Categories are the most important aid for structuring an online shop. They ensure a hierarchical structure which arranges superior and subordinate elements in the hierarchy in a way that makes sense and is user-friendly. We have already provided you with tips for your navigation structure in the article "More structure in the product range". Today though, we want to give you several tips for structuring categories and categories pages.

Categories and Pages – What Are They?

You can imagine categories as a tree: The branch of a tree has smaller branches growing out of it and on these smaller branches there are even smaller branches growing. The hierarchical arrangement of categories enables you to guide shop customers from the general (topic) to the specific (product).

In shops and business websites from ePages, categories are above all used for displaying product information, products or additional subcategories and pages. You create pages in the Categories (ePages 5) / Content/Categories area (ePages 6). Categories as structure elements are no longer called Categories only, they are now called Pages/Categories because not only can they be clicked on in the navigation, they are also carriers of content. However, the term "pages" here is not to be confused with the term "editorial" or "freely-designable pages". Editorial/freely-designable pages primarily serve to provide company or customer information.   

Any layout can be selected for each category. A higher-ranking category page can contain texts, images and links to subcategories, for example. A subordinate category page can contain an outline of products (product lists) or links again to further subcategories. More on this in the following.

Structure of Categories and Pages

Using the "Page of a main category maps subcategories" content version, we show you how a categories page is structured.

First an example of how subcategories within a main category page can be shown as list and how editing in the ePages 6 administration looks:

 
In the administration of your shop or business website, under the tab Categories (ePages 5) / Content/Categories (ePages 6), first create a new Category (ePages 5) / Page/Category (ePages 6) element (e.g. "Handbags"). Then click in the new element and perform the following steps (as needed):

• General (ePages 5) / General -> Texts (ePages 6) -> Save description (is shown if categories are shown together with other categories as list; see the example in the screenshot above); Extended description provides a detailed description within the detail view of the category
• Pages: Create new subcategories/pages that are linked to from this page and linked hierarchically subordinate in the navigation (e.g. for the categories "Handbags" additional subcategories "New bags", "Top seller", "Old bags", etc.)
• General (ePages 5) / Images (ePages 6) -> Upload image; in ePages 6, you can upload images separately for the List view (is shown when categories are shown together with other categories as list; see example in the screenshot above) and for the Details page (as illustration of the details page of the category)

The definition of the displaying of subcategories within a higher-ranking category page occurs via the main category. To do this, click in your main category and then select the Display tab. In ePages 5, there are only eight options whose results you can easily test. In ePages 6, there are significantly more possibilities. Thus, we have provided you with several more detailed explanations and examples along the way:

Display -> Sorting (ePages 6)

The Sorting determines how the elements text, subpage and product are arranged within a higher-ranking category. Since products (as we have already mentioned) should preferably be found in the subcategories, main category pages consist primarily of text (for example, as introduction, with image if needed) and links to the subcategories (including image and short explanation text, for example).

Two examples for sorting:
 

Display -> Texts (ePages 6)

You specify how texts and images should interact here.

Examples for text/image arrangements:

Display -> Sub-pages (ePages 6)

Select a version, how the display of sub-pages/categories shall occur.

Naturally, products can still also be selected for every category and accordingly arranged via the Display.

Users of ePages 6 can utilise all the described options in the Preview as well. Create a new Page/Category here in the upper editing menu. In the menu of the left page, you can select every Page/Category that you would like to edit. You can insert and edit content directly within the Preview. You can find all the options for adapting the display of the page elements in the upper menu bar.
 
For better understanding of the product versions, we recommend you read our article "Online shops and business websites with ePages 6".

We’d like to thank the ePages shops www.productospeluqueria.es, kauppa.extremeduudsonit.com and www.stylediver.de for the display material.
 

76 different items of clothing in up to 7 colours, designs and sizes. With zippers, buttons or ties. In cotton, acrylic or corduroy. A dizzying prospect when you consider that shop visitors should ideally be only two clicks away from their desired product. We’ll show you how to best structure your offer in the ePages online shop.

1. Visualisation of The Product Range

Before you get started with setting up products and creating categories, you need to really think about what you would like to present and how. First answer the following questions:

• What goal do customers have when they come to your shop?
  
• How can your products be catagorised in a way that makes sense?
  
• Are subcategories a sensible idea? If yes, which ones?
  
• What features or attributes do the products have?
  
• Are there products with the same features?

Your goal should be to create a clear and easily understandable navigation structure. Too few categories can lead to disorientation within the products. Too many categories has the disadvantage that customers don’t always know what they are looking for and become overwhelmed with the wide selection.

Ideally, you should outline your product range structure in a drawing. Work your way through it from general to specific and imagine you are the customer: Are you yourself interested in clicking through your product range?

Here is an example of a shop with clothing for festive occasions:

In the example, based on the target group, the linking in starts in the respective product types and finally to the products themselves. Starting directly with the clothing types could lead to confusion.

However, in an auto accessories shop, it might make more sense to start with product topics such as interior trim, tuning elements, care products and tools.

2. Category I + Category II = Shop Navigation

You can create categories and subcategories in the ePages shop in order to structure your range by topic. But a category does not always have to contain products. It can also contain customer information or manufacturers’ profiles. Categories provide for a topical order and facilitate the orientation in the shop.

3. Product I + Attribute I + Attribute II = Product Variation

A product often has different traits or attributes (sizes, colours, patterns, materials). Combining a product with attributes results in numerous product variations. Every product combination is treated as a new product by the system. It receives its own product number and can be individually placed in the shopping basket. A total of up to 200 product variations per product can be created.

The presentation of product variations could look as follows in the shop:

You can thus show the attributes of a product in a dropdown menu with value selection or in a list .

If it makes sense, product variations can also be published with their own images. If you are only presenting different sizes or weight specifications, a dropdown menu is completely sufficient.

There will be a more in-depth article about the "Product Variations" topic for you shortly. It will provide you with information about how to best proceed with the creation and what you should bear in mind.

4. Attribute I + Attribute II = Product Type

In order to be able to create variations of a product in the shop, all additional features or attributes of a product must first be integrated into so-called product types. Attributes are managed in product types separately from individual products since there are attributes that apply to many products and not just one (e.g. size, weight, colour).

One example:

A t-shirt, a shirt and a blouse can all be selected in the same colour as well as the same size. While the materials and cut are already defined in the products themselves, the colours and sizes are assigned to an "Outerwear" product type. For this product type, you can decide how the display of its attributes shall occur in the shop, e.g. as list or as dropdown menu with value selection (see above).

All three products are assigned with the "Outerwear" product type so that the additional feature is automatically visible in the detail view of the products.

Even if it’s only one product for which different attributes can be selected, the attributes must first be integrated into a product type in order for them to become effective for the product.

Important: Product types are not to be confused with categories. Product types are only a technical device for the administration of additional product features in the administration and are not displayed in the shop.