Categories & Sub-Categories for Manufacturers

Importing B2B or Marketplace Categories

MarketTime has two types of Categories; B2B Categories (also used for Marketplaces), and Manufacturer Categories (Formally known as "Manufacturer Collections") This article should help you decide which or both to use and how to add them to your products!

What you'll learn

• What are B2B Categories?
• What are Manufacturer Categories?
• How do I import these categories to use in MarketTime?
• How do I manually update a product’s category within the dashboard? COMING SOON

Our latest Item Import Template may be found HERE

What are B2B Categories?

B2B Categories are a preset list of categories chosen by each Sales Agency or Marketplace. If you are a part of a specific agency or marketplace, you must follow the Category Hierarchy that was pre-established by the agency or marketplace. While B2B categories are referenced in the master data file, these will be imported on a separate spreadsheet with only the Item Number and the Category for the Product.

On the Import & Export Screen in MarketTime, you can preview this hierarchy by clicking on the Category Tree button next to the agency/marketplace dropdown.

Using the Category Tree button, you can quickly view the predetermined agency or marketplace categories and subcategories. You can also use the "Export" button on the top right corner of your screen to export. A separate category tree is available for each marketplace and/or agency you are a part of.

Pro Tip: refer to the item import template at the top of this article and navigate to the "B2B Categories" tab for an example of how to structure your excel sheet. When you are done, it should look like the screenshot below.

To upload, click the "Import Category, SubCategory and Items" button below the Marketplace name and then,  "Choose" from the upload screen. Locate your newly saved category file and upload it.  Note that MarketTime only pulls in information from the first tab/sheet of a workbook. Please save your category and subcategory designations on the first tab of your workbook for a proper import. Files types allowed: .xls, .xlxs, or .csv.

What Are Manufacturer Categories?

Manufacturer Categories are indicated on your master data file and are used to create custom categories unique to you as a manufacturer. You can include any alphanumeric value in this field and create a hierarchy of up to 3 levels. "MFRCategory1" would be the first group displayed, then "MFRCategory2" and so on.

Manufacturer Categories and B2B Categories may both appear on a B2B site, however, Manufacturer Categories are only shown on that manufacturer’s specific brand page and not searchable across an entire agency or marketplace.

EX: a B2B/Marketplace Category / Subcategory might be Accessories / Hats while a Manufacturer Category1 / Category2 / Category3 might be Top Seller / Accessories or Holiday / Easter / Cards

Importing Manufacturer Categories

Use the following columns when creating your master item import:

MFRCategory 1, MFRCategory 2, MFRCategory 3

After your items have been imported successfully, you will see these reflected during Order Entry and on your brand’s page under Manufacturer Collections.