Managing Categories
Edit, deactivate, reactivate and delete categories, and what each action does to your store.
The categories list
Click Categories in the sidebar to see All Categories. The table shows:
- Category Name: click it to open the category page on your store in a new tab
- Category Code: the part of the URL after
/categories/ - Status: Active (green) or Inactive (yellow)
- Action: Edit, Activate/Deactivate, Delete
Editing a category
Click the Edit (pencil) icon next to the category.
Change the Category Name and/or Category Code (same rules as when adding). Click Generate for a new code based on the name.
Click Save Changes. The change shows on your store straight away, and every listing in the category moves with it.
Changing the code changes the category's web address. Old links to that category will send buyers to your home page instead.
Deactivating and reactivating
Click the Deactivate icon (x in a circle) and confirm to hide a category. Click Activate (check in a circle) to bring it back.
When a category is inactive:
- It disappears from your store's Shop menu and category lists.
- Its category page redirects to your home page.
- Its products stay published. They still appear in Shop All, in search results and on their own product pages.
- Products keep their category assignment, and you can still pick the category in the product form.
- It still counts toward your 25-category limit.
This makes deactivating useful for seasonal collections.
Deleting a category
Move every product, service and event out of the category first. Edit each one and choose another category, or "Select Category" for none.
Click the Delete (trash) icon and confirm.
A category that still has listings can't be deleted. You'll see "Category being used. Please update or delete products within this category first." This includes inactive products and listings marked Missing Shipping. Deleted products don't count. A deleted category can't be recovered, but its name and code become free to use again.
Organising tips
- Start with a few broad categories and add more as your catalog grows. You have 25.
- Use names customers would search for, and name them consistently (all plural, for example).
- The Shop menu lists categories alphabetically, so you can't set a custom order.
- Map each category to Google's taxonomy if you use Google Shopping.