way, the product will show under all listed subcategories in the webshop.

Example:
If you assign "Beautiful, Short Sleeve" to a product under "T-shirts", it will appear under both subcategories on the webshop:

Option 2: Combined category field

If you prefer, you can import categories using a single combined field with this format:

Top category: Subcategory

You can also assign products to multiple category paths:

T-shirts: Short Sleeve, Black Friday: T-shirts

In this case:

• The product appears under T-shirts → Short Sleeve

• And also under Black Friday → T-shirts

This allows you to build custom navigational structures such as promotional categories.

Note: When using this method, each path can only have one subcategory.

Best practices

• Keep category names consistent across products.

• Avoid mixing too many category structures - consistency is key for a good webshop experience.

• Use subcategories where it adds value for filtering and navigation.