Docs
Store categories: organising products for shoppers
Categories are seeded from your item groups, then become independent so you can nest them however you like.
What are store categories?
The sections shoppers browse your store by. They are initially seeded from your item groups, then become entirely independent — you can rename and nest them without touching your internal records.
Where to find it
Commerce → Store Categories, or /dashboard/commerce/categories.
Permissions: shop:view to look, shop_catalog:manage to edit and publish.
The screen
Stats: Total · Published · Enabled.
Columns: name, slug, parent, published, enabled, sort order, created at.
Row actions: Publish / Unpublish, Enable / Disable, Edit. There is a Create category button at the top.
The editor
Category details
| Field | Required? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Name | ✅ | The category name |
| Slug | No | The URL segment |
| Parent category | No | Or "No parent category" |
| Sort order | No | A number ordering it in the list |
| Description | No | Helps shoppers understand what belongs here |
Arabic localisation
Arabic name and Arabic description. Fill both in — they are what most of your shoppers will read.
Visibility
- Enabled — a disabled category stays hidden from storefront navigation.
- Published — a published category can appear on live storefront routes.
Nesting
This is the main difference between store categories and item groups.
Item groups are a flat list with no levels. Store categories have a parent, so you can build:
Clothing
├── Men
│ ├── Shirts
│ └── Trousers
└── Women
Keep the tree simple. Two or three levels at most — shoppers get lost beyond that.
The relationship with item groups
| Item groups | Store categories | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sees them | Your team | Your shoppers |
| Nesting | ❌ | ✅ |
| Required on an item | ✅ | ❌ |
| Seeded from | — | Item groups |
Editing categories does not affect item groups, and vice versa.
Categories are empty?
Your items have not been synced. Open Store Catalog and click Sync items first — that is what lets your item groups seed the taxonomy.
Tip
Only publish categories that contain published products. An empty category on a live store looks bad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the categories come from initially?
From your item groups. When the store is provisioned, the system turns item groups into store categories. From then on the categories are independent — editing them does not affect your item groups.
Can categories be nested?
Yes. Every category has a Parent category field, so you can build a tree like Clothing -> Men -> Shirts. That is the main difference from item groups, which are a flat list.
My categories are empty
Your items have not been synced yet. Open Store Catalog and click Sync items first — that is what lets item groups seed the taxonomy.
What is the difference between enabled and published for a category?
A disabled category stays hidden from storefront navigation. A published category can appear on live storefront routes. As with products, both are needed for a shopper to see it.
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