Category Structure

[DaveNL]

Hi

I have an issue with the way categories are done or how i am doing them wrong
The problem is that if you have structured categories you get a lot of duplicated content.

Example if if wanted to add a product lets say a dog chewing toy , i would put it in the category dog toys, now dog toys is seated under the categories Animals>>>Dogs>>>Dog Toys, the problem with this is that in each and every category this product shows up, not only does it look unprofessional imho but you also have a problem with the dup content penalties from SE.

Is there a way around this, other then that i do really love this plugin, it is so good to be gone from shopify and their restrictions on almost everything...

Thanks

Dave

 

[DaveNL]

No one knows a solution?

 

[Jeff Rose]

It's strange. I don't know this plugin since I use the Woo version. I do know it won't normally cause duplicate content issues. While they do exist, the big SE know that this type of cross categorization happens within a single site. Two or three categories should be ok, every single one... that could be a problem.

 

[Direct Webstore]

Animals>>>Dogs>>>Dog Toys,

IMHO ... With a "niche store" ... "Dog Toys" should be the main site ... then just single categories under that. Then your problem wouldn't exist. Unless you're trying to diversify too much or making some kind of "Super Store" with everything on the planet in it. If that's the case, good luck. There's an old accronym around that really applies to this situation called "KISS" (Keep It Simple Stupid). I first came across it as an English teacher designing lesson plans. I think in a niche store you have to keep it clean, simple and uncluttered without sub, sub, sub categories going to the centre of the Earth.

 

[DaveNL]

I have a general store with 25 categories and about 350 products, I have found a way around it by using pages
The next time i will use the woocommerce version

 

[Direct Webstore]

I have a general store with 25 categories

That's interesting. Everyone/everywhere says that best way to make money is to concentrate on a niche. Are you actually making any money by going the opposite way and having a general store? Or are you still in the process of setting it up and you don't know yet?

 

[DaveNL]

I am still in progress of setting things up, but i have done it with shopify where i have a giftshop with 17 categories ranging from babies to bearded man and everything in between and i made good money with that, buty i started to hate shopify with a passion because of all there restrictions and their lack possibilities to even change the simplest things, and that you had to pay extra for every simple addone, that is why i moving away.

I will do some niche sites later on, but i feel that having a general store gives you so much more room to work and test what works and what doesn't and if you find a winning you can just buy a new domain and licence and setup a niche store.

 

[Direct Webstore]

i feel that having a general store gives you so much more room to work and test what works and what doesn't and if you find a winning you can just buy a new domain and licence and setup a niche store.

That sounds like something I was kicking around in my head before. Even if it doesn't make a lot ... it's still a good "testing ground" as you say. Were you selling AliExpress stuff on Shopify?

 

[DaveNL]

Yes i was selling Ali Express stuff on shopify, right now i am glancing at print on demand, but that market is sooooo incredibly saturated that i am not going to bother with it