What is Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the way you organize your products into categories, subcategories, and attributes so people (and systems) can find and understand them. It’s the structure behind your product catalog that tells you where everything belongs.

Examples

Taxonomy element What it does
Category Groups similar products (e.g., “Footwear”)
Subcategory Narrows down the group (e.g., “Running Shoes”)
Attribute Describes product details (e.g., “Color: Blue,” “Size: 42”)
Product type Defines the kind of item (e.g., “Sneakers” vs. “Sandals”)

Good to know

Taxonomy is all about structure, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. A clear, consistent setup makes it easier to manage your products, create filters, and share data with partners. If your categories make sense to both your team and your customers, everything else gets easier: search, navigation, and even sales.

Know more

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does taxonomy matter?
Because it impacts everything from how products appear in your webshop to how cleanly you can share data with partners. A well-built taxonomy reduces errors, speeds up product uploads, and improves the shopping experience.
What’s the difference between taxonomy and attributes?
Taxonomy defines where a product sits in your catalog structure (like “Shoes > Sneakers”). Attributes describe what the product is (like “Color: White” or “Size: 42”). Both work together, but they serve different roles.
Who’s responsible for managing taxonomy?
Usually your product, ecommerce, or data team. But really, anyone touching product data should understand it. A consistent taxonomy only works if everyone sticks to it.
Should taxonomy ever change?
Yes, but carefully. As your product line or channels grow, you might need to reorganize. Just make sure changes are rolled out consistently across systems to avoid broken links, bad filters, or confused customers.