Choosing the correct product category should be a top priority for every Amazon seller. It can make or break your listing, and that’s not exaggerating it.

Just think about it. If your products get dumped in the wrong categories, they become invisible to your target audience. On the other hand, if you put them in the correct categories, you’ll ensure your listings get maximum views from just the right people.

So, if you’ve accidentally added your product to the wrong category, this guide will teach you how to change it in just a few easy steps. Plus, we’ll teach you how to select the correct category this time.

Let’s roll.

Why Change Product Category on Amazon

There are a few reasons why you might want to change the product category on Amazon:

• Your product is in the wrong category: This can happen if you accidentally select the wrong category when you first create your listing or if your product has changed in a way that no longer fits the initial category selection. For example, if you sell a laptop that you initially classified as a “Computers & Accessories” product but you’ve since upgraded with features that make it more of a “Cell Phones & Accessories” product, you’ll want to move it to that category.
  
• Your product would perform better in a different category: If you’ve noticed that your product isn’t getting as much traffic or sales as you’d like, it could be because it’s in the wrong category. Perhaps it’s being compared to products that are too different, or maybe it’s getting lost among a large number of similar products. In these cases, moving your product to a more relevant category could help you get more visibility and sales.
  
• You want to test different categories: If you’re not sure which category is the best fit for your product, you might want to try moving it to a few different categories to see which one performs the best. This can be a useful way to optimize your listing and find the best category for your product.

A Quick Glossary: Browse Nodes, Browse Node IDs, And Browse Tree Guide

We won’t bother you with too much theory. However, before you start changing your product categories, there are tree important terms you should know. 

Browse Nodes

Browse Nodes are simply categories and sub-categories on Amazon. So, don’t let the terminology confuse you: if you see the term Browse Node somewhere, treat it the same as a product category.

Browse Nodes help determine where a product will appear in search results and how it will be displayed to potential customers. 

To improve the visibility and discoverability of your listing, you should assign the product to the most relevant and specific Browse Node.

Browse Node IDs

Each Browse Node has a unique identifier called a Browse Node ID. Browse node IDs can be found in the so-called Browse Tree Guides (BTGs) which we’ll discuss below. 

For now, you should know that you’ll be required to enter your recommended Browse Node ID if you use the flat file to change your product category.

Excerpt from Amazon flat file

Browse Tree Guides (BTGs)

Browse Tree Guides (BTGs) contain rules that Amazon uses to assign categories to products. You’ll want to use a BTG if you’re making bulk category updates — i.e., changing your Inventory File rather than manually editing one individual listing at a time. 

The BTG will tell you how to alter your file to make the changes you want. You can think of it as a set of instructions for changing product categories in the Inventory File.

To download a browse tree guide, hover your mouse over the Catalog tab in the main menu and select “Add Products via Upload” from the drop-down menu.

This should automatically open the “Download an Inventory File” tab. Make sure that you actually landed on this tab, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. 

Once you expand the Inventory Files section at the bottom, you should see a file titled “Category-specific inventory files” in the first row of the table:

Click on this link to open a page containing Amazon’s BTGs. When the page opens, scroll down to the “Release Packages” section. 

You’ll see a table containing different category names and downloadable BTG files for each: 

Find the category that seems the most appropriate for your products and click the link under the “Browse tree guide (BTG)” column in line with the name of your chosen category. This will automatically download the browse tree guide for your specific category. 

Now you’ve successfully downloaded the BTG files for your categories. We’ll show you how to use them in the next section. 

How to Change Product Category on Amazon

You can change your product categories it in two ways: 

• Edit one listing at a time on Amazon Seller Central directly – This is a simpler process more appropriate for changing just one or a few listings. 
• Edit more listings at once (upload an Inventory File) – This is a better option if you need to make bulk updates. You’ll need to make changes to your Inventory File and upload it to Amazon Inventory Loader.

Let’s go through these processes one by one. 

Editing One Listing At A Time

We’ll first show you how to edit one listing at a time:

1. Log in to your Amazon seller central account: Go to Amazon Seller Central and use your usual login details to access your account.
2. Open your inventory: On the main dashboard, you should see a category called “Inventory” in the main tab. Hover your mouse over it, then click “Manage Inventory.”

3. Identify the listing you want to change: You’ll now see your full inventory with all the products you’re already advertising. Use the search bar or scroll through the list to find the product you want to change.

4. Edit the product listing: Once you’ve found the product, click “Edit” on the right side of the listing. This will open a new page with all the information related to your product.

5. Go to “Vital Info”: You should now see four or more tabs (depending on whether you’re using Advanced View or More attributes) on this new page. Select the one that says “Vital Info:”

6. Edit the Item Type Keyword: On the Vital Info page, you should find a feature called “Item Type Keyword.” In Amazon’s world, this is equivalent to the product category. If you click on this row, you should see an Edit button on the right side.

This will bring you to a new page where you can search for or browse through different product categories on Amazon: 

7. Choose the correct category: Select the most appropriate product category for your listing, then click “Save & Finish” at the bottom of the page. This will update your product listing with the new category.

The drawback of this process is that it can be time-consuming, especially if you need to make changes to many listings. In that case, it’s easier to make changes within your Inventory File rather than editing one listing at a time.

Changing Multiple Categories At Once

Here’s how to make bulk product category updates to multiple listings at once: 

1. Open your BTG files: We showed you how to download them in the previous section. Now, you want to open them and consult them on changes you’ll need to make.

An excerpt from the Clothing BTG // Clothing browse tree guide with different node IDs, node paths, and queries

2. Find an appropriate Node Path: A Node Path is a list of categories and sub-categories that a product can belong to. Find one that’s the most suitable for your product. 

For example, if you sell pajama sets for baby boys, you should choose the following Node Path: 

Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry/Baby/Baby Boys/Clothing/Sleepwear & Robes/Pajama Sets

3. Copy the related query: When you find your most suitable Node Path, find the query in line with it. 

In the case of pajama sets for baby boys, this query would be: 

department_name:baby-boys AND item_type_keyword:infant-and-toddler-pajama-sets

Copy the entire query that comes after “item_type_keyword.” In our case, that would be:

infant-and-toddler-pajama-sets

4. Add the query to your Inventory File: Paste your chosen query into your Inventory File template under Item Type Keyword:

5. Upload your Inventory File to Amazon Inventory Loader. If you need help with this, consult our post on using Amazon Inventory Loader. Once you save your changes, your listings will be automatically updated within 15 minutes.

How To Find Your Current Product Category

Don’t know which category your listing is currently in? Here’s how to find out. 

Open your listing on Amazon and scroll down to the “Product Information” or “Additional information” section. You’ll find your categories in line with the “Best Sellers Rank” row: 

An example of a product in the Cell Phones & Accessories category and Cell Phone Screen Protectors sub-category.

You should only change your current categories if you think they don’t reflect your product well. 

Tips for Choosing Correct Categories on Amazon

When choosing the right category for your product on Amazon, there are a few things to consider:

• The features of your product: The category you choose should accurately reflect the features and characteristics of your product.
• Different categories and sub-categories on Amazon: This will help you understand where to place your product. You can find all the categories in the BTGs, or you can go to the Amazon site directly and view their product categories from there. Don’t forget to click on those that seem like a good fit to see their sub-categories:

• Think about your target audience: Choose a category that will allow you to reach your target audience.
• Research your competition: Look at the categories that your competitors are using and consider whether or not these categories make sense for your product.
• Use relevant keywords: Including relevant keywords in your product title and description will make it likelier for customers to find you through Amazon’s search engine.

FAQs

Can I change the category of my product at any time?

Yes, you can change the category of your product at any time by following the steps outlined above.

Will changing the category of my product affect my sales?

It’s possible. Choosing a correct category could potentially increase your sales, while choosing a less relevant one could potentially decrease them.

Remember The Benefits Of Choosing The Right Product Category 

Choosing the right category on Amazon can help you reach the right audience, increase your chances of making a sale, and improve your search visibility. 

By carefully researching the different categories and considering the features and target audience of your product, you can choose the best category for your needs. 

Be sure to also update your product title and description to reflect the new category and include relevant keywords to help improve your search visibility. Overall, taking the time to choose the right category can greatly benefit your product’s success on Amazon.