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Product categories

Product categories are labels that are assigned to products or to collections of products. Product categories are used to indicate the tax obligations and exemptions that apply to a purchase. Product categories are selected from Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy, which is a predefined and standardized list.

Product categories are also useful for managing your products, and can be used for the following tasks:

On this page

Automatic product category suggestions

When you create a product and enter a name, description, and add images for the product, this information is used to generate a product category suggestion powered by Shopify Magic. You can keep the suggested category by saving the product or you can choose a category that is as specific as possible for your product.

Shopify Magic also adds category metafields and values that are relevant to your product based on the product details. You can keep those category metafields and add other available category metafields to your product.

This category is only a suggestion, and shouldn't be considered tax advice. It's important that you verify the accuracy of the product category before you save your product, and to speak to a tax professional if necessary.

You can access and review suggested product categories in your Shopify admin. You can also access a list of all products that you need to manually select a product category for.

All products should be assigned a Shopify product category. If a category isn't assigned, then your product saves as Uncategorized. This could also happen when a product is created with CSV or an app. If you don't want your product to be Uncategorized, then you can add a product category to the product.

Choosing and managing product categories

You can apply product categories to your products in any of the following ways:

Select or update a product category individually

You can add or update a product category for any product at any time. You can use the Product category filter to filter your products list to display only Uncategorized products, and then update them manually.

Steps:

Desktop

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

  2. Click the product that you want to edit.

  3. In the Category section, do the following:

    • Enter your product's category, and then select the most accurate result from the Category list.
    • Click through each level of the categories and subcategories to find your product category.

  4. Click Save.

Mobile
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the Products icon .
  2. Tap the product that you want to edit.
  3. In the Category section, do the following:
    • Enter your product's category, and then select the most accurate result from the Category list.
    • Tap through each level of the categories and subcategories to find your product category.
  4. Tap Save or ✓.

Select or update product categories in bulk

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

  2. Select the products that you want to modify by doing one of the following:

    • To only edit specific products, check the check box next to each product.
    • To only edit the variants of just one product, select only that product.
    • To select all list items on a page, check the check box at the top of the product list.
    • To select all products on your store, check the check box at the top of the product list, and then click Select all 50+ items from your store.

  3. Click Bulk edit.

  4. If you don't have the Product category column in your view, then click Columns and then select Product category.

  5. In the Product category column, complete one of the following steps:

    • Search for your product's category in the Product category field, and then select the most accurate result from the list.
    • Click through each level of the categories and subcategories to find your product category.

  6. Click Save.

Select a product category by using a CSV file

You can import product categories using a CSV product import. To verify that your product category values matches Shopify's predefined list, refer to Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy.

You can download and view a sample product CSV file to use as a template.

Product category location in your admin

You can find and update a product's category directly from the product details page.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

  2. Click the product that you want to review.

  3. In the Product organization section on the right side of the page, locate the Category field. This field displays one of the following states:

    • Uncategorized: No category has been assigned.
    • Suggested category (displayed in purple): Shopify Magic has suggested a category, but you haven't confirmed it. Click Accept to confirm, or click the category to select a different one.
    • Confirmed category: A category has been assigned and saved.

Migrating existing product categories

The release of Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy means that some of the product categories that you previously used might have been modified or replaced.

If a category you previously used has changed, then a category is suggested that best matches your product's details. If there is no category, then your product saves as uncategorized. This could also happen if a product is created with CSV or an app.

It's important to review these recommendations and any products that are uncategorized to ensure they match with your products. When you review your products, you can complete either of the following actions:

  • Accept the recommended category: If the suggested category is accurate for your product, then you can accept the suggestion.
  • Explore new categories: If the suggested category isn't the right fit, if your product is uncategorized, or if you want to explore other categories, then you can review the Category drop-down menu from the product page in your Shopify admin. You can also review Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy to find a more suitable category to apply to your product.

Learn more about what categories have changed in Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy.

Tax calculation by using product categories

After you categorize your products, the categories are used to automatically determine your tax obligations when selling into a particular region. Using product categories increases the accuracy of tax calculations, and reduces the need for tax overrides.

For example, suppose that you sell t-shirts. In New York, clothing and footwear with an individual price under $110 USD are exempt from New York City and New York State sales tax in some jurisdictions. If the correct product categories are set for your products, then these taxes aren't charged when you sell your products to customers in New York. If the rules that govern these products change in the future, then the way tax is calculated for your products is automatically updated, with no action required on your part.

If you set a product category for a product that has an override in place, then the override takes precedence over product category tax calculations. This includes collection-based tax overrides. Consider removing any product tax overrides that conflict with your product categories. However, if you're aware of tax rules that aren't calculated by product categories, then keep your product tax overrides.

You're not required to use product categories. However, if you choose not to apply product categories to your products, then you need to use tax overrides and manually update them.

State-specific exemptions using product categories

Some US states have exemptions for specific product categories, including clothing exemptions in Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Each state has different thresholds and rules for these exemptions.

For these exemptions to be automatically applied, ensure your products are categorized with the correct category, such as Apparel & Accessories or a more specific subcategory.

For detailed exemption rules by state, including price thresholds and New York jurisdiction details, refer to Clothing tax rules in US states.

Limitations

There are some situations in which product categories can't be used to calculate taxes:

  • Industry-specific or product-specific taxes that result in a separate tax line item, such as e-waste fees.
  • Taxes that are based on volume, weight, ingredients, or size, such as excise taxes.
  • Variants of a single product can't have different product categories.
  • Bundled goods that are created as a single product have a single product category.
  • Product categories don't sync between Shopify and marketplaces, such as Meta or Google.
  • Product categories aren't applied to orders that don't qualify for Shopify Tax.
  • Products and categories with tax overrides.

Testing tax calculated by using product categories

Because there isn't a way to preview specific tax rates, you can create draft orders to verify that your products are taxed as expected.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders > Drafts.

  2. Click Create order.

  3. Add products to the order that you want to test.

  4. In the Customer section, add a customer with a shipping address in the region where you want to test tax calculations.

  5. In the Shipping section, add a shipping method. Tax won't calculate without a shipping method.

  6. Review the tax calculation in the Payment section. The Estimated tax displays the calculated tax amount.

  7. After verifying the tax calculation, you can either save the order as a draft for reference or discard it.

If the resulting tax calculation isn't what you expect, then review the following troubleshooting steps:

Troubleshooting product category issues

If taxes aren't calculating as expected, then review the following common issues and solutions.

Troubleshoot taxes not charging or incorrect tax amount

If taxes aren't charging or the tax amount is incorrect, then check the following possible causes:

Product category is Uncategorized

  1. Go to Products and filter by Product category > Uncategorized.
  2. Assign a product category to the product.

Suggested category not confirmed

  1. Open the product and check if the category displays as Suggested category (in purple).
  2. Click Accept to confirm the suggested category, or select a different category.

Incorrect product category assigned

  1. Open the product and review the Category field in Product organization.
  2. Select a more accurate category from Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy.

Tax override taking precedence

  1. Go to Settings > Taxes and duties and check for product or collection overrides.
  2. Remove or adjust the tax override if it conflicts with your product category.

Customer has a tax exemption

  1. Open the customer profile and check the Tax exemptions section.
  2. Review and update customer tax exemption settings if necessary.

State doesn't have tax collection activated

  1. Go to Settings > Taxes and duties > United States and check if the customer's state is listed.
  2. Add the state to collect taxes in that region.
Troubleshoot product marked as digital instead of physical

If a product isn't marked as a physical product, then Shopify treats it as a digital product. Digital products might be tax-exempt in certain states.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

  2. Click the product that you want to review.

  3. In the Shipping section, confirm that This is a physical product is selected.

  4. Click Save.

Troubleshoot tax override conflicts with product categories

Tax overrides always take precedence over product category calculations. If you've assigned a product category but taxes aren't calculating correctly, then check for conflicting overrides.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Taxes and duties.

  2. Click the country or region where you want to review tax settings.

  3. In the Tax rates and exemptions section, review the Product overrides list.

  4. If a product or collection override conflicts with your product category, click the override and then click Delete.

Troubleshoot product category changed unexpectedly

If a product category was changed and you didn't make the change, then the following factors might have caused it:

  • App integration: Some apps that manage products, such as inventory management or marketplace apps, can update product categories.
  • Bulk edit or CSV import: A recent bulk edit or CSV import might have overwritten the category.
  • Store staff: Another staff member with product editing permissions might have made the change.

To identify what changed the category, review your store's recent activity in Settings > Activity log and filter by Products.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to assign product categories to all my products?

Product categories aren't mandatory, but they're encouraged. Assigning categories improves the accuracy of US tax calculations and reduces the need for manual tax overrides. If you don't assign product categories, then orders will use default tax rates or any overrides you've configured.

What happens if I don't assign a product category?

If a product doesn't have an assigned category, then it's labeled as Uncategorized. Shopify Tax will use general tax rates for the destination address instead of product-specific rates. This might result in higher or lower taxes than required by law.

Can I assign different product categories to product variants?

No. Variants of a single product share the same product category. If you have variants that require different tax treatment, such as adult versus youth sizes, then consider creating separate products.

How do I know which product category to choose?

Use the most specific category that accurately describes your product from Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy. If you're unsure which category applies to your products, then consult a tax professional. Shopify Support can't advise on which product categories are correct for your specific products.

Why are some suggested categories displayed in purple?

Purple categories are suggestions generated by Shopify Magic based on your product's name, description, and images. These suggestions aren't applied until you confirm them by clicking Accept or by saving the product. If you don't confirm the suggestion, then the product remains Uncategorized for tax purposes.

Can I preview tax rates for a product category before assigning it?

There isn't currently a way to preview specific tax rates for a product category. To validate tax calculations, create a draft order with the products you want to test and a customer address in the destination region.

Do product categories apply to POS orders?

Yes. Product categories are used to calculate taxes on POS orders when your store uses Shopify Tax. However, custom sale items created directly in POS can't be assigned a product category, which might result in incorrect tax calculations for those items.

What if my product category isn't in the taxonomy?

If you can't find an exact match for your product, then select the closest parent category that applies. For example, if you sell a specialized type of clothing that isn't listed, then select Apparel & Accessories or the most relevant subcategory. If you believe a category is missing from the taxonomy, then you can submit feedback on Shopify's Product Taxonomy repository.

Getting help with product categories

When to contact a tax professional

Contact a tax professional if you need help with the following topics:

  • Determining which product categories apply to your specific products.
  • Understanding tax obligations and exemptions in your jurisdiction.
  • Ensuring compliance with local, state, or international tax laws.
  • Reviewing past tax collection for accuracy.

When to contact Shopify Support

Contact Shopify Support if you need help with the following topics:

  • Understanding how to assign or update product categories in your Shopify admin.
  • Troubleshooting technical issues with tax calculations.
  • Navigating tax settings in your Shopify admin.
  • Understanding how Shopify Tax features work.

Prepare to contact Shopify Support about product category issues

Before reaching out to Shopify Support, gather the following information to help resolve your issue faster:

  • A description of what you expect to happen and what's happening instead
  • An admin link to an order showing the issue (go to Orders, click the order, and copy the URL from your browser)
  • If possible, an admin link to an order where taxes calculated correctly for comparison
  • An admin link to the affected product(s) (go to Products, click the product, and copy the URL)
  • The current product category assigned to the product
  • The customer's shipping address (state or country)
  • Whether you have any tax overrides set up for the product or collection
  • When the issue started occurring
  • Steps you've already tried from the troubleshooting section