One category, the most specific
Use the one category that describes the product’s main function, as specific as possible. Google’s example: a charger for an MP3 player belongs in MP3 Player Accessories (ID 232), not in Electronics (ID 222).
Free tool
Google product category finder
Search Google’s product taxonomy by product type or ID, then copy the category ID or full path for the google_product_category attribute in your product feed. It covers all 5,595 categories of the 2021-09-21 English taxonomy.
Berend Vrakking, founder. Last updated .
Matching categories
12 categories match “dresses”.
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses
ID 2271
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Wedding & Bridal Party Dresses
ID 5441
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Activewear > Dance Dresses, Skirts & Costumes
ID 499979
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Baby & Toddler Clothing > Baby & Toddler Dresses
ID 5424
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Wedding & Bridal Party Dresses > Wedding Dresses
ID 5329
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Wedding & Bridal Party Dresses > Bridal Party Dresses
ID 5330
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Traditional & Ceremonial Clothing > Religious Ceremonial Clothing > Baptism & Communion Dresses
ID 8149
Furniture > Cabinets & Storage > Dressers
ID 4195
Food, Beverages & Tobacco > Food Items > Condiments & Sauces > Salad Dressing
ID 1969
Home & Garden > Household Supplies > Shoe Care & Tools > Shoe Horns & Dressing Aids
ID 5601
Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils > Salad Dressing Mixers & Shakers
ID 6497
Arts & Entertainment > Hobbies & Creative Arts > Arts & Crafts > Art & Crafting Tools > Dress Forms
ID 6150
Google’s English (US) product taxonomy, version 2021-09-21. The ID is the value for the google_product_category attribute; the path works too, but not both in one row.
How it works
From a product to a category ID, in three steps.
A black skater dress needs the category Dresses. Search “dresses”, read the paths and take the one that describes the product best. The ID goes into the google_product_category attribute of that product’s row.
| Step | What you do | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Search | Type “dresses” | 12 categories |
| Choose | Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses | ID 2271 |
| Paste into the feed | google_product_category | 2271 |
In a text (TSV or CSV) data source the value is 2271, or the full path Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses. In an XML data source the row looks like this:
<g:google_product_category>2271</g:google_product_category>In XML the “&” and “>” of a path have to be escaped as “&” and “>”, so the ID is the safer value.
Merchant Center rules
What Google asks for, in six points.
ID or full path, not both
Submit the ID or the full path of a predefined category, but not both. If no category fits, or you want your own, use the product_type attribute instead.
Optional, with three reasons to set it
Google categorises products itself. It accepts an override to remove category-specific attribute requirements, to target Google Ads campaigns by category, and for alcohol, which must be categorised correctly.
Use the latest categories
Shopping bidding in Google Ads follows the latest categories. Google translates older versions to the latest, so an out-of-date value may not match what you find.
Your language
If the taxonomy is not available in your language, use the English values or the numeric ID.
Where campaigns can use it
In Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, the category can organise product groups in Shopping campaigns. In other countries only product_type can.
Source: Google Merchant Center Help: Google product category [google_product_category]
Browse
The 21 top-level categories, with their second level.
Open a top-level category to see its second-level categories, 192 in all, each with its ID. Search finds the deeper levels, up to 7 levels in total.
Animals & Pet SuppliesID 1, 2 subcategories, 124 categories below
- Live Animals3237
- Pet Supplies2
Apparel & AccessoriesID 166, 8 subcategories, 239 categories below
- Clothing1604
- Clothing Accessories167
- Costumes & Accessories184
- Handbag & Wallet Accessories6552
- Handbags, Wallets & Cases6551
- Jewelry188
- Shoe Accessories1933
- Shoes187
Arts & EntertainmentID 8, 3 subcategories, 499 categories below
- Event Tickets499969
- Hobbies & Creative Arts5710
- Party & Celebration5709
Baby & ToddlerID 537, 11 subcategories, 86 categories below
- Baby Bathing4678
- Baby Gift Sets5859
- Baby Health5252
- Baby Safety540
- Baby Toys & Activity Equipment2847
- Baby Transport2764
- Baby Transport Accessories4386
- Diapering548
- Nursing & Feeding561
- Potty Training6952
- Swaddling & Receiving Blankets6899
Business & IndustrialID 111, 25 subcategories, 223 categories below
- Advertising & Marketing5863
- Agriculture112
- Automation Control Components7261
- Construction114
- Dentistry7497
- Film & Television2155
- Finance & Insurance1813
- Food Service135
- Forestry & Logging1827
- Hairdressing & Cosmetology7240
- Heavy Machinery1795
- Hotel & Hospitality1475
- Industrial Storage5830
- Industrial Storage Accessories8025
- Janitorial Carts & Caddies500086
- Law Enforcement1556
- Manufacturing1470
- Material Handling6987
- Medical2496
- Mining & Quarrying2187
- Piercing & Tattooing4285
- Retail138
- Science & Laboratory1624
- Signage976
- Work Safety Protective Gear2047
Cameras & OpticsID 141, 4 subcategories, 103 categories below
- Camera & Optic Accessories2096
- Cameras142
- Optics156
- Photography39
ElectronicsID 222, 19 subcategories, 417 categories below
- Arcade Equipment3356
- Audio223
- Circuit Boards & Components3702
- Communications262
- Components1801
- Computers278
- Electronics Accessories2082
- GPS Accessories3895
- GPS Navigation Systems339
- GPS Tracking Devices6544
- Marine Electronics340
- Networking342
- Print, Copy, Scan & Fax345
- Radar Detectors912
- Speed Radars500091
- Toll Collection Devices4488
- Video386
- Video Game Console Accessories1270
- Video Game Consoles1294
Food, Beverages & TobaccoID 412, 3 subcategories, 363 categories below
- Beverages413
- Food Items422
- Tobacco Products435
FurnitureID 436, 25 subcategories, 120 categories below
- Baby & Toddler Furniture554
- Beds & Accessories6433
- Benches441
- Cabinets & Storage6356
- Carts & Islands442
- Chair Accessories7248
- Chairs443
- Entertainment Centers & TV Stands457
- Furniture Sets6345
- Futon Frames6860
- Futon Pads2786
- Futons450
- Office Furniture6362
- Office Furniture Accessories503765
- Ottomans458
- Outdoor Furniture4299
- Outdoor Furniture Accessories6963
- Room Divider Accessories6915
- Room Dividers4163
- Shelving464
- Shelving Accessories8023
- Sofa Accessories7212
- Sofas460
- Table Accessories6913
- Tables6392
HardwareID 632, 15 subcategories, 521 categories below
- Building Consumables503739
- Building Materials115
- Fencing & Barriers128
- Fuel543575
- Fuel Containers & Tanks502975
- Hardware Accessories2878
- Hardware Pumps500096
- Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning499873
- Locks & Keys1974
- Plumbing133
- Power & Electrical Supplies127
- Small Engines499982
- Storage Tanks1910
- Tool Accessories3650
- Tools1167
Health & BeautyID 469, 3 subcategories, 345 categories below
- Health Care491
- Jewelry Cleaning & Care5573
- Personal Care2915
Home & GardenID 536, 21 subcategories, 1,034 categories below
- Bathroom Accessories574
- Business & Home Security359
- Decor696
- Emergency Preparedness5835
- Fireplace & Wood Stove Accessories2862
- Fireplaces6792
- Flood, Fire & Gas Safety1679
- Household Appliance Accessories3348
- Household Appliances604
- Household Supplies630
- Kitchen & Dining638
- Lawn & Garden689
- Lighting594
- Lighting Accessories2956
- Linens & Bedding4171
- Parasols & Rain Umbrellas4358
- Plants985
- Pool & Spa729
- Smoking Accessories600
- Umbrella Sleeves & Cases6173
- Wood Stoves2639
Luggage & BagsID 5181, 13 subcategories, 21 categories below
- Backpacks100
- Briefcases101
- Cosmetic & Toiletry Bags108
- Diaper Bags549
- Dry Boxes502974
- Duffel Bags103
- Fanny Packs104
- Garment Bags105
- Luggage Accessories110
- Messenger Bags106
- Shopping Totes5608
- Suitcases107
- Train Cases6553
MatureID 772, 2 subcategories, 37 categories below
- Erotic773
- Weapons780
MediaID 783, 7 subcategories, 29 categories below
- Books784
- Carpentry & Woodworking Project Plans499995
- DVDs & Videos839
- Magazines & Newspapers886
- Music & Sound Recordings855
- Product Manuals5037
- Sheet Music887
Office SuppliesID 922, 14 subcategories, 165 categories below
- Book Accessories6174
- Desk Pads & Blotters8078
- Filing & Organization923
- General Office Supplies932
- Impulse Sealers5829
- Lap Desks8499
- Name Plates2435
- Office & Chair Mats6519
- Office Carts6373
- Office Equipment950
- Office Instruments2986
- Paper Handling2014
- Presentation Supplies964
- Shipping Supplies2636
Religious & CeremonialID 5605, 3 subcategories, 12 categories below
- Memorial Ceremony Supplies5606
- Religious Items97
- Wedding Ceremony Supplies5455
SoftwareID 2092, 3 subcategories, 34 categories below
- Computer Software313
- Digital Goods & Currency5032
- Video Game Software1279
Sporting GoodsID 988, 4 subcategories, 800 categories below
- Athletics499713
- Exercise & Fitness990
- Indoor Games1001
- Outdoor Recreation1011
Toys & GamesID 1239, 5 subcategories, 173 categories below
- Game Timers4648
- Games3793
- Outdoor Play Equipment1249
- Puzzles3867
- Toys1253
Vehicles & PartsID 888, 2 subcategories, 229 categories below
- Vehicle Parts & Accessories5613
- Vehicles5614
Google product category questions, answered.
What is the Google product category?
It is an optional attribute, google_product_category, that tells Google which category of its product taxonomy a product belongs to. Google sorts products into this tree on its own, so you set the attribute to correct it, for example when a wrong category brings extra required attributes. The value is the category ID, such as 2271 for Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses, or the full path.
Should I use the category ID or the full path?
Either works, but not both in one row. The ID is shorter and does not depend on spelling. Some examples in Google’s help pages print top-level names such as “Clothing & Accessories”, where the taxonomy file says “Apparel & Accessories”, and an XML feed has to escape the characters of a path. The ID avoids both.
How specific should the category be?
As specific as the taxonomy allows. Google says to use the most specific category, not just the top-level one, and to pick the one that matches the product’s main function. Search the product type, then open the deepest path that still describes the product.
What is the difference between google_product_category and product_type?
The Google product category must be a value from Google’s taxonomy. The product_type attribute is for your own categories: Google says to use it when no predefined category matches or when you want to submit your own. Where the Google product category cannot organise product groups in Shopping campaigns, product_type does that instead.
Which version of the taxonomy does this page use?
Version 2021-09-21 of the English (en-US) taxonomy, the file Google links from its Merchant Center Help page, with 5,595 categories. Google accepts any version published after August 2011 and translates it to the latest, and it says to use the latest categories.
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